Installing HID conversion KIT on Peugeot 208 GTi

HID for automobile use needs projector lens. Fortunately, all Peugeot 208 GTi in Malaysia come with light-guide projector low-beam headlamps as standard. There will be no issue as long as the light color temperature is 4700K or less. If you are new to the High Intensity Discharge (HID) lighting for automobile use  read this first.

Installing HID conversion kit on Peugeot 208GTi is straight forward. Just Plug n Play.

1. Get the right HID Conversion Kit of your choice ready.

This one costs around RM80 @eBay from Hong Kong. It makes me wait for about two weeks.

2. Locate and remove splash cover behind low-beam compartment.

3. Cut approx. 1" diameter hole through the splash cover for the wiring harness.

4. Place wiring harness in position. Use silicon sealant around the wiring boot to prevent moisture/splash from getting into the lighting assembly.

and then connect all wires accordingly (12v and HV). No cutting is required. Just plug n play.

5. Replace the factory-fitted halogen H7 with the new HID bulb.

Close back the splash cover. Secure HV power supply in position. DONE!

Chip Tuning

Chip Tuning or Cheap Tuning? I don't think that simple plug n play device produces so much additional power and torque!

READ this FIRST (from AUTOS.com) before deciding to install one on your car...

Watch this too...

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...

Time to replace Diverter Valve or Blow-off Valve (BOV)...

After solving knocking problem, another one popped up. There is no more typical turbo blow off "phishhh..." sound coming out of my308. I already suspected something went wrong within the BOV.

When it is opened up for inspection I got something like this...

Is this plastic component (a sleeve) purposely designed to fail as shown in the picture ? Looks like it is made of brittle recycle plastic.

Unlike exhaust wastegate, this intake BOV is not subject to extreme temperature so I tried to "McGyver" using superglue and reinforced with Rapid Araldite resin as shown...

....  it works and produces higher pitch "phisssssheeew..." sound now. Nonetheless I think it won't last long, sooner I have to replace it with better components similar to those used on VAG 2.0 TFSI BOV. 

Already ordered @eBay. According to eTuners...  internal parts of stock PSA BOV are interchangeable with the one designed for VAG 2.0 TFSI (part no. 06H 145 710 D) which is also made by the same company, Pierburg.

Find out more HERE.

Let There be Light - Part 2 (the video)

Faster but Safer night driving with retrofit projected HID headlights...

Headlight beams  are now wider and brighter (2 x 35w H7 + 2 x 35w H8 foglights)

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!!)

Hi-flow Air Filter - an unbiased review

The factory fitted air filter was replaced with a Washable/Reusable High-Flow Filter (33-2936 similar to the one used on 175bhp Mini Cooper S) after the car had just clocked 50,000km even though according to the service schedule it was not due yet. I believed and was quite confident with the High-Flow filter because many tuners and car enthusiasts prefer this type of filter as well.

The main reason for me to choose this filter is because it comes with "one-million mile warranty" and it is designed/constructed to last forever - meaning I won`t have to spend money on the throw-away paper filters anymore. This filter still needs cleaning kit though, which comes with a spray cleaner and an aerosol oil.



For less than RM200 including shipping and handling cost, I got the filter within 10-working day (@ebay from the UK) and decided to install it by myself. The filter is pre-oiled and the installation was pretty easy as it is not as thick as the factory fitted filter.

Test run...

Honestly, I am not expecting huge performance gains and to tell the truth I noticed only a very slight improvement in acceleration and throttle_response at high engine rpm, which may be due to the new un-clogged filter. I can`t say exactly the actual gains but it is reasonable to estimate that there is only 2-4hp gain, which is theoretically what a typical high flow air filter would deliver - it is something that would not impress me with a "WOW!".

Overall, I am happy with the filter for some reasons. I hope everybody bought it for the right reason too.

50,000km Service

The car had just clocked 50,000km at the end of the 3-yr warranty period.

The car was sent to a regular authorised service center for the scheduled services and to replace certain engine parts under warranty. Upgraded version of firmware from PSA was also loaded at the SC.

