HDi tuning advice please!

handsomedez · Post by **handsomedez** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 12:21 am

Hi all,

I'm new in town. Recently swapped from a Mondeo ST24 to a 406 HDi 110 for economy and towing, but it's too slow for me already.

First of all I'm looking into getting it de-catted and a 2.5" exhaust system? Has anyone on here done this, if so does it make a difference to performance? I noticed there was a wee debate about decats a while back, has anyone had a go with an HDi?

I've just spent FORTUNES on a new set of rockers, timing belt and tensioner, lift pump, crankshaft pulley and alternator belt - I had a wee mishap not long after buying the car!

Also I'm gonna swap the intercooler for a larger front mount right behind the bumper to give better cooling. Probably gonna get the usual tuning box, panel filter etc too.

Does anyone know if a hybrid turbo is available for the HDi yet? I noticed some places do them for the VW TDi engines and they make a mahoosive difference with the right mapping, exhaust etc.

Any advice is much appreciated.

GeordieBoy · Post by **GeordieBoy** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 12:35 am

If you want more bhp and torque then go for an ECU remap which adds 40bhp, the tuning box only adds 30bhp. Also get a BMC CDA Induction Kit it adds another 6% more bhp and torque. No point going silly spending fortunes, you could just add NOZ and get an instant 100bhp increase at the touch of a button.

handsomedez · Post by **handsomedez** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 12:42 am

I can get an exhaust and de-cat made up for next to nothing - my best pal runs a custom exhaust centre.

Same with the front mount, can get one for about £40. Just need to know if it's worth doing before I get it done. I'm gonna try and make it as much of a sleeper as possible, but need shedloads of torque for towing.

jason j · Post by **jason j** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 7:25 am

FMIC will not be a sleeper mod as you will need to cut alot of the front bumper away to fit one in.

handsomedez · Post by **handsomedez** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 4:48 pm

Hmmm good point. I'll see how much space there is between the rad and bumper. If it has to sit inside the bumper I'll probably spray it black to make it less noticable.

turbolag · Post by **turbolag** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 4:23 pm

you can fit an FMIC, even quite a large one, without resorting to a jigsaw to shape the inside of the front bumper. You need to make mounts to tilt the top of the rad into the engine bay, or to keep the rad vertical, but tilt the NS at an angle to creat a space in front. I've seen both done on 306 HDi (fundamentally the same motor, in an even less spacious bay), quite successfully. Alternatively, a long slim I/C (such as my Rangie P38 one) will fit in the lower bumper, but require some jiggery pokery due to the tortuaous pipe runs this creates - horese for courses I guess.

Decat worth doing - did mine meself with a large length of copper pipe hammered to a point at one end, 4 hours, and a large dose of knuckle blood!

A filter on it's own won't make any difference, as a turbo spinning at 300+ k RPM will draw what it needs, nae problem. I have ehard (unsubstantiated) of the enclosed BMC type being problematic in sustained periods of wet weather. I run a stainless mesh Powertec induction kit, which never needs cleaning and sounds like i've a jet engine hidden away down there. nice.

Then, and only then, invest an a remap from a reputable tuner and you're sorted.

TBH, I used to own a V6 mondieu Ghia, and at 164 brake for a none too light car, I was always inderwhelmed by the performance, especially as the wifes 115bhp 2 litre Astra of the time (itself not a featherweight machine)used to murder it on the straights. Smooth though, even if the economy was a bit worrisome.

handsomedez · Post by **handsomedez** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 6:52 pm

Cheers for the info!

I've got the chance of a mahoosive intercooler from a Golf 1.8T 150bhp which was supposedly running about 230bhp, so if it's good enough for that it's good enough for my peugeot!

I'll try and get the decat and exhaust done over xmas when my mate's boss is away - then maybe he won't notice a few metres of pipe and a couple of boxes going missing!

The CDA kit is the best on the market as far as cold-air kits go, but Quikshift do a similar one with stainless mesh cone for a lot less money so might get one of those, we'll see.

My old ST was sluggish to start with but by the time I sold her she had all the ST200 top end bits and a custom Y-pipe so was running about 200bhp.

turbolag · Post by **turbolag** » Sat Dec 02, 2006 11:43 am

The turbobits website are selling stanless mesh cones from £50 upwards - good value.

handsomedez · Post by **handsomedez** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 5:28 pm

turbolag wrote:The turbobits website are selling stanless mesh cones from £50 upwards - good value.

Thanks buddy but can get a mesh cone for next to nothing, prefer the cold-air induction kits.