TUNING GALLERY
A SHOWCASE FOR OTHER TUNING PARTS & ACCESSORIES AND WHERE TO GET THEM
If you want to have yours listed please email me.
CONTENTS:
EGR BYPASS PIPE FOR THE 75/ZT/FREELANDER TD4, BMW 3 & 5 SERIES ETC.
L SERIES SILICON INTERCOOLER HOSES ** new **
L SERIES MODIFIED INJECTORS ** new **
L SERIES STAINLESS DOWNPIPE/FLEXY PIPE ** new **
INTRODUCTION.
There are few suppliers of diesel tuning parts and even fewer of Rover and MG ones so this page is dedicated to these hard to find parts.
The inclusion of any item does not necessarily mean that I endorse it and I accept no responsibility whatsoever for any claims made by the manufacturer, nor for their service. Unless stated otherwise, I do NOT supply the item, but a contact email is provided.
DECAT PIPES: ROVER 200/400/600/ 25/45, MG ZR/ZS, FREELANDER L SERIES DIESEL (PRE99/00)
POWDER COATED MILD STEEL, HEAVY DUTY 2MM TUBE AND 8MM FLANGES.
Unlike Ebay ones, these are the correct diameter and are superior to just removing the cat innards. Supplied with bolts and stainless nuts. You don't need new gaskets if you are careful. The existing stainless ones can be cleaned up with wire wool and reused.
Such a simple device will give a superb reduction in turbo lag, lets the turbo spool up sooner and quicker and releases more power and torque.
I decatted my 45 and was very pleased at the results. Now I have done the same to my 75 (details here) It feels like it has shed 1/4 tonne and has a 3L petrol engine such is the instant response to the throttle.
Fitting one is NOT an MOT failure on
a diesel as the cat does not affect the smoke test results.
Left
- the powder coated decat pipe and right - the Stainless version.
EXHAUST BACK BOX ZR/25/200
Adjustable tailpipe so you can make sure its horizontal.
All bends are mandrel type so, as you can see from the photo below, there is no reduction in diameter or rippling.
This is a turbo diesel specific back box - petrol ones aren't ideal - often the stuffing will blow out over a period of time. Its also designed not to be boomy nor excessively loud.
EXHAUST SYSTEM INC DECAT. ZR/25/200
This comprises the back box
intermediate section and cat bypass.
Contact Dave for prices and availability.
45/ZS/400 back box and system under development.
L SERIES STAINLESS PERFORMANCE DOWNPIPE
Contact d.lyon33@hotmail.co.uk for prices and availability.
They are pre-oiled - I prefer this as there is less chance of over oiling causing contamination of the maf sensor.
I now stock these and if you purchase one with any other item, postage is FREE.
Please check models stocked and prices in my Online shop page.
I may not be the cheapest on the 'net, but if you take advantage of my free postage offer, you can still end up saving money as many companies charge upto £10 for delivery.
LH photo is 75/ZT/FREELANDER TD4, RH photo is L series.
The L series one costs £37.50 inc vat POST FREE if purchased with anything else otherwise P&P from just £2.00
The 75/ZT/Freelander TD4 cylindrical version is £49 inc vat. POST FREE
THEY CAN BE CLEANED AND REOILED AND WILL THEREFORE LAST THE LIFE OF THE CAR. I now stock the cleaning and reoiling kit: £15.99 + £3.50 postage. Includes a litre of cleaning fluid and a litre of oil.
BMC INDUCTION KIT FOR THE L SERIES. Model no CDA85-150. rrp £175.06 inc vat
My price £149 inc vat + £5.50 postage.
Photos
show one installed in a Rover 25
On older engines the intercooler hoses become weak and often, increasing the boost pressure causes them to split. Any sudden loss of power, especially at low revs and smoke from the exhaust will mean the hoses need removing and carefully checking. The splits tend to only open up wide under highish boost, so often on part throttle the performance is not badly affected.
