one.D'RIVE: October 2009

October 31, 2009

Personalising my308

Week 4 Oct 2009
Everybody 'dares to be different' even at the extreme to personalise his belongging . Me too. Have been thinking how best but simple way to personalize my308. Besides NZline bodykits, what about this "308T"?

.. and placing "Turbo" badge in front of the intercooler?

Hope my308 doesn't look like ahbeng's with these lite personalisation... but I have seen a moonroof 308 with KR lights, he heee!!!. If u ppl spot a Lunar Mist 308T just blow ur horn 3x ya [toot.. toot... tooooooot!!!]

"Peugeot is Engineered to be Enjoyed" and understanding Engineering enhances ur enjoyment to another level...

October 26, 2009

Summary: Peugeot 308 140THP Auto running on RON95

[updated Nov 12th 2009 for RON97]

Coverage: 5000+km throughout Peninsular Malaysia [Malaya] - from Klang Valley to Northern, Eastern and Southern states since Sep. 1 2009.

1. FUEL CONSUMPTION:
The average fuel consumptions were based on not less than 250km travel disance [not instantaneous reading on the trip computer readout]:

6.0liter/100km on PLUS at 92km/hr
6.2liter/100km on PLUS at 110km/hr
7~8liter/100km on start-stop interstate trunk roads
10~11liter/100km for start-stop and city driving in traffic jam or when driven around 160~180km/hr on highways
11~12liter/100km when driven 180-190km/hr on highways
Test for yourselves at speeds beyond 190km/hr!

2. PERFORMANCE

2.1 Acceleration:
0~100km/hr in 9.3 sec.
0~160km/hr in 23.5 sec.
150km/hr~180km/hr in 16.5sec.

2.2 Standing Test:
400meter [1/4mile] in 16.3seconds
1000meter in 29.7seconds
click HERE for details

2. 3 Top Sustainable Speeds:
214km/hr on the speedometer
212km/hr recorded by a datalogger
click HERE for more...

Note: All tests were carried out with the EP6-DT engine running on RON95 and lubricated by Mobil-1 Gold 0w-40.

Frequently Visited Pages:
| Home | Fuel Consumption | Performance | uncle's DIY |
Car Size Comparison | Motoring Myths | RON95 |

October 25, 2009

THE Test for "the Way I Drive" Part 1

[updated Oct 26th 07:29am]

Bangi, October 25th, Just came back from another weekend trip [this time was 900+km only - to and fro Penang including kawasan2 yg sewaktu dengannya] with a bunch of die-hard and seasoned Peugeot lovers.

We drove the car w/o worrying on fuel consumptions and speed limits [and speed traps] but SAFETY for passengers, pedestrian and other road users was always our FIRST priority.

Before crossing over to the Island we stopped over at Juru Autocity to meet Behcw to see and feel his 308 performance on P-tronic Tuning Chip, he also gave us some useful tips on how the connections were done. Thanks Beh. We were impressed, but do I need one?

In Penang, we joined another group from PCM including its president, abang.K

This time around I had an opportunity to carry out yet another important test for the stock [unmodded] 1.6 liter EP6-DT prince engine running on RON95.

The burning FAQ -"What is the maximum speed of an un-modded Peugeot 308Turbo on RON95?" - The following are the answers;

From Garmin GPS: 210km/hr

Note: the moving average speed has been brought down due to the 2-day traffic crawl, otherwise it should be around 170km/hr avg. on PLUS. It took about similar number of hours [five hours KL-Penang-KL] on PLUS and crawling in Georgetown and Butterworth!

From Datalogger: 212km/hr

Speedometer/Techometer Reading: 214km/hr

I don't exactly know which is the most accurate but all readings are NOT LESS than 210km/hr and it was on RON95!

[Expecting better performance from those who have installed P-tronic Tuning Box and running on RON97 fuel]

I had established an approximation on RON95 fuel consumption [at current price of RM1.80/liter] for Peugeot 308Turbo as:

sen/km = Speed in kph/10 [with +- 10% margin for steady speeds between 100kph~200kph]
e.g
@110kph:10.0~12.0 sen per km.
@150kph: 13.5~16.5 sen per km.
@200kph: 18.0~22.0 sen per km.

October 21, 2009

400m sprint in 16.3 second on RON95!

Run another sprint test this morning because I didn't do quite well during the first five seconds taking off yesterday when there was a slower car in front that I had to potong sebelah kiri before flooring the accelerator. Today I was lucky to be in 'pole position' at my favorite 'START' grid.

Unfortunately, after hitting 160km/hr I had to ease the accelerator pedal a little bit to avoid a collision with a changing lane slower cars.

The overall timing was improved in 'S' Auto mode.

