Retro-Fitting

[Tiny Tim]

Right, I thought I'd start a thread that could possibly be used as a guide for others on retro-fitting. Only problem - i'll need input from all you enthusiasts (nutters).

I'ver personally got a 2.1TD D8 - Its the LX model so basic EVERYTHING. Manual mirrors, no front fog lights, no cruise control, rear window winders etc.

What can I retro-fit without too much hassle? - I.E. What looms are there and what arent? Are the front fog looms there? Can I stick wondow motors in the rear doors and plug them in? Etc etc...

Thought this might be a good idea for others' reference

[steve_earwig]

I notice my D8 has the connectors for the cruise control, sadly I can't find anything on the '9.

I think your best starting point might be to see what wiring/connectors exist in your car already and work from there.

Look on the bright side, your car's lack of goodies means a lot less to go wrong!

[teamster1975]

Hi All
My last car was a 406 1.8LX D8 (before it was killed in the floods )
I installed electric wing mirrors, electric rear windows with all the drivers door controls & trip computer.
The wing mirrors are a pig, you need to add to the loom which runs into the front doors through that rubber gaiter which is a tight squeeze; especially adding the loom for the rear window front controls!!!! And then there's getting the wires through the door loom connector block into the car which was a sod, I drilled out some of the unused pins which gave enough room to fiddle the wires through.
Lots of soldering and heatshrink and burnt fingers
I got the switches and connectors and miles of loom from the breakers for a tenner, everything else off ebay

It was well worth it, stopped my 3 year old cracking the window open after he discovered the winder

I got a 406 D8 Exec 2l turbo off ebay as a replacement, sod doing that lot again!

[Captain Jack]

My 2.1TD LX has air con and electric mirrors as "extras" so not THAT basic. But still... I've added electric leather seats - you need to run the positive wire in from somewhere and fog lamps (wiring already there but you need a stalk and a relay). I've also tarted it up with those silver strips on bumper guards that you get on D9's and some D8's and wooden look ashtray. I have also fitted leather door cards to the rear - had to drill a hole for the manual winder thing and I am in the process of making some kind of an adapter to fit the cards to the doors.

While you're at it, remap the engine to ~130-140bhp and it'll make you smile

[steve_earwig]

As an aside: With the amount of wiring changes made by Pug I'd be happier if Tiny Tim has a look and sees what he's got before he splashes out on stuff.

[teamster1975]

I was mad enough to trust haynes wiring diagram and make up new looms for the addons
And blow me if it all worked!

[steve_earwig]

Ok Mr Smartypants, what did you fit to what?

[teamster1975]

I've dropped myself in it now
406D8 1.8LX
I fitted electric wing mirrors, electric rear windows & all the driver door switches, trip computer & front fogs
Picked up a pair of rear doors with 'leccy windows off ebay dirt cheap as the whole car had been keyed before I bought it, also replaced the boot lid and front bumper.
There was no loom for the wing mirrors which I made up, I also ran a loom for the rear windows. There were wires going into the door connectors for the windows but I couldn't find the connector they terminated in, I just ran my own, getting very fed up by this point!
I was chuffed with it but my wife cursed me spending hours on the car!

[Tiny Tim]

Which... is kinda my issue at the moment! the whole reason I bought the '6 in the first place is because my wife gave birth to our first 9 weeks ago. I dont get time to work on my track toy these days, let alone the daily '6!

HOWEVER... I would like to get around to making some 'comfort' mods to the car... top of the list is a centre armrest, but I do hope to get on to leccy mirrors, rear windows, chip etc.

[teamster1975]

I can relate to that. I had to sell my Saab 900 classic convertible to get a "sensible family car" before my wife gave birth to our second
I wouldn't have had enough room to take him home otherwise!!
I'll be honest though, I'm totally sold on the 406, it's a great car

Edit: Congratulations to you both TinyTim How are the sleepless nights I'm glad all that is a distant memory for us now!!!!

[Tiny Tim]

Cheers mate

People keep mentioning this 'sleep' thing...

[teamster1975]

My wife and I used to do alternate nights, Happy days
I do sympathise, we need a redbull smilie!

Edit: Back on topic! If you do chip the car, what mods do you need to make to the engine? New backbox/airfilter? I've got the 2l turbo
I guess in theory chipping a car is like rejetting the carbs when you put a loud can on & K&N filter?

[Tiny Tim]

Rule for petrol turbos.... As much air in as quickly as possible, and as much air out as quickly as possible.


Screw K&N... waste of money.. get a large universal cone filter and keep it clean.

as for the exhaust, as large and short as poss... preoferably from turbo back - downpipe etc.

this is the pic of my old 21 turbo.. to give you an idea

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a386/ ... 000065.jpg

not a good pic i know, its a side exit.

[teamster1975]

Very nice
I've got an oil leak to track down & a new rad to fit before I start tinkering with goodies
I've just done the antirollbar bushes & drop links front & rear, also the top links on the rear. Just got the bottom engine mount bush to replace then I'm done. For now!
Oh, I had to make a bracket for the centre section of the exhaust cos it kept clouting every slight bump in the road!
How this car had a fresh mot when I bought it god only knows, it didn't even have a dipstick & the spare tyre was just canvas!

[steve_earwig]

Here's me, I didn't think I'd be doing much here as I'd have to buy new parts from the stealers...

...but...

Does anyone know what sort of grief it would be to retrofit seat heating pads? I don't think the wiring exists but that's not much of a problem, I have a soldering iron

The reason I'm asking is because I've just been talking to Kenlowe about an engine pre-heater. I can't afford to heat my house to anything livable (I'd need about 3,000 liters of heating oil @ about 50p a litre) so I'll be staying with my girlfriend this winter Sadly she has no garage (I promise to build some sort of shelter next year) so my poor Pug will have to sit on her front drive. The trouble is the pre-heater's nie on 300 sovs, that's about 600 liters of heating oil! After all the cost of sorting this new Pug out I'm very strapped for cash and I just can't afford it.