New ones are about £35 each but for not much more you can now buy a set of two Silicon ones. Contact paris_gate@talktalk.net
For big power gains these are a must. The standard injectors cannot flow enough fuel and the injection pump is known to fail if you attempt to get over 140bhp on standard injectors. Basically, it cannot produce enough pressure at the higher flows needed and when max'd out, can fail.
So fitting these modified injectors gives the pump an easier time because the they open at a slightly lower pressure and flow more fuel. The lower opening pressure results in them opening sooner and closing later thereby extending the injection duration.
They can be fitted to a standard engine but a boost control valve, BMC airfilter, and mafam MF1p are recommended. For over 150bhp a mild remap is probably necessary but this should the last stage after all the other mods have been done.
Please note, these are not a plug and play mod, you need to make sure the engine is in good condition, the intercooler hoses are in free from splits and holes, the cambelt has been changed, and you have a performance air filter and ideally a better exhaust system.
Contact d.lyon33@hotmail.co.uk for prices and availability.
BOOST CONTROL VALVE. Buy one here:
An easier way to regulate the boost pressure. Suitable for the L series and BMW engine.
This
is supplied with some free Silicon hose so you can locate it easy reach though
this should be kept as short as possible.
Its easy to fit - just remove the existing tube that connects the compressor outlet to the wastegate actuator. Then connect one piece of tube from the compressor outlet to the valve inlet and the other piece from the valve outlet to the wastegate actuator. A booot gauge is fitted using a tee in the tube to the valve inlet. Keep the silicon tubes as short as possible and reset the wastegate linkage back to the standard setting if its been adjusted.
You also check the boost using a voltmeter as described here:
Or with a code reader plugged into the diagnostic port. Laptop based ones will work with any software that can display sensor data such as Scantool, OBDMaster, Digimoto etc. See the Scangauge below for a neat alternative:
75/ZT/FREELANDER TD4 BMW 320D EGR BYPASS PIPE.
You can now buy the egr bypass pipe direct from d.lyon33@hotmail.co.uk. (not stocked by me)
Jointly developed by Dave and yours truly, it is a quick bolt on job and offers the following advantages:
Its a direct swap for the original egr assembly. The spigot sticking out sideways is for securing the exhaust supply tube to. This not only seals it but stops it vibrating and fracturing. It takes about 10mins to fit.
Price £49.50 delivered, direct from Dave.
(Another company has been selling these for the TD5 Landrovers for £55)
Also fits the Freelander TD4 and BMW 320D. Does not cause engine damage or MOT failiure.
More info here:Scangauge
This module connects to the 15pin diagnostic socket found on vehicles from about 1996*. It attaches to the dash with velcro or double sided adhesive tape and can display data from the engine ecu. The refresh rate is about 5 times per second on non can bus vehicles (most pre 2006/7) so the displays are more accurate when the engine speed is changing slowly - i.e. in the higher gears .(* It automatically scans for the correct protocol and works with all of them)
P
Pressing the button next to each parameter changes it so you can display any 4, including fuel consumption. Pressing the button with the red circle around it brings up the menus. In the left hand photo intake air temp in oF is shown and in the right hand one, LOD = % load. 100% displays as 0 though. TPS is throttle position in %.
On many petrol engined cars from 1996, and all of them from 2001, it can also display and clear fault codes and switch off the engine warning light (MIL). On diesels, this isn't possible unless they are 2004/5 or newer models. (so that rules out most MGRover diesels except a few facelift models, so only the data can be viewed on these) On my X-type it also displayed to 'B' codes - B0000 and B0002.
IAT MEASUREMENTS
On the Jag, it was interesting to see how quickly and by how much the intake air temp increased when I 'put my foot down'. On this engine, as on the later 75 and ZTs, the IAT is in the turbo to manifold hose so it measures the temperature of the compressed air. (On the L series engines and earlier 75 & ZTs, it is in the maf sensor so only measures the temperature of the air as it leaves the air filter)
The temperature was consistently at least 10o F above the outside air temp and then shot up by no less than 60oF under full boost. Clearly any intercooler mods would be be easily detectable.
