Sphere seal failure

[ghaddon1701]

Hi,
Just a question for all those experienced BXers. Has any one known sphere seals fail very suddenly and leak LHM under pressure all over the place. As a result when you are driving the regulator starts clicking like mad. A minute or so later the STOP light came on due to lack of fluid. This happended today on my way back from work. The sphere seal was leaking on the offside rear suspension unit. I have had the car over 2 years. Never shown any signs of leaking before. We have replaced the seal and all is well, hopefully. Looking at the old seal there doesn't appear to be alot wrong with it. Can any one shed any light? Thanks.

Regards Graham

[Dollywobbler]

I'll watch this one with interest. My Mk2 has a tide mark on the LH front sphere, which looks like it must be coming from a leak on that seal. Not losing much, just enough to create a stain. I'd better keep an eye on it!

[docchevron]

never seen a seal fail for no reason. I have seen them get "nicked" whilst the sphere is being done up, but thats immediatly obvious..
oddness!

[JayW]

I'd have thought it almost impossible for them to fail as the mating face is recessed into the cylinder. Perhaps the sphere was loose (not detectable when pressurised)?

[MULLEY]

Was it the correct citroen one that had been fitted? Might have been either a very old seal that the previous owner(s) never bothered replacing when the spheres were changed or like doc has suggested, might have been damaged when a sphere was replaced?

[citronut]

with sudden failure i would thought more on the lines of the susp cylinder corroded through were it sits in the sub frame,

or as others have said the sphere was not tight enough,

when i fit new spheres (usually Amtex ) i re/use the old seal as i belive the OE seals are a diferent compound than the new ones that come with the Amtex spheres,

even doing this i have not as yet had any problems with them leaking,

regards malcolm

[mat_fenwick]

/\ That was my initial thought too, until it was cured by fitting a new seal! Loose sphere is in my mind the only plausible explanation.

[ghaddon1701]

Hi,
The seal could indeed have been an old one. I admit when I first bought the car I took the rear spheres off to paint them. I did not change the seal. But it has been ok for over 2 years. The sphere was tight because it is difficult to remove without being able to crack the seal with the car being in high first. We first suspected either the suspension pipe or the brake pipe but it was neither. Thanks everybody.

Regards Graham

[Dollywobbler]

Further to this, the leaky sphere on my Mk2 was because the sphere was loose! I could move it very easily by hand...

I haven't got a sphere tool, so what's the best plan to get it tight again? I do have various oil filter things.

[MULLEY]

Hand tight is sufficient

[Dollywobbler]

Phew. That's ok then. I'll tighten it in a bit.

[citronut]

an old motor cycle chain and a large ring spanner will suffice as a sphere tool

regards malcolm

[Wooscary]

an old motor cycle chain and a large ring spanner will suffice as a sphere tool

regards malcolm

Pretty good apocalyptic gang weaponry too.

[toddao]

yeah. time to get tooled up for the end of the world, only six months to go.. better get an ankle length black leather coat too!