6-Speed Gearbox

[Mickod88]

I take it its well worth it then. I have a 406 2.0 and I'm thinking about getting a 6 speed fitted. Any ideas of a cost for parts?

[MikeBX16V]

My Citroen BX16V has a 5 speed gearbox, but rather than fit a 6 speed box (expensive and gives a reduced steering range) I swapped the 5th gear cog set to give a taller gearing. Less acceleration in top, but a big improvement in noise levels and better economy.

I expect this is possible on the 406 too, and may be a easy alternative to swapping the whole box for a 6 speed unit.

Would love a 6 speed box in my 406 V6, that would save fuel and make it quieter too.

Mike

[Doggy]

Unlike the 6-speed BE series 'box as fitted to the 306 GTI-6, (which I guess is what you're refering to), the ML6C has no effect on the turning circle.

Most of the expense, in my case, was in changing the clutch & DMF, rather than face taking the 'box out again at some point in the future.

I can see that you could get some of the benefit by fitting a taller 5th gear, but my top gear is so high that I have to cover appreciable distances in 5th. If I had to choose between 4th and 6th, I suspect much of the benefit would be lost.

[steve_earwig]

My Citroen BX16V has a 5 speed gearbox

Has? You still have it? I used to have a pair (that was a million years ago tho )

[MikeBX16V]

Has? You still have it? I used to have a pair (that was a million years ago tho )

Yes, I sorned it last May,and not driven it since then.

It now lives in the garage but will be back on the road next spring.

It's a great drive, I've had it since 2001.

Done lots of miles razzing around France in it.

The 5th gear mod transformed it for long trips, Citroen should have done that themselves.

My 406 would benefit from the 6 speed,(mainly to save wear and fuel) but my clutch is fine, the car has only done 85k and it's on LPG so cannot justify the cost of a gearbox upgrade (yet).

But I would consider getting a 'box and keeping it ready for when the clutch gives in.

I wanted a 406 coupe, but I need 4 doors and 5 seatbelts.

I take it you rated the BX then?

cheers,
Mike

[dirtydirtydiesel]

Has? You still have it? I used to have a pair (that was a million years ago tho )

Yes, I sorned it last May,and not driven it since then.

It now lives in the garage but will be back on the road next spring.

It's a great drive, I've had it since 2001.

Done lots of miles razzing around France in it.

The 5th gear mod transformed it for long trips, Citroen should have done that themselves.

My 406 would benefit from the 6 speed,(mainly to save wear and fuel) but my clutch is fine, the car has only done 85k and it's on LPG so cannot justify the cost of a gearbox upgrade (yet).

But I would consider getting a 'box and keeping it ready for when the clutch gives in.

I wanted a 406 coupe, but I need 4 doors and 5 seatbelts.

I take it you rated the BX then?

cheers,
Mike

I absolutely loved my BX 16v, the hydro sus was awsome , after that I had a 11 year love afair with a ZX 2.0 16v witch by the time I sold her was 225bhp at the wheel's .
God I miss that car ,great fun scooby baiting .
But I too needed 5 Door's & an estate with 45+ mpg

[steve_earwig]

Loved mine too, both of them. I shall never see their like again, closest thing to a 4-wheel motorcycle I ever drove, so unbelievably manoeuvrable. I had the mk1 airborne a couple of times (don't expect to have any brakes when you hit the ground as it really p?sses the ABS off... ). I sold the mk1 to a mate, the gearbox eventually fell off (happened a lot to them apparently btw) and I sold the mk2 so I could buy something cheaper to insure for my then girlfriend to learn to drive in (big mistake...) . After that I had a mk2 Ashtray which was a piece of junk by comparison and nose-dived into the ground when I tried to jump it, hitting the ground so hard it bent the clutch housing. Just goes to show how balanced the BX was.

I'm a lot more sensible these days

Speaking of insurance, the first couple of years I had the mk1 the insurance co.s didn't know what it was and I paid the same insurance as a 1.6. Then they realised and the insurance sky-rocketed

Btw the only real problem I had was a misfire on the mk1 which turned out to be condensation forming around the leads under the spark plug cover, I sprayed the spark plug caps with ignition sealer and it never happened again. I had a couple of problems with the mk2 but they were down to incompetent garages I did my own stuff on the mk1 but, as the mk2 was only a couple of years old and absolutely mint, I didn't have the confidence to work on it. That quickly changed though...

Btw sorry for the thread hijack

[pug406nz]

Hmmm, would you happen to know if it is possible swapping a ML5T gearbox from a ES9J4S to a ML6C of some sort?

[Doggy]

It's almost certainly possible, as the external dimensions of the two boxes are so similar. I suspect you may not be able to arrive at a viable set of gear and final drive ratios, or someone would probably have done it by now.

[steve_earwig]

You mean nobody has yet? I assumed that would have been compulsory...

[Doggy]

I have seen some discussion on the subject, 'in another place', but no evidence it has been done. A standard 20MB04 would no doubt fit, but you'd only need the top two gears going downhill

[steve_earwig]

MB07 is looking good. ES9A crankcase and flywheel same as J4S... in fact, is it the same engine, they've just changed the designation?

[highlander]

A 6th gear would be nice mated to the EW12J4, just so as I'm not running around 3300 RPM at 75 - 80 MPH. The engine still seems to be in the power band at that pace, so it's not like running at 2500 RPM would result in greater fuel burn.

If the gear ratios were identical up to 5th, and they just stuck a longer 6th gear on the end, that would be good.

Disclaimer: I know nothing about gearboxes

[Sonia406]

You can gain half a tank of diesel just by dropping a few hundred revs?

That just made me laugh out loud!! I didn't even notice that

[pug406nz]

So I did a gear chart to work out all the speeds, revs, ratios, etc. So I literally just add another gear and do not get any shorter ratios. Top speed in 6th is 335KM/H :O