Tuning an engine?

  • Thread starter Thread starter kikie
  • 21 comments
  • 968 views
K

kikie

I'm here
In Memoriam
Messages
24,178
Belgium
in the land of stupidity
What I would like to know is, if I should tune the engine of my car, what are the consequences for the gearbox, the drive shaft (going from the engine to the front wheels)? It is a FWD car. Is there a limit in horse power and torgue the drive shafts and gearbox can handle. The most important result about the tuning for me is a massive increase of torque.

I cannot use turbos or a compressor to tune the engine because it is not allowed in Belgium. The tuning has to be invisible to the naked eye. So what are my options? What kind of tuning is possible?

It's a 3.0 V6 with 226 hp and 280Nm (207lbf-ft) of torque.


:)
 
You could remap the eprom, just to say a thing, then working on air filters, intakes, exhausts...
surely a good tuner can advise how much torque you can add avoiding risks to the gearbox/drive shaft.
I know people that had to change the whole clutch with a bigger one for overtuning a VW Golf.
Laters,
R
 
We need more details than what the engine puts out. What type of car, trim package, year, et cetera.

My opinion on FWD's and power is this - anything beyond 300HP is somewhat pointless, as you'll spend most of your time trying to get traction than anything else.
 
An new ECU would be the best "invisible" tune I imagine you could do.

Though just as a side note, what fuel do you use? Some of the more expensive premium fuels can make a bit of a difference.
 
Car: Ford Mondeo ST220

Year: 2002

Gearbox: 5-speed manual

FWD

30. V6: 226 hp and 280Nm (207lbf-ft)

Another exhaust will be visible at the MOT (motor vehicle inspection), and turbo's or a compressor as well. So that is out of the question.

Eprom won't do much, only about 10 - 12 hp. And about 10% more torque. The price is too high and not every tuner can tune this car because it is too rare in Belgium.

I forgot. I use 98 unleaded full from JET. JET used to be SECA.



I don't know what trim package is.
 
ExigeExcel
An new ECU would be the best "invisible" tune I imagine you could do.

Though just as a side note, what fuel do you use? Some of the more expensive premium fuels can make a bit of a difference.
Click to expand...

Didn't one of the consumer mags (Which? iirc) do a test on those premium fuels and find the difference they made was very small?
 
Sureshot
Didn't one of the consumer mags (Which? iirc) do a test on those premium fuels and find the difference they made was very small?
Click to expand...
I have heard this, but I'm a big follower of Honest John of the Daily Telegraph and he believes the changes are only noticed after a longer use and the engine is properly adjusted to it.

Take that as you wish.
 
kikie
Eprom won't do much, only about 10 - 12 hp. And about 10% more torque. The price is too high and not every tuner can tune this car because it is too rare in Belgium.

I don't know what trim package is.
Click to expand...
An expensive option would be to bore the engine out, probably not the best option but an option.
 
Ford ST220? These people might be able to help...http://www.cosworth.com/

If your car is anything like a Honda you can upgrade your valvetrain and gain a lot of power. Also higher compression pistons and stronger engine internals in general. But most naturally aspirated engine builds can get very expensive.

I suggest you move to Germany.
 
buickgnx88
So wait, are you tuning the car for racing or just everyday driving?
Click to expand...
I'm not going to tune it yet, it's something I'm considering. It's for just everyday driving. That's why I would like to have more torque in lower rpm. I'ts too dangerous to drive a high revving car on a public road. And I don't want a speeding ticket. I just want to feel the G-forces when you accelerate. This feel is only possible if you have a car with a lot of torque. And nope, I'm not interested in a common rail or a TDI which as a better torque in lower rpm than a gasoline car.

A couple of months ago, I removed everything I could remove from the interior. Weight kills acceleration. It was a huge difference but like I said before, things like that is not allowed in belgium. And I was the only one who could sit in the car, because I removed all the seats. Even my spare wheel etc...

ExigeExcel is right about fuel! There is a difference between Q8 and JET. This car performes better with JET than with Q8.

My last motorcycles was a Bandit 1200, latest model. It has a "back tuned" engine from a GSX-R 1100. This motorcycles has an incredible torque. This was available at 3000 rpm till 9000 rpm. It's a lot more interesting to drive than a GSX-R 1100 or a kawa ZX9R or a Fireblade etc... . I Know a car is not the same as a motorcycle but I just want the massive feeling when you accelerate.
 
Feel the g-forces when you accelerate?

That's going to have to have some umph to do that, isn't it?
 
So whats the deal with the motor vehicle inspection? Do they say that the car has to be stock and can't be modded at all thus you don't want the mods seen?
 
Sureshot
Feel the g-forces when you accelerate?