UPDATE:
1000m standing in 29.7 seconds [175km/hr]
400m standing in 16.3 seconds [137km/hr]

For now, I'm quite happy with the century acceleration and 1000m sprint timings. What I want to improve is 400m sprint. My target is around 16 seconds on RON95. Will try to experiment in tiptronic mode at which rpm is the best to upshift. Will also try to touch 140km/hr @ 400m mark - so far only managed to hit between 133 to 136km/hr.

At 400m gridline most 1.6~2.0-liter saloons do in 17.5seconds or more and hardly touch 120km/hour!.

my308 uses Mobil1 ow-4o 'Gold' and RON95 fuel

For the first 10,000km I'd been using 10w-30 [?] oil but it took time for the engine to warm up and stabilise on first start in the early morning; when hot and pushed beyond 180km/hr the engine seemed to be sluggish. I was thinking whether it would be wrong to change the weight to 0w-40? I believed the turbo would run better when hot and I definitely need the engine to warm up quicker in the morning but have good protection at the same time, especially for the extremely hot turbo.

I was recommended personally by a researcher during my visit to a research Laboratory in Karlshure near Frankfurt last summer to use Mobil 1 0w-40 'Gold' [5w-40 also can, but not available locally]. It is designed for new generation of turbo engines and can be used effectively - will provide outstanding low temperature flow and outstanding high temperature protection for the turbo as well as for the engine.

It could be due to the right choice of the oil that made RON95 fuel economy and performance is as good as RON97! Been running the car on Mobil 1 0w-40 'Gold' [RM300++ for 5 liters] for more than 5000km now.

Pls continue to read my previous postings on drive-tests my308 for fuel economy and performance running on RON95 in combination with Mobil-1 0w-40 'Gold' oil.

October 20, 2009

1000m sprint in 30seconds

Tested my308 for 1000m sprint on my way back home this evening on the remaining RON95 fuel. The test was carried out in normal auto mode. Recorded with a data-logger.

[click on the image to enlarge]

1000m standing in 30 seconds
400m standing in 17 seconds @ 137kph
click HERE to see how max. engine horsepower can be determined from 400m standing test.

Click for improved timings

The speed was also recorded by the data logger. Hit 160km/hr in just 23.5 second.

October 12, 2009

my308 and I Love RON95

First and foremost, I love RON 95 because it is cheaper than RON97. Nevertheless cheaper fuel doesn't mean it is inferior.

I'd driven thousands of kilometer to test Peugeot 308 140THP Auto for fuel economy and engine performance running on RON95 and I didn't find any 'lacking' at all.

For instance fuel consumption by the Peugeot 308 running on RON95 can be better than most cars of engine capacity above 1.5liter. On performance, Peugeot 308 140THP Auto still capable to out perform most [if not all] stock cars up to 2.0liter [non-turbo, non-mod of course] , even BMW E90 320i Auto and Mercedes Benz W203 C180k Auto could be smoked without difficulty!

1. Fuel Economy
Consumes as low as 6.0~6.4km/100km [10.8~ 11.5 sen/km] when driven 'economically' on autoCruise without exceeding speed limits on highways. Also still can achieve around 7.0~7.5liter /100km [12.6~13.5sen/km] on long distance trips when driven normally like most people do. When pushed a little bit harder still low on consumption of around 8.0liter/100km [14.4sen/km]. Click HERE for more info on fuel consumptions.

2. Performance
When flooring the accelerator pedal for speeding above 180km/hr one can forget about the fuel consumption - still consuming just around 10~11liter/100km [or 18~20sen per km on RON95] though.

My latest test against 2.o liter n.a saloons [European and Japanese marques] was Sunday 11th October 2009 around 2:40pm on PLUS [Northbound]. As a comparison, Peugeot 308 140THP running on RON95 could outrun BMW E90 320i Auto on acceleration from 150km/hr to over 180km/hr. The 'test' was performed a few times until the 'babarian' gave up. Of course BMW E90 320i has higher top speed on paper but during daylight driving on PLUS, especially on Sunday afternoon who can speed up to and sustain more than 180km/hr?

During accelerating from 150km/hr to 185km/hr at some points I had to ease the accelerator pedal momentarily before 'slower' cars on fast lane gave way. Before hitting higher speeds more than 186km/hr [190km/hr on speedometer] I had to brake hard again, there were always slower cars ahead. The speed dropped around 150km/hr, floored the accelerator again to kick down into 3rd gear and pulled away while watching BMW320i reflection in rear-wiew mirror were getting smaller, every time. Weighing about 100kg lighter and having 40Nm extra torque are actually the reasons to edge-up against this musuh tradisi.

The only way to hit max speed was driving on PLUS after mid night as i did on 1st March 2009. The speedometer read 4km/hr more than the GPS data logger, i.e 210km/hr. I've not try running on RON95 yet. Certainly I'll do one day.

