Citroen XM Forum

Thanks for checking that for me Chris. I understand that there are dampers, but at this stage am probably better off not being confused by too much information from the suppliers!

One question arises - as I've already confessed, I haven't (yet) replaced the anti-sink sphere. If it is flat, would I actually notice? The car doesn't sink when it's left parked for an extended period, but I suspect that doesn't prove anything...

Dieselman wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 28, 2020 6:34 am

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Lowering the subframe a little is easy.
Car raised and propped, loosen the subframe bolts on the right side one or two turns, put a jack under the left side and undo the bolts, then lower the subframe enough to gain access.
You probably don't need to undo the left bolts fully.

Thanks for the encouragement - you were right, it was quite do-able. While you've all been asleep, I donned a headlight torch and got to it.

Luckily I had a 9mm flare spanner for the pipe connector (is the anti-sink sphere the only place on an Xm or Xantia that uses that size?).

Finished up removing subframe bolts on near side altogether and lowering that side quite a bit - my double width chain wrench was too big to get around the sphere with any less access.

This stretched the return line from the height corrector, which started to leak. Found that a previous owner (or mechanic) had replaced the original joiner with a short section of rubber tubing - too short as it turned out. The rubber hose was cracking, so I've replaced it with a (longer) piece drip irrigation tubing from Bunnings. Comes in a couple of useful gauges, and seems to be unaffected by LHM - used it a few years ago to replace a return line connector on a Xantia - so far no comebacks! Oh wait - you guys weren't enthusiastic enough about Bunnings, and you don't have them any more...

Really not much else to report - getting the LH subframe bolts back in was a bit tricky, but I managed not to cross thread anything. Finished up using a scissor jack to just nudge the subframe forward a bit (supported on a trolley jack).

Cheers

Alec

So a question about the anti-sink sphere - how does the air bleed out through that tiny little tube, while the LHM is pushing to get in?

And a subsidiary question - once I've got the car back on it's wheels and the system pressurised (but still supported of course), should I back off the pipe connector to see if air bubbles out. I've read that bleeding brakes is very worthwhile if for any reason air has got into the system - surely this is a similar situation?

Actually I might do it just to see if anything comes out - I can't remember ever changing a sphere (did a Xantia last year as well as the Xm) with as little mess! Clearly, although the sphere was 14 years old (regassed in 2015), the diaphragm hadn't blown, but I would have expected a bit more than the tiny dribble I got when unscrewing the pipe connector.

Expecting a cold snap on Friday - max of 10C here, but much colder further South, with snow expected on higher parts.

Stay well

Alec

We are at 10c as well...but wet.

The best way to purge air is to run the engine then perform several up-down cycles and hard brake presses, only then bleed the brakes.

The compression and relaxation of the anti-sink sphere will force air out of the pipe.
Air compresses a lot at 2,500psi...

You should have been able to undo the sphere by turning the retaining nut, not the sphere. The nut isn't captive.

Any sphere that isn't ruptured shouldn't contain mote than a few CC of oil, when removed.

The anti-sink sphere hardly does any work, so lasts a very long time.

It would be worth you making a sphere tester, so you can monitor the pressures.

I checked the ones you bought against the IFHS catalogue.
It appears the spec for the es9j engine is different to others...and you have the correct ones.

Thanks for checking - glad I pass muster . Looks like I could have safely left the anti-sink sphere for a few more years, and no one would have been any the wiser - but it was annoying me that the status of one sphere was unknown!

The one tool I didn't have was anything (apart from a pipe wrench) big enough to fit that nut! If the nut/sphere combination had been really tight, I would have had to go and buy something big enough to fit the nut, but Jason (Citroen specialist in Sydney who did some work on this car before I bought it) knows what he's doing, and none of the spheres were overtightened.

With XM metal pipework replacement I use non Citroen after market pipe nuts.
These come with 10mm double width flanges making them much stronger if you have to go back in later.
CuNik pipe cuts rust problems and is much easier to flare.

That large nut on the a/s sphere can be drifted undone with a hammer and drift/chisel, with sphere held stationary. Soak in penetrating oil first. This allows the sphere to be eased away from the bracket, so access to the small pipe/union is easier.
Anyway, you managed it - and while we were all asleep, too!

Reckon the a/s sphere probably goes completely undiscovered by some owners, and likely by some lazy mechanics, too. As Will says, it gets an easy life.

If a sphere has any gas pressure left in it at all, when it is removed from the car the diaphragm will get pushed (by the gas) towards the neck, and leaving only a tiny space for the fluid. Ruptured spheres can be completely full of fluid, on the other hand.

Apologies for "too much info"; I just don't like that two-letter IFHS coding. Glad all your spheres are the right ones.
I won't mention sphere re-gassing. No. I definitely won't.

Yes I know spheres can be regassed, so I don't bin them.

I have rejoined the NSW Citroen Car Club, who used to hold regular tech days for members. One day they will again, and if I can afford the time, I'll make the 1,000 km round trip to attend (they are usually near Sydney).

The club has sphere testing and regassing equipment, and so I'll take along my box of used spheres. It will be good to have a supply of regassed spheres in stock - basically if I want new, they have to come from Europe, which requires ordering stuff about 3 weeks before you need it.

Build your own tester from either a Citroen pump and regulator/sphere connector, or a hydraulic jack with sphere fitting welded on and the ram removed, or drilled to allow oil to pass through.
All you need then is a gauge.

As you are remote, it might be worth either making a regassing rig, or buying a kit and valves from Technosir in Italy.

All you need then is a bottle of Nitrogen.

White Exec wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 29, 2020 11:10 am

Apologies for "too much info"; I just don't like that two-letter IFHS coding.

The IFHS catalogue cross references all the equivalent Citroen numbers.