Now the lion roars differently...
http://mypeugeot308.blogspot.com/2012/03/lions-roars.html

See also
40,000-km Service
30,000-km Service
20,000-km Service
10,000-km Service

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.

Spaced Out...

Wheel Spacers move the tyre patch outwards, hence increase in track width. The maximum wheel spacer thickness is determined by "Measure Gap" as shown below.

Due to the slightly longer lever on which the wheel now acts upon the front spring, the suspension has become a bit softer, makes the suspension and the aging/hardened 45-series rubber a bit more sensitive and irons out small bumps that would otherwise come through unfiltered. The 'softness' does not apply to the trailing arm rear suspension.

Not sure about the handling though. I fitted the spacers while the stock tyres, CSC3 were still on the car and the car did seem to be a little more sure-footed. Steering response has not suffered, but hasn't improved either.

Experts say: "Should improve cornering stability at the expense of wheel bearings!"

But I do like how it looks!!!

Front and rear track widths were increased by 38mm (19mm or 3/4" on each side)!

Without wheel-spacers....

DTUKship for under RM2k?

Believe it or not a few of our 308 fellas got DTUK for under RM2000! I've got no comment but u can find out for urselves what sort of DTUK our friends got. Click HERE.

ECU re-mapping vs Piggyback

So much discussions and friendly arguments found in auto forums on the subject already. For me, I would advice to choose the former because... amongst others ECU remap disables speed limiter and increase rev limit, piggy-backs don't. Simple.

Technically, I don't see how these add-on "chips" can be as good as a remap. As far as I know some piggyback [if not all] just fool the injectors into over-fueling the engine. Might increase performance, but can't be good for the engine in a long run - i.e they are at the cost of high emissions, higher engine temperatures, and general abuse of the engine. This may result in poor running, black smoke emitting from the exhaust, clogged injectors, rough idle, and engine cut-out... and could be one of the reasons for the infamous De-pollution Sensor Fault!

I read somewhere that most of these 'boxes' are just plastic boxes with resistors. The impedance fools the ECU [to make it think the engine is cold] to inject more fuel hence richer fuel-air mixture....not sure about pee-Tronique though.


Remap FAQ....

Power gain?
Petrol (Turbo) 20% to 50%
Non Turbo 10%-15%

Any warranty issue?
Remap is not undetectable. Warranty issues may crop up.

Will remap affect car insurance?
As with all modifications, you should inform your insurance company.

What if I don't like the remap.
Some tuners offer if you are not completely satisfied with your remap within certain fixed period you will not be charged, and will return your car back to standard.

What if I want to sell my car?
If you decide to sell your car, you can either choose to sell it with the map, or you can have it reverted back to standard.

Car Tuning Myths

Induction Kit Myths
Induction kits do not always add power especially for small force induction [turbo] engines . Cold air induction kits are often good for big engine cars, however, they may be counterproductive for cars with smaller engines like 308T. This is because smaller engines get pretty hot faster and it takes more time to deliver cold air to the engine. It is also important to note that smaller engines have less power if they are fitted with air induction kit. Despite the claims made by the manufacturers of induction kits very few small engines actually see a benefit from adding them.

Standard air filter boxes are more than sufficient and if you want to improve the airflow through this then you should add a high flow panel air filter instead but the benefits will again only at the top end of the rev range. Even so, sadly you will end up spending a lot of money but see very little gain.


Suspension Myths
Lower suspension is better?. This is only partially true, car suspension needs a certain amount of travel to maintain contact with the road. Roll should be eliminated by an anti roll bar rather than just fitting lower and harder springs.

PSA had invested a lot of time, effort and money in to the suspension settings for 308. A poorly designed modification, which reduces the ride height without any other adjustments, can upset things.

The Harder the better? Again this is only partially true. If the suspension is too hard the car wheels will jump over the road surface and this will dramatically reduce tyre grip. The ride quality of the car is also severely compromised.