IF YOU ARE THINKING OF FITTING A BOOST GAUGE...
You might wish to consider one of these instead. At £116 from UKobd.co.uk, it is good value and you should be able to view boost pressure, rpm, mph, coolant temp, intake air temp and possibly maf, ign timing and tps (throttle position sensor) data even on pre 2004 diesels. The data is likely to be more accurate than aftermarket gauges and the car's dash instruments, so you can see how far out your speedo and tacho are! Note that the MPH readout will still only be accurate if your wheels have the same rolling diameter as the factory ones. On my X-type the ScanGauge and the GPS based Racelogic Performance Box** both gave the same mph - showing the speedo to over read by just 1-2mph.
I also found that 10psi boost was produced from as low as 1200rpm, reaching 20psi at just 1500rpm and max boost was 22psi. This shows the effectiveness of the vnt turbo fitted - significant boost is produced from very low rpm which keeps the exhaust clean, emissions low and boosts low down torque. In practice you can feel the turbo kicking in from 1250rpm - about 250-300rpm sooner than on the 75 and L series.
I have had the Scangauge on test for a month and it has worked well and its compact size means it will fit in front of the dash without obscuring the instruments too much. It can be left connected and powers down automatically once the engine is stopped.
I did not test the fuel consumption facility as it needs to be calibrated.
It's certainly easier to fit and potentially more useful than fitting conventional gauges. Recommended!
Thanks to Derek at Ukobd for lending it. ** I reviewed the Racelogic Performance Box here
ADDITIVES TO ENHANCE AND PROTECT YOUR ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION.
Unmodified engines can manage fine without additives assuming they are & have been serviced regularly but when I tune an engine I increase the protection by adding additives to the oil and fuel. Those listed are recommended and used by 'those in the know'.
ZX1 OIL ADDITIVE. This unique product was developed for use on oil rigs and virtually eliminates friction by impregnating all wearing surfaces. It is NOT an oil treatment but provides lower wear rates than the best synthetic oils and better cold start protection. You can add it all engines, all gearboxes, power steering pumps, even the coolant. It is NOT a ptfe based product so cannot cause gumming.
I've tried it in 3 different engines and the effect is noticeable within a few hours of driving. On my 14year old Citroen Relay camper, starting is almost instant as the engine spins over more quickly and mpg is better - 35mpg pottering around at 40-50mph.
Team-zx1-co.uk Also available from some Halfords branches.
MILLERS DIESEL SPORT 4 FUEL ADDITIVE.
Millers oils and additives are very highly regarded by diesel professionals and I've used them for years.
Diesel Sport 4 is a fuel additive which cleans and lubricates the fuel system components and boosts the cetane number.
This is a measure of the fuels ignitability which affects a combustion parameter know as ignition lag. Fuels with a low cetane number do not ignite as readily and this causes a delayed ignition and a more sudden and 'explosive' combustion. The effects of this are audible as increased knock, with reduced power, rougher running and worse emissions and economy.
DS4, by boosting the ceetane number by 4 points causes the fuel to start burning sooner and more progressively, giving a longer cleaner burn where more of the fuel is converted into the power. The result is improved performance, quieter, smoother running, better economy and reduced emissions.
Fuels that just meet the British Standard such as those sold by supermarkets tend to have the lowest cetane number, whereas Shell Extra and V power, and Bp Ultimate have a higher cetane number. Most of the other major brands aren't much better than supermarket quality fuel in my experience.
Your nearest stockist can be found from Millers website. Millersoils.net
I also recommend their oils - XFD fully synethetic and XFE semi synthetic and both are cheaper than and as good as the big name brand oils.
