The GTi is back after 30 years!

Powered by the same 200 horsepower and 275Nm engine for the most powerful RCZ GT. Matched to a six-speed close-ratio manual transmission driving the front wheels and will accelerate from 0-100km/hr in under 6.8 seconds and accelerates all the way to maximum speed of 230km/hr.

Compared with the standard 208, the GTi  gets a 36-mm wider track at the front and rear, as well as a rear roof spoiler. Other distinctive exterior features include double chromed exhaust tailpipes, a full body-kit, and a brushed aluminum  GTi  logo..

Apart from tuned suspensions the car also gets brake discs measuring 302 mm diameter at the front and 249 mm at the rear.

On the inside, the sports leather stitched steering wheel and matching gear lever, double stitching in the seats, and modern LED backlighting for the instrument gauges. The seats are trimmed with Nappa leather on the outer section, and cloth in the center with an embossed tartan motif, and a leather head restraint.

Leather steering wheel has lower flat section and carries the GTi  logo. 

Panaromic Roof is standard for Malaysian market.

The Power Plant

The EP6 CDTX engine for Peugeot 208 GTi, is also the same engine used on 308GTi, RCZ 200, Citroen DS4 and DS5.

It comes from the family of engines EP,  called "Prince", developed in collaboration with BMW Group and produced by the French Mechanical Douvrin in the Pas-de-Calais. The EP engine won for the sixth consecutive year since 2007 the title of "Engine of the Year" in its class.

Specifications and Performance

Engine
Turbo High Pressure (THP)  Engine
Displacement : 1598 cc
Number of cylinders / arrangement : 4 Online
Number of valves : 16
Maximum power 147 kW or 200 bhp @5800rpm
Maximum torque : 275 Nm @1700rpm
Emission standard : EURO 5
Injection type : Direct
Maintenance interval 30 000 km or 1 year

Transmission
Transmission : Manual
Number of gears : 6

Performance
Maximum speed : 230 kph
Acceleration 0-100 kph : 6.8 seconds
1000 m standing start : 26.9 s
Weight / power ratio : 5.8 kg / hp

Fuel Consumption
ECE (Urban) : 8.2 l/100 km
EUDC (Extra Urban) : 4.7 l/100 km
Combined : 5.9 l/100 km
Emissions of CO 2 (combined) : 139 g / km
EP6 CDTX (200BHP) engine on Peugeot 208GTi

Weight
Empty weight : 1 160 kg
Authorized total mass load (GVW) : 1650 kg
Maximum trailer weight braked (driver only) : 1150 kg
Rolling total permissible mass (GCW) : 2580 kg

Diverter Valve @ Blow off Valve (BOV) upgrade from GFB

GFB valve (DV+) is designed as a direct bolt-on replacement solution for problematic diverter valves or Blow off Valve (BOV). According to the manufacturer DV+ valves not only eliminate failure issues from high temperature and boost pressure, they also offer the TMS advantage of improved throttle response and boost holding.

GFB DV+ (part number T9352) is a direct replacement for the factory valve on Peugeot BOV assembly - i.e can be used with the existing solenoid.

Youtube Video...

Tuning Box - the good, the bad and the ugly sides everyone should know

The 'black box', as I prefer to call it can either contain nothing more than resistors with some electronic switching circuits with flashing LED displays to impress you...

...or more complex one has microprocessors to work in tendum with the ECU.

In both cases the black boxes 'fool' the ECU to make it 'think' the engine is running cold hence increase the amount of fuel delivery into the engine. It works best on forced induction engines at the expense of fuel consumption  at low end of the power band where there is still surplus of boost pressure though. 

A more complex black box has microprocessor/controller to sustain higher boost pressure proportional to the amount of fuel being injected into the combustion chamber hence higher torque. Of course the car may accelerate quicker but can not be maitained long enough as the engine rpm is increased. Bare in mind that it is NOT the gain in maximum bhp as claimed.

Nevertheless around the middle of the power band (beyond the surge line as shown in the chart below) the amount of boost pressure is almost at its limits and slowly drops towards the higher end as the stock turbo can no longer meet the demand of the air volume flow rate.

The black box or the remap still can fool the ECU to inject more fuel but the engine will be out of breath hence no more power gain even how much the fuel is available to be burnt. Thats why there lots of carbon soot at the tail pipe! So does the fuel consumption.

Theoretically without changing to bigger turbo unit or/and increasing the engine compression ratio it is impossible to increase maximum power output by just installing a black box or remap! 

Again... that's why 175BHP and 200BHP EP6-series engines have bigger turbo unit for higher power output. Don't assume the EP6-series engine designers are stupid for not just using 'black box' circuitry or remapping the ECU to increase the maximum power. Think about it.

p/s who knows in side of your RM1800 "Tuning Box" could be just  like this ...(hint..hint!!)

Problem With Direct Injection Engines

One of the problems with direct injection (+ turbo) engines like EP6-DT engine family, is getting excessive tar like coating in the intake manifold, and a nasty carbon build-up on the back of the intake valves once the car had clocked around 50,000km as shown below - hence one of the contributing factors to the infamous knocking problems.