Remember, your 308Ts are designed for street use. Do Not modify the car as if u r going to drive 'em on race tracks. Stock 308T is capable to hit 100km/hr in 9.3sec, 1000m standing in less than 30sec, top speed more than 210km/hr .... still not enough for a 1.6liter family hatch? [click HERE for more]

How to install H7 HID conversion kit on Peugeot 308

Step 1
HID conversion kit installation begins with the HARDEST step, i.e choosing and picking out the right HID kit - there is a large range of HID kits to choose from - costing less than RM150.... to more than RM1500 per pair! The choices are also depending on personal preferences and needs - such as color temperature and brightness.

For some people [especially ahbengs], appearance plays a large part in their purchase, and they might wish to purchase a HID conversion kit with HID lights of special colors. But take note the highest LEGAL color temperature is 4700K.
Next, make sure the kit will fit in the car headlamps properly. Some H7 anti-glare caps are designed to prevent insertion of HID tubes because the reflectors are not designed for them - Not all HID lights are compatible with all Peugeot 308!. Must check the width, height and depth.

the dome-shaped anti-glare caps of different type
Some Peugeot 308 headlights cannot accept standard 45mm H7 HID tube [restricted by the anti-glare cap design] . However there is H7RC HID measuring only 40mm .
Once the right HID conversion kit has been decided the installation can be very simple if u know how to replace the H7 bulbs and understand simple electrical connections as shown in the figure.

Step 2Remove the OEM headlight bulbs [not easy if u don't know the mechanism]

On 308 the locking pins for the H7 bulbs cannot be seen, u only can feel to push and spread the pin legs apart in order to remove the OEM bulbs before inserting the HIDs.

Step 3Replace the OEM headlight bulbs with HID bulbs.


Step 4Plug the HID bulbs high voltage leads into the ballasts HV connector provided with the HID kit. Test the HID ballast wiring for length, as HID lights use special wiring that cannot be extended.


Step 5Mount the ballasts as close to the headlight bulbs as possible. Use double sided tape to mount the ballasts securely to flat part of the chassis below the head lamp assembly.

Do not mount the ballasts else where otherwise they will be exposed to excessive amounts of moisture or heat. Once mounted, connect the OEM headlight harness [females] to the ballast input power supply [red and black wires] to trigger and power up the HIDs.


Step 6Test the HIDs for proper operation. It may take up to a few seconds for the bulbs to illuminate completely.


p/s you don't have to follow the old steps anymore!

Read also | Beam Regulation | HID Headlamp Page|

How to Maintain/Upgrade Cars Without Spending Too Much

Week 4 Nov 2009
If you are thinking of giving your car an upgrade but you are on a tight budget, try using aftermarket products. Today aftermarket and OEM autoparts are popular and increasing in demand. These are the most economical alternatives - some are as good as the original ones. In terms of functions and design aftermarket/OEM auto parts perfectly identical and similar to the original version however, they are way cheaper and affordable. BTW, by all means always avoid imitation products.

There are online shops that offer aftermarket auto parts on their highest quality and reliability so there is nothing to worry about the performance. It is also always beneficial to purchase vehicle parts online. That way, you will be able to obtain correct on-line information almost instantly about the supplier and find out the reliability of service and its commitment to customers. Also, you will be assured of a 24-hour help line in case you need assistance on the product that you purchased that normally you will not get from local autoparts sellers. The most important thing to do before buying the items is to conduct product reviews about it.

Now, it is almost easy for everyone to do upgrades and repairs on their vehicles without having to spend time and money too much. Knowing how/willing to DIY is an advantage. Just invest in proper tools.

Happy DIY and Motoring.

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Awakening the Lion!

It is on the thresholds, an important turning point in the destiny. The lion tamers are becoming more aware of the potential of their beasts...
Some of the lions are roaring in sheep's skin on light dose of 'steroid' now... i.e by installing either a modified engine ECU map or fixing an 'interceptor box' . It is proven to achieve around a 25% in power [bhp], and in torque [Nm] of around 30% . The large increases in both power and torque greatly improve the engine flexibility in all gears and throughout the rev range for better 'pickuping' power.

