Dodgy accumulator from Ebay

[Boxwolf]

The accumulator on my TXD is getting somewhat tired (understatement) so I recently ordered a replacement off ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... TQ:GB:1123

This one was listed as new, but upon recieving it I found the seal broken, rubber o-rings dirty and rust on the thread. It had clearly been previously used in a car. Its date of manafacture also states 2001.

Whats the world coming to?

[CitroXim]

It may have just ben used by a mechanic to prove a point by substitution and then re-boxed for later use. This often happens in workshops.

It may be perfectly OK. If it's been unused since 2001 it may have lost a little pressure but is likely OK. I've seen plenty of NOS spheres that when put on the sphere tester have proved serviceable.

Give it a clean-up, especially around the orifice, and give it a go.. The regulator tick-rate will soon prove if it is good or not.

[Tourist]

Bad luck.

[Boxwolf]

I would fit it to try it out, but I will likely have to pay a garage (and wait a fair amount of time) to get it fitted because I dont have axle stands to get the car up for access.

I have already asked the seller for a refund and arranging to send it back, and the seller only offers money back if returned in 7 days, so I'll have to find one from another source.

This is frustrating, cause I did get it for quite a good price. I wish I was able to fit it myself to try it out.

I thought spheres did not have a very long shelf life though? and surely rust on the thread and worn o-ring implies more than just one-off use.

[CitroXim]

Ahh, I see your dilemma. Axle stands are so essential for most jobs on a hydraulic Citroen that they really ought to come free with every car. That and a Pleiades sphere removal tool.

I thought spheres did not have a very long shelf life though?

You'd have thought so but on personal experience going through a box of NOS genuine Citroen spheres, some likely dating from the 90s, they all showed good on the sphere tester. In fact I have an old BX16V rear corner sphere which is a NOS boxed genuine Citroen one and it's nigh-on perfect. It's heat and use that wears them mostly.

Interestingly, on Xantias at least, spheres last longer on an early sinker than they do on the later anti-sinks and that's put down to the fact that the sinker depressurises them whilst parked whereas an anti-sink keeps them under pressure and thus under strain.

[Boxwolf]

I wish I had a sphere tester, would be very useful considering the hastle of getting an accumulator fitted. If this one is good i guess i'll never know cause I cant afford to pay to have it fitted only to find its had it and the garage would likely not have a free slot until next week.

I will have to get axle stands soon, as I want to be able to change things like accumulator myself but I havent a clue how to actually use them

My dad mentioned the availability of a pair of ramps for two of the car's wheels which apparently did the same job as axle stands but I have never seen these in shops anywhere.

[CitroXim]

You can knock up a sphere tester quite easily using an old hydraulic pump from a scrap BX, a pressure regulator block from the same scrapped BX, a few pipes and a 100 Bar pressure gauge. Provide an LHM tank (a bottle will do) and pop the sphere to be tested on the pressure regulator block, rotate the pump pulley and watch the gauge. When the reading settles out (after about five or six rotations of the pulley) that's the pressue in the sphere

Ramps are OK but they can be "fun" to drive up. Best to jack up the car high and place the ramps under tha raised wheel. Ramps are freely available in the likes of halfrauds but are consuiderably dearer and ultimately less flexible in use than a good pair of axle stands.

[rob-81]

Would buying a pair of axle stands for £20 be better spent than paying smeone to do the acc sphere?

[MULLEY]

I'd say yes, reason being that you will deffo use them again as you are owning a bx which will require getting underneath from time to time.

Also when you factor in the price of the stands you'd easily get the cost of them back by just doing an oil & oil filter change rather than paying £50+ quid for someone to do something which is sooooo simple even i do on my car.

I believe there are some instructions on the diy section of the site on how to remove the accumulator sphere.

[DLM]

If cost & speed is paramount, Eurocaparts do a very cheap acc sphere, part number 620 54 5231 on the box in front of me (but check). I've used one before, and would have whipped it off soonest if there had been a problem. None materialised. I keep one as am emergency spare.

If ordered pre-10 a.m., they should have one in branch by 12 if there's stock.

I've made this the only exception to the rule "never buy a cheap sphere unless they're given away (in pairs)".

[Way2go]

The accumulator sphere is an easy job to do yourself. Besides the axle stands which you will need for many other jobs on the BX, the only tools you need for removal are a hammer and chisel. Tightening is only done hand tight. 'Simples' as the meerkat says!

(hold chisel at an angle on the circumference weld of the sphere. Sharp tap or two to start the rotation and unscrew the rest by hand. )
PS: dont forget to depressurise first

[Vanny]

wait, why are stands needed to get the sphere off? I mean, whats the obsession round here with doing everything from below and getting covered in scum at the same time? I've even done filters, accumulators, PR's, starters and alternators from the top on both TD's AND valvers.

Worse case, do like a guy i know did and park the car at the top of a slight of steps with the engine hanging over the top step. Check what ever you need, then get back in while forgetting that you left the car in gear. Spend the rest of the day trying to get the car back out of the stair well.


Actually dont do that, its a silly thing to do! PS it was a Golf driver.