For instance, (unlike port injected engines) direct injection engines can not make use of additives with cleansing agents found in fuel to clean and prevent tar-like substance and carbon build-up around intake manifold and intake valves because the fuel is injected directly into the combustion chambers without passing through 'em.Where did this 'black substance' come from?
It's the burnt oil vapour coming from the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) system.

This problem can however be eliminated. Click HERE for the solution.

Good Luck!

V-12 Engine without Timing Chain?

No timing chain, no electronics, no ECU, no coolant, nothing what so ever other than basic components but this uncle made it possible... and it is a V-12!

Watch this...

Timing Chain Pinion

The diagram below shows where timing chain pinion in EP6-DT engine is located.
(click on the image to enlarge)

Now, which of the following pictures do you think similar [in principle] to the pinion used in your EP6-DT engine?



I've got no further comment here. Please read my earlier postings about serious problems developed by the pinion design...

Do All Peugeot 308 Have Negative Camber?

What is Camber?
The camber is the angle, measured in degrees, between the center line of the wheel and the perpendicular to the ground, looking from the front.


What is Negative Camber ?
Negative camber is when the top of the wheel leans inwards. Extreme Negative Cambers are very common on racing cars in the 60's...
.. at which time I was still running naked racing old bicycle rims with cousins as depicted by Lat in "the Kampong Boy" .

Why Negative Camber?
According to my old school book negative camber improves grip for the outside tire on which most of the loads are concentrated when cornering.

The tyre tends to roll on itself while cornering. If non-negative camber, the inside edge of the contact patch would begin to lift off and reduce the area of the contact patch.
Negative camber reduces this effect and optimising the contact patch area hence the grip.However, negative camber is no good for straight-line performance because the maximum traction is achieved if the tyre tread is flat on the road i.e when the camber angle is zero. Negative Camber also makes inside tyre tread wear out faster hence tyres are forced to 'retire' earlier than expected...

I love Negative Camber because most of the roads I drive on need it....

How do I know myPeugeot 308 has Negative Camber?
By looking at the tyres when they are almost 'retired'...

CSC3 at 40-thousand km vs unused spare tyre.

At 40-thousand km, I thought the tyres on myPeugeot 308 would last for at least another 10-thousand km because the remaining outside tread was still 2mm above wear indicator.
Note: average tread consumption is around 1mm/5000km.However, when the tyres were taken out for routine DIY inspection, to my surprise the inside tread on all four tyres had gone. Botak licin you....!!!So, these are the inferences/evidence that Peugeot 308 has Negative Cambers on all wheels!. Whereas myPeugeot 206 and myPeugeot 405s have no camber angle at all on rear wheels hence the tyres on them worn out evenly ever since.

BTW, I've already replaced all the tyres on myPeugeot 308 at 40-thousand km.

ECU Remapping may Damage your Turbo if...

Turbo Engines engines rely heavily on computer controlled Engine_management Control Unit [ECU]. Basically the engine has an array of sensors which monitor lots of things such as throttle position, crank position, airflow etc. These signals are sent to the ECU, which processes the information received to give the best engine performance for any given driving condition.

ECU remapping can alter engine performance for higher output and/or for better fuel consumption, nevertheless be extra careful even if the tuner a top programmer.

There are many tuners offering what seem like custom ECU remapping. Most of these tuners use and alter programs that are cheaply available through the internet or other sources and are not 'ngam' with the car engine requirements. These can actually damage the turbo/engine.

Remaping alone may not be adequate for the upgrade. Get a professional to do the job and you must get ready to spend on hardware upgrade as well - without which you will need to spend more money on repair bills later.

For performance you will probably reprogram the ECU to control ignition timing advance, force more fuel and more air into the combustion chambers, and make the turbo overspin and hold on to higher pressure than the turbo unit/system can handle and delay/never let the BOV open, which will ultimately damage it. Solution - get a better turbo system before remapping!For fuel economy and power - if you are familiar with nitro-methane RCM car engines you will know what to do at the expense of engine overheating, simply make the air-fuel mixture lean. The same applies to EP6DT engines. Go on reprogram the ECU at your own risk and save money on fuel to partially pay for the damage later on.For instance, PSA produces different EP6DT engine outputs [140THP, 150THP, 156THP, 175THP, 200THP....] based on similar engine but for each output there is not just the difference in ECU program but the turbo system and other hardware are unique .

Btw, even a stock Pug 308 THP140 is capable of hitting 100km/hr in around 9 secs, 1000m standing in less than 30sec, top speed more than 200km/hr .... still not enough for a 1.6liter family hatch?

Think about it! Again and again.

Fuel Saving Device - Anybody Interested?

With the consistently rising price of fuel many will find and try anything to improve the fuel consumption of their cars. Then they come across things like run your car on water, magnetic fuel saver, fuel saving tablets/additives, and many others. Those products claim to save money and give car better performance.