Why need 'steroids'
Peugeot 308 Turbos are distributed throughout the world, probably PSA adopts a one map fits all policy, who knows?. This one map takes into account many different factors that are necessary for each export country. Areas such as climate, emissions, fuel quality etc all have to be considered and sacrifying a certain degree of performance by the manufacturer.

What does this means?
It simply means that 308 140THP ECU is never optimised for one individual situation. Loosing some to gain some. Buyers have different priority. Some need performance, some need fuel economy while majority fall in between.

Today's modern engines rely heavily on computer controlled engine management systems. Basically each 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 (such as UPsolute Chiptuning) or/and 'interceptor' (such as PTronic) is basically to fine tuning by rewriting or overiding the software program that controls ECU or altering the input informations from various sensors before sending them to the ECU. Most reputable companies use bespoke maps that are tailored to the car and individual requirements.

I still remember multivariable inputs, non-linear systems, fuzzy logic, neural-networking, etc in systems engineering which I learned almost two decades ago. Only now I have better understandaing how they are applied to our daily life.

ACHTUNG!
There are many individuals out there offering what seem like 'cheap' ECU remapping services. Most of these people use common maping programmes that are available through the internet and are NOT tailored to 308 140THP and individual requirements. These can actually damage the engine as they are not specifically written/programmed to the unique EP6DT prince engine.

Before remapping the ECU or installing the 'interceptor box' a full diagnostics check of the engine should be carried out to identify if there are any potential problems.

Please be aware that, although remapping/chipping an ECU does not cause failure it can exasperate already failing components. In order to assure a quality ECU remapping service the company should not carry out work on the engine that is found to be faulty. If faults shown up by the diagnostic process DO NOT proceed with the upgrade!

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H1 & H7 SuperBulbs Upgrading

Light bulbs upgrading for 308 seems to be the most logical thing to do 'first' than anything else. It is not difficult to replace stock H1 and H7 bulbs with either Osram Night Breaker or Philips xTreme Power if u know the right way to do it rather than 'trial n error' method.I've installed the Osram Night Breakers. Took under 20minutes to replace 2 nos. H1 and 2 nos H7 bulbs. Not easy due to accessibility limitation. Must know how to loosen the pins. The Night Breaker bulbs cost me RM210.00 [for 2nos H1 + 2nos H7].

Osram Niight Breakers [H1 + H7] adjusted to maximum height

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ICE-mod

ICE mode is not only limited to the in-car Sight & Sound performance [In-Car-Entertainment] kinda thing. To engine tuners it means something else. In a way ICE-mod also related to Entertainment though.

ICE-mode CHIP
The basic principle of ICE-mod is to "tell" the ECU that the engine is running ice-cold hence rich air fuel mixture at normal operating temperature and is believed to add up to 15% more horses.

Product info...
[copy n paste from the product website]
"The modification is designed to directly compete with the more expensive performance remapping systems, power programmers and upgrade chips, but a significantly reduced cost. You can expect to pay anything from £250-£400 for a full ECU remap service. This practically does the same thing at a fraction of the cost and for a similar power gain. Our '+15BHP' Power Modules are plugged in between one of your car's sensors and the ECU. This is also known as a 'piggy back' device as it is external to the main processing unit. Fitting instructions are included on the reverse of the card and no special tools are needed for installation you simply plug the module in. Usually takes between 5-10 minutes to install at the most."


FAQ
[copy n paste from the product website]
How does it work?
"It will modify any standard ECU by telling the ECU that the incoming air in the intake system is cold and so advances the ignition by up to 2 degrees with more fuelling to compensate, therefore producing more power. In many cases fuel economy is increased too. Power is increased by up to 15BHP and torque is increased significantly.
It will be more responsive and you WILL LIKE IT."

What difference can you expect?
"Increased acceleration at low end revs, Higher top end speed, Faster 0-60 and 1/4 mile times, Quicker throttle response, Smooth out flat-spots, Can increase MPG [reduce fuel consumption]"

Click HERE for NON-turbo cars.

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