That's going to have to have some umph to do that, isn't it?
Click to expand...
That's the only way I can explain what I mean. Don't forget, English is still a foreign language to me. Bare with me, please. I know it's a poor example! :guilty:

buickgnx88
So whats the deal with the motor vehicle inspection? Do they say that the car has to be stock and can't be modded at all thus you don't want the mods seen?
Click to expand...
Yep, right on the spot. Every car has to be stock. If you change something, like removing the front passenger seat or another steering wheel or other dampers (let's say, koni's) or even the top of a gear stick, it's considered tuning and that's not allowed, unless for some things (which are allowed), you have to pay at the MOT. Tuning an engine is out of the question or you have to registrate you car again, they change your car documents and you'll have to pay for additional taxes. you can't even change your wheels or you will have to pay for it. You even have to have the same tires (same catergory, not the brand° If you have 225/40 zr18 and you change it into 225/55 R18, you're not allowed to drive your car on a public road anymore unless you get standard tires, go to the MOT againg and then and only then you're allowed to use your car again.

That's Belgium.
 
Generally speaking, I believe the limit to FWD cars should be between 250-300 WHP, after that is all absolutely pointless. Minor teaks aside, the ST220 is running what, 226 BHP? That really, honestly, isn't too bad for a car that size, particularly when its matched with a five-speed manual.

I'm not certain on the overall tunability of (what I presume to be) the Duratec Ford 3.0L V6. My guess is that a cold-air kit, maybe a different throttle body, and some kind of ECU tuner (similar to the numerous plug-and-play tuners here in the US) would be enough to bump the BHP up to the 250 neighborhood. Generally speaking, just getting more air into the engine will free up a lot of power if its anything like its American counterparts.
 
If you cannot use turbos or compressors, or anything visible to the naked eye, you aren't going to get something with enough power to worry about the gearbox.

If you don't have smog tests, you can hollow out the catalytic converter, and change the air filter to a K&N one for a small power boost. But in terms of "feeling the g's" you are pretty much screwed.
 
What about headers? Are your exhaust manifolds hidden under heat shields? You may be able to find some headers from Ford Motorsport that allow your stock heat shields to be hooked right onto them. There's not really much of a way to drastically increase your low-end torque. Power adders tend to exaggerate the engine's standard curve.
 
Perfect Balance
If you don't have smog tests, ...
Click to expand...
That's one of the things test at the MOT.

Perfect Balance
... you can hollow out the catalytic converter, ...
Click to expand...
I guess that's not possible either because the Mondeo ST220 has a lambda probe just before and just after the catalytic converter.


Header? :confused:
 
A tubular exhaust manifold, race car-style.

alphawerks_header.jpg


That one is for a Honda Civic, and it doesn't allow for mounting of the stock heat shield.
 
Had one installed on my CRX.

I've been told that it doesn't do much without reprogramming the engine managment. And it is visible.
 
K&N filter, but you'll get nothing much really except a smidge more noise. And this is 3 years of air induction design talkin'.

Best invisible upgrades would be the lightest rims you could find and a light flywheel. I kid you not.

Always, you'll need a 'chip' or remap if you modify beyond this. Always fill your car completely full of the highest octane fuel you can find - Shell Optimax (or whatever it's called nowadays) was once independently tested at 102 octane. If you can remap to advance ignition to suit, you'll gain power.

Biggest straightforward gain: custom exhaust manifold - one that 'looks' stock but is 10% bigger bore, etc. Same for the rest of the exhaust. Changing your intake system for something simpler or a cold intake kit won't do anything on a stock engine map, and usually will only harm the torque curve low down unless you change cams.

So, big money time, port your heads AND/OR camshafts and remap again.

If you used a slightly thinner set of head gaskets or (more properly) got your entire bottom end blueprinted/balanced, then you would raise your compression ratio a little, which works best with a cam change to suit. Ultimately, an overbore and stroker crank would be the limit of 'invisible' changes you could make.

If you get really good gains, you'll run out of injector capacity and/or fuel pump flow.

If you had a custom ECU and were cunning, you could install Nitrous Oxide. I've seen invisible installs before now.

None of these will overtly stress a gearbox/driveshafts in a FWD NA car. You'll find it difficult to get the V6 up to a real 250hp without superserious mods.

Best advice? Buy a Focus ST. A friend's had 245hp out of the box on Shell Optimax, and bags of torque. With an exhaust, filter and remap, he gained only another 10hp first time around, but midrange torque is immense - over 300lbfts. It hauls arse, I tell you. Intercooler is next. The stock Ford one is rubbish. And remaps are cheap because the Volvo 5-pot uses Bosch engine management. Chipping most other Ford ECUs is a pain.

My tuppence.
 
In that case, I goint to leave my car as it is. Maybe for the best.

Thanks for the advice


:)
 

Latest Posts

Back