[updated on October 24th, 2009 : Click HERE for the New speed record on RON 95]

What 'extra' can u really get out of RON97 or higher octane fuels? Probably 'extra' money to pay for. That's all. Remember that Peugeot 308THP and even 308GT aren't hot hatches eventhough their performance match 2.0 liter saloons. RON97 will not make 'em hot either. If u want better game go play 'Polo' if can't afford 'Golf'.

Summary on RON95 tests
Coverage: 4000+km in 6 weeks throughout Peninsular Malaysia [Malaya] since Sep. 1 2009.

1. Acceleration:
0~100km/hr in 9.3 sec.
0~160km/hr in 23.5 sec.[updated]
150km/hr~180km/hr in 16sec.

2. Average fuel consumptions:
6.0liter/100km on PLUS at 92km/hr
6.2liter/100km on PLUS at 110km/hr
7~8liter/100km on start-stop interstate trunk roads
10~11liter/100km for short start-stop and city driving in traffic jam.
11~12liter/100km when driven above 180km/hr

[All figures are based on tests posted earlier in this blog]

Frequently Visited Pages:
| Home | Fuel Consumption | Performance | uncle's DIY |
Car Size Comparison | Motoring Myths | RON95 |

October 11, 2009

Speed Increment on RON95

Today I had multiple good-times smoking n.a 2.0liter cars - both European and Japanese Saloons. It was on PLUS [Northbound]. Besides testing for the "pick-uping" power of the 308 THP against n.a 2.0 liter cars I also collected additional data for running on RON95.

Here it is...

[sampling time or 'delta t' is 1s]

From the logged data it took around 5.5 seconds [avg.] to increase speeds by 10km/hr at any point from 150km/hr up to around 180km/hr in 4th gear *

e.g
150km/hr to 160km/hr in 5.5 seconds
160km/hr to 170km/hr in 5.5 seconds

Is it "too slow" on RON95? What is the best timing running on RON97 or V-power then?

*Earlier test took less than 25seconds [updated timing took 23.5 seconds even on RON95] to sprint from 0~160km/hr .

Frequently Visited Pages:
| Home | Fuel Consumption | Performance | uncle's DIY |
Car Size Comparison | Motoring Myths | RON95 |

October 10, 2009

Understanding Auto Adaptive Transmission

To get the best out of Peugeot 308 it is important to understand how the Auto Adaptive Transmission works;

...for fuel economy,

...or sprinting from 0~100km/hr under 9 seconds.

In a Conventional Auto Transmission, gear ratio changes are made when the specific operation condition of the transmission (accelerator pedal position, engine torque power etc.) are met.

Auto Adaptive Transmission is an extension to the control of changes of gear ratio of an automatic transmission programmed with distinct shifting rules, called variograms, applied according to the multi-variable input from operating conditions of the vehicle.

The Adaptive Transmission ECU studies driving behavior and then adjusts its workings to deliver “suitable” throttle response and “appropriate” shift points. To achieve this feat, there are multivariable inputs or modus operandi to be processed by the ECU. Needless to say, the AL4 transmission on Peugeot 308 relies entirely on sensors and computer controls.

Sensors will tell the ECU when the car’s going uphill, downhill, around a corner and even when the driver gets spirited. The ECU directs gear changes according to event-specific algorithms designed to make those experiences “better.”

Selecting 'S' mode [as i always do when got tired in TipTronic] calls-up a different internal 'map' or program which allows higher engine speeds during acceleration, and delivers more responsive downshifts when braking or/and slowing down.

Tell and Teach the AL4 computer the way u always want - either for better fuel consumption or performance. It's your choice.

The ECU constantly learn to ADAPT. But NEVER try to tell the ECU u want good fuel consumption while flooring the accelerator most of the time.

p/s On Peugeot 308 Auto; double d'clutching, heel n toe, pumping the accelerator techniques are not applicable. Pls unlearn all these. Once the ECU understands ur driving style just floor the accelerator or release it then brake whenever needed, let the ECU take care of everything except watch the direction u r going and steer accordingly..

Enjoy and Celebrate ur life!

October 09, 2009

Part 3 -The Ultimate Test on RON95

As I wrote before, we think we know it all? Well perhaps we can sort out the facts from the many driving fallacies. And yet despite all this common sense and pragmatism, the motoring world is beset with myths and misapprehensions.

First and foremost I would like to ask you readers...

Do you really understand how your 308 Turbo behaves? Well I don't deny there are scores of good and expert drivers around who can utilise the 308 handling to the limits [I respect u guys], but without understanding the characteristic of EP6DT prince engine you will never get full advantage of your Lion in any way. That's why not many people get the best fuel economy or performance or both out of the french marque. Some blame on RON95.

In the first place, if u r migrating from Japanese or other eastern marques, including local cars u must unlearn what u had aquired before. EP6DT prince engine is not a conventional engine. What does that mean?

