Hydropneumatic 405 Mi16x4!! (weird setup)

deian · Post by **deian** » 11 Apr 2006, 19:10

just saw my cousins 405 Mi16x4, it's here in the citroen forum because it's got the hydropneumatic suspension in the back which i want to share with you...

It's quite a weird set up really, initially i got there and the bonnet was open, and i saw this little black sphere in the engine bay together with a big clear coloured box of what we thought was dirty LHM fluid (it was brown), turns out this was hydraulic/brake fluid, it has hydraulic brakes just like our citroens just in a seperate circuit to the suspension, driven by an electric motor.... (also has the STOP light in the dashboard too, cousin said it was on for a while at start up)

...when we went to the boot and open the sides up, there she was, a little round box of LHM with the float type level indicator, and a little button to raise the suspension, which it did, electrically driven pump motor. So click the switch, brrrr goes the motor and up she went, quick and smooth too, dropped down too, second time round she didn't go up at all.

Also it has ONE green sphere in the back, NOT two on each wheel and one center spehere, mechanically it's a weird suspension set up. On top of all this, it has power steering on another conventional seperate circuit.

And people say our citroens are complex!!

(just in case any of you are wondering why he's got it, he's got a 309 with a Mi16 engine in it, this 405 engine will be a backup engine, and he's planning to put the 4x4 system in the 309, maybe with the hydropneumatic setup if need be)

pugxpert · Post by **pugxpert** » 11 Apr 2006, 19:51

sounds like its an early one ,the black accumalator under the bonnet is for the abs system they are a pig to bleed if i ever see one i will pull a sicky!! the rear suspension only fitted 2 the 4x4 has electric motor driving the pump a ride height sensor and a sphere its very basic and is a completly seperate and stand alone system.spheres used to go and the odd wiring prob with the ride height sensor.dont give the transmission to much greef they used to blow transfer boxes regular.

rossnunn · Post by **rossnunn** » 11 Apr 2006, 20:24

Quite rare little beasts.
My Dad had a black one for a while, used to corner like nothing I had experianced at the time.
It looked quite a simple 'package' to swap over your main problem might be track width.
He might just wanna keep the 405

deian · Post by **deian** » 11 Apr 2006, 20:43

Yea, the track width is 60mm too long. His 309 GTi is in Miami Blue with black leathers, good nick too!

Anyway, he's going angle grind the shell off the 405 so he can reveal how the naked suspension is setup on the chassis, quite a drastic move i think! Mechanically it seems good, just it's not dressed in the nicest body.

As for the transfer box workin, it seems ok now, he booted it in 1st on gravel and it didn't wheelspin. Although he doesn't think much of the power 160bhp is easily bogged down by the 4x4 and 'ancillaries'.

Do you think the mi16 engine in the Mi16x4 could be tuned up to compensate for the extra weight as standard (compared to the normally setup 2wd mi16)?

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » 11 Apr 2006, 20:56

Yes it is possible and from what I remember from reading this site some while ago - a relatively small amount off work on the head can produce significant results - read section on Peugeot engine for details . . .

http://www.pumaracing.co.uk/

rossnunn · Post by **rossnunn** » 11 Apr 2006, 21:08

strip the shell? what?? does he know how rare they are? from the age of about 9 to 21 I have only ever seen 2 in the metal.
There are some that would castrate your mate if they found out!

deian · Post by **deian** » 11 Apr 2006, 21:17

yes he knows, it's not the best example though, only mechanically it's good, he paid £390 for it off ebay.

imagine a 309 mi16x4?

rossnunn · Post by **rossnunn** » 11 Apr 2006, 21:24

no imagine a 3.0 v6 4x4 ZX! or more realiscly a 2.0 16v 4x4 ZX

lol

LeeDJC · Post by **LeeDJC** » 12 Apr 2006, 04:25

I used to have a 309 Mi16 - best car I have owned to date for sheer pleasure of driving.

The Mi16 engine is pretty easy to tune. The first upgrade is to ditch the injection system and go for throttle bodies. The sky's the limit with those engines if I can remember - You can get over 200bhp without too much hassle.