Well...a confession of stupidity on my part really I have had a BX TZi 1900 for over three and a half years and it had done 225,000 kms when I bought it and it has now done 294000 kms. In the time that I have had the car the duration between hydraulic clicks has never been more than around 12 seconds. In the past two months or so the duration between clicks diminished even further to a point where it was clicking more or less continually. So even with stupid-me the penny dropped - I need a new accumulator sphere me thinks. So we order one from SA and over it comes and Big T at Drummoyne puts it on and now the clicks are more infrequent, all as it should be. The ride seems a little better and the car does seem to be generally smoother too.
The question I ask myself however is why the various BX specialist mecahnics that I have had the car fixed/serviced with (That does not include Big T who was not so familiar with the hydraulics) in the period I have had the car, not picked this up and suggested that the accumulator sphere be replaced when it was clicking at the frequency of every 11-12 seconds? Goodness knows they replaced every other sphere!
But the other reason for posting this information is to ask if all you BXperts out there think that maybe the problem I have been having with high pressure hydraulic pipes over the past months may have been caused by this increased clicking / accumulator sphere "failure". The main driver's side hydraulic pipe connection to the hydraulic pump has popped off three times in the past couple of months and Big T charged me the first time but put it back the next two times at his cost. I stoppd driving the car when the clicking became basically continuous and when the sphere arrived drove the car the three kilometres to Big T's and the main hydraulic pipe on the other side at the front had burst on that trip.
With hindsight Tony at Big T's thought that maybe the system was under such increased pressure that this increased pressure is the reason the pipes burst.
I wonder what you all think about that?
Greg F
The BX Confessional
A good accumulator is essential for the proper functioning of the system and provides a safety reservoir for the brakes and especially the ABS system. Its easy to test - simply get the car to normal height and let the engine idle for a couple of minutes to stabilise the system. Then turn the engine off - and sit in the boot. The back should drop a long way then rise again after about 30 seconds to its original height - powered by the accumulator. (Just as it does with the engine running.)
I'm not sure what you mean by the main pipe - I'd have said the main pipe was the pipe from the pump to the flow divider and then to the regulator - and the pipes you're referring to sound like the small ones to the front struts.
All pipes must be carefully supported to avoid fractures - and hard undamped pulses as will be found without the damping effect of the cushion will make matters worse.
I'm not sure what you mean by the main pipe - I'd have said the main pipe was the pipe from the pump to the flow divider and then to the regulator - and the pipes you're referring to sound like the small ones to the front struts.
All pipes must be carefully supported to avoid fractures - and hard undamped pulses as will be found without the damping effect of the cushion will make matters worse.