So the modifications begin!

[Bnmtuning]

hi guys, im new to this forum and after reading a bunch of threads, im eager to get started to modify my 306 hdi.

bought some 2 1/4 pipe to weld in place of cat and back box, keeping middle section. looks a right pig to get the cat section of the exhaust off, what looks like the steering pump thingy in the way. any easy way to take this part of exhaust off?

And ive also disabled the egr by just taking off the vacuum hose off the solenoid and bunged it up.

my plans are to do little mods that'll get me the most results from a stage one tune (going to sptuning on wednesday hopefully!)

thanks! il upload pics tomorow as its too dark now

[Tom]

Do the map yourself. Get pro steve or whippy to write the map. I promise you will get better results then going to some generic company.

[HDi Dave]

Do the map yourself. Get pro steve or whippy to write the map. I promise you will get better results then going to some generic company.

^This^
Also consider jammapic too, I can personally recommend his work, but also the above are well recommended too.
I would also suggest that the guys on here that do mapping, are the one's that know how to do it properly, there are plenty - as mentioned of generic companies about, I would consider all options, before commiting to one. It could save you in the long run.. IMHO.

[jammapic]

Thanks Dave.

Happy to help with a map if required, as said above I upgraded Dave's stage 1 sptuning map to a stage 2 map.

A couple of the things in the mapping were done in a way I felt could be improved upon, such as modifying injector opening times etc... I think it's fair to say it drives smoother, quieter and with significant more power than before.

It's easy for you to get hold of a reader / writer of your own such as MPPS or Galletto and read your file, email it to a tuner and flash the modified file back on yourself. Alternatively, find someone near to you with a cable to do it for you...

Let me know if you require any help.

JP

[HDi Dave]

It was easier for me, as I'm near to JP, but he explained everything to me including what could be improved on the current map.
All I can say is that the drive-ability, power, and torque of what its got now, is like chalk and cheese, compared to the old map.
I like to know what my car is doing, and that was fully explained to me and its very reassuring.

[Bnmtuning]

Thanks will consider using the tool and map off here .

[Tom]

Oh no, another stubborn one.

[jammapic]

Oh no, another stubborn one.

Haha get many of them?

[HDi Dave]

Oh no, another stubborn one.

Please explain

[Tom]

The ones that ignore our advice go to a tuning company and are then bittery dissapointed that there 300quid got them 105 bhp when 70quid to steve gets you obviously better results. Theres been a few.

[Bnmtuning]

I've done abit of searching on here and there's a lot more positive feedback from maps off the guys here and not so much the garage 'tuners'.

Quick question, is there anything I need to remove In order to take the cat pipe off from the manifold? Or is it just a fiddly job!

Cheers

[jammapic]

Just two bolts, nice and easy....

Helps the turbo spool up a bit quicker and tends to gain a little all the way through the revs...

JP

[Bnmtuning]

You say it's just two bolts, they're HARD to get at, or am I just being daft. Can barely get my hand in there underneath

[Tom]

I can do them one handed from the top lol


Get one person with a spanner from the top and you go underneath with a deep socket and loads of extensions. Easy peasy :p

[Bnmtuning]

From the top? I really need to learn my way around this engine, fast lol please elaborate !

[Tom]

Passenger side reach down the back of the engine to the turbo where it bolts to the downpipe, its just 2 10mm bolts with springs and washers in them. If you look for fitting kits on ebay you can see what they look like.

[mcglynn]

You wont do a hdi from the top tom, and theres no nut on the top either.

Its a 10mm and u need a few extension bars as its right up at the turbo outlet.

Torch will help u see the two nuts, be careful as they sometimes sheer off.

[Bnmtuning]

When you say there's no nut on the top I take it they're like studs then? With just nuts & I presume if you shear them off, it's manifold off job! Starting to make sense now

[mcglynn]

Their studs yeah, the studs have a hex on the very end where they meet the manifold but they are a bitch to do, I struggled like a bitch when mine sheared as the metals too soft to get them off, youd be best with a long long reach 6 point 10mm to stop them rounding if they do shear.

[Tom]

My bad thought they were similar to xud ones!

[Bnmtuning]

Cheers il give it a goe tomorrow ! Can you reuse gaskets or I got to buy new ones

[camoturd]

On this has anyone got a link to the programme and wires I would need to programme my self

[jammapic]

You need something like an MPPS cable, and if you want to map it yourself a tool like Winols for manipulating the hex data.

I spent a lot of years doing my research, and ultimately came to the conclusion that if I was going to map stuff properly I just needed to buy a real, legit copy of Winols to get all the checksums and support from EVC.

JP

[Bnmtuning]

The thing is, I'd rather get someone with the right equipment to do it, I wouldn't want to brick my ecu ... Shire tuning / sptuning have some good rep & want 150 quid for a custom map. Any thoughts

[Craigus]

Get someone on here to map it, they have proof of their maps and everyone seems to be happy with them, also cheaper that companies.

[Poodle]

There's lads on here that have been to sptuning, been disappointed, then gone back to get them to do it properly and still been disappointed, then gone to pro_steve/mr whippy/tb205hdi and been delighted. Steve can reflash your ecu if it gets bricked during the writing process, he's in Bristol which isn't a million miles from you.

[jammapic]

I use mpps to write my maps to people's cars, it features a recovery mode built in so you never get stuck with a bricked ecu.

Worth getting once yourself if you are going to flash your own map on.

JP

[Tom]

I've mapped a few with the Galletto tool and the only nail biting moment is when it says writing, just dont move for the 10seconds it takes lol.

[jammapic]

The real nail biting moment is when it says "flash failed" :-O

[callumcull]

Man up and do it yourself. I've done it twice, admittedly the third time I bricked it, but pro_steve fixed it. Just needed to drop the ECU off to him. Just make sure you leave the laptop plugged into the mains, and your battery in the car is healthy.