Average fuel consumption can be as low as 6.0 liters/100km [>47mpg] on RON95. Not true if somebody says "drive slow like turtle can la!" In fact driving the 308 Turbo below 70km/hr also consumes fuel as much as driving the car beyond 140km/hr! Understanding how the EP6DT engine consume fuel will help drivers to get the best.

Similarly, in the performance sector somebody had recorded and published the best century acceleration was not less than 10second without knowing that the AL4 gearbox needs to be told and taught first for the purpose. Understanding the needs by the EP6DT engine and the AL4 gearbox, 308 140THP could easily sprint from 0 to 100km/hr in 9.3 seconds or less even on RON95!

0~100km/hr on RON95: Part 2 - in 'S' Auto Mode

[Note: Somebody had recorded and published "more than 10 seconds" for the century acceleration without knowing that he and the ECU were actually on the 'learning mode']

AL4 gearbox is 'auto adaptive'. The gearbox ECU must be 'told and taught' for the desired driving style. Once the ECU has adapted to the requirement sure it can deliver...

Yesterday, there were some other cars on my favourite stretch for the sprint because I was a little bit late to workplace . The sprint test was aborted.

Today I left home a bit earlier. So I could do another sprint test freely at the same straight I did two days ago. Today's test was in 'S' mode. Here is the logged data:

[click on the images to enlarge]

...and the familiar look chart.

See, even on RON95 the 308 performs similar to manufacture's claim: "9.3 second for the 0~100km/hr acceleration". So, what does that mean? RON95 no good??

October 07, 2009

0~100km/hr on RON95: Part 1 - in 'NORMAL' Auto Mode

On my way to work around 7:00am this morning, the traffic was clear and I had already fixed a datalogger in my308 to record how fast could it sprint from stand still to 100km/hr using RON95 fuel in NORMAL Auto Mode. I just want to prove popular belief saying that "RON95 is no good for Peugeot 308 Turbo" is WRONG.

I stopped @ a layby for a few seconds before flooring the accelerator pedal until a gentle 'click' sound was heard. Despite of switching ON the Traction Control the front 225/45 R17 tyres still gave out promising 'sqeeking sound' and lose initial traction a bit.

[click the images to enlarge]

I only needed 250m straight for the test - to floor the accelerator pedal on the first 150m and 100m to slow down safely. The road was not horizontal though, as there is a gentle slope-up at 30:1 gradient. But the lion with ample torque equivalent to a 2.4liter n.a power plant still managed to sprint from standstill to 100km/hr in 9.6 seconds even using RON95 in NORMAL Auto mode.

The test was repeated at the other straight stretch of the road. The result was almost persistant.

Part 2 - Century acceleration using RON95 in 'S' Auto Mode is coming next. Better result is expected.

October 05, 2009

FC on RON95 is not good as RON97 for Peugeot308 turbo?

It seemed that AHW308 consumed 5~10% more RON95 fuel per 100km during previous 1500km Raya Trip than it took out of RON97 on earlier 2000km trip across Malayan Peninsular, but I forgot the traffic flows and the way I tekaned the accelerator pedal between the two trips were entirely different in fashion. So, I was WRONG to conclude that Peugeot 308Turbo consumes more fuel on RON95 than it does on RON97 .

Over the last weekend however, I had an opportunity to test similar car running on RON95 on similar route [as earlier trip on RON97] under almost similar 'controlled environment'. They were daylight trips from BBBangi to JB and back covering a total distance of approximately 600km. In both situations the car ran on AUTOcruise most of the time within legal speed limits. The aircond was set to 21degC throughout the trip.

Surprisingly I found that the average fuel consumption for both trips which run on RON97 and RON95 were almost identical. The trip computer displays below was taken at the end of the trip run on RON95.

The average RON95 fuel consumption for the 586km trip was:
6.2lit./100km i.e 11.16sen per km [@RM1.80/liter] or, 16.1km/liter or 45.8mpg!

For the 586km trip the car consumed RM 65.40 or 36.33liter of RON95 i.e slightly over 5/8 but less than 3/4 tank of fuel. The remaining fuel is more than enough for another trip to JB!!!

Now it is proven TRUE that in term of energy content there is no different between RON95 and RON97! [Click HERE to see fuel consumption for similar car running on RON97]

Next test is to compare high-rev performance [0~100km/hr acceleration and sustainable top speed] between RON95 and RON97.

The best average fuel consumption by my308 on RON95 was 6.0liter/100km [16.7 km/liter or 10.8sen/km] when the car was running constantly at 92km/hr read by the speedo [or exactly 90km/hr on the GPS] on a trip along PLUS covering 291km on October 4th. 2009.

October 02, 2009

New Peugeot Coupe Concept

Peugeot’s stunning new lion is set to roar in?

one.D'RIVE