As long as cars have existed, inventors and salesmen have tried to sell fuel saver devices designed to give dramatic gains in fuel economy and power. While most of these devices install easily, and most are relatively inexpensive, the vast majority of these products very rarely meet the promises of their designers. Actually they are pure gimmicks and use false science to describe how they work and many of them will actually cause more problems or even a reduction in car performance and economy.. Don't be fooled.

Some of them are:
Magnets - By attaching to your fuel system it claim to alter the structure of the fuel as it passes through the lines are absolute not true. The explanation are based on false science. Hidro-carbon molecules do not attract to magnet!

Serbo - Is actually a device installed along air intake to ‘swirl’ the air before it enters into the engine, claimed to increase engine power as much as 20%. Do you believe? The fact is Supercharging an engine is a complex modification and is not just another plug and play toy. This is another gimmick and not worth spending the money. Our EP6DT twin scroll turbo in tandem with the ECU already work perfectly under all driving conditions.

Vaporiser/Atomizer - Claims to improve burning efficiency by vaporising the fuel that enters the engine. Probably only works on carburetor engines when it is cold. Fortunately direct fuel injection on our Peugeot 308 engine already have this effect.

Water Power - "wotta powwa" as how the Japanese pronounce. Sounds like Tsu-na-mi , hee.. heee... Basically it is a device that claims to convert water into hydrogen gas and improve the power and efficiency of the engine. Theoretically possible but these devices are at most could barely power an a/cond blower or radiator/condenser cooling fan!

Octane Booster - One should be very careful when using this chemical, as they may be harmful to the engine. True, some products work, but mostly don't. Be careful . In market there are plenty of imitation products. Racing teams have their secret recipe and develop on their own and not for sale.

These devices/chemical which claim to give reduction in fuel consumption may actually even cause potential engine damage or failure.

If you really want to save fuel, just improve your driving habits, choose cost effective route to follow and pump in the right fuel. Remember that who drives where, when and how is the main contributor to fuel saving.

Happy Motoring

Does anyone need a Voltage Stabilizer?

A Voltage stabilizer could be just a simple black-box of many capacitors... sometimes comes with attractive and convincing digital displays or blinking/colorful led's. ... attached directly across a battery at the positive and negative terminals to regulate the flow of electricity running from a car's battery to its electrical components. Plug n Play type is also available...The Voltage Stabilizers are believed can smooth idling, increase battery life, improve combustion efficiency hence increase power/torque, decreased emissions, improve output from headlights and audio equipment, etc....

The truth is the battery itself is already like a large voltage stabilizer.
Everybody knows that the electrical system in most cars is 12 volt [24 volt system also got]. However, the charging system generates a voltage between 13.2 and 14.5 volts [based on my old school book] while the engine is running because it has to generate higher voltage than the battery's rated voltage to overcome the wiring and internal resistance of the battery. The current needed to recharge the battery would not flow at all if the charging system's output voltage is lower than or the same as the battery terminal voltage. There is also a voltage regulator at the alternator to regulate the dc voltage output.

Peugeot 405 Voltage Regulator

The alternator generate electricity and send it to the battery and other electrical loads. During low or moderate loads the excess electricity generated by the alternator charges the battery rather than increasing the voltage/current flow to the car electrical system and damaging them. When the demand of a car's electrical system exceeds the alternator output [normally at idling speeds] electricity is withdrawn from the battery to fill up the deficit.

Now, anyone still need a voltage stabilizer?

About Car Battery...

Routine inspection prior to getting back the car on road....
The EP6DT engine could be started at just one crank. The battery is still strong even though it was replaced more than a year ago and left idle for almost two months.

The battery needs 'boost charge' to bring back its full capacity and prolong life though.... Just bought a 6A 12V charger from eBay recently.

Understanding Battery Voltage and Alternator [or Charging] Voltage
To prevent hardship/frustration when the car battery is dead it is important to always know signs before the battery fails by making sure whether it can hold its charge and the alternator is capable of charging the battery.

A battery can hold its charge when the terminal voltage is maintained at least 12.63V [or 2.105V per cell] after the engine is switched off overnight or more than 12hrs. The alternator is OK and capable to charge the battery if the measured battery terminal voltage during engine running is within 13.5V~14.0V. Some old books suggest 13.2V~14.5V.

Quite some figures to remember, don't they? ...well, even though my nature of work is dealing with voltages and amperes I admit at times I don't remember the exact figures and always say nominal battery voltage is around 12.5V and the charging voltage should be around 14V and I don't carry with me a multimeter all the time - worse still, I have to open up the bonnet every time to take measurements.

Fortunately there is a simple but practical device which can be plugged into any cigarette lighter socket to monitor battery and alternator condition and you don't even need to have a degree in electrical/electronic to do the analysis. It is a device which can be bought around RM15 at most supermarkets...

A simple but practical car battery analyzer

At SC they use a battery tester with a very low-resistance dummy load to test how much current the battery can put out. The 'low-resistance' load test will determine whether there is a high internal resistance as a result of sulfation, etc.. took place inside the battery. The SC will make recommendation whether the battery needs replacement.

See how to remove the battery