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A question that gets asked quite often is how can I tune my Diesel car. The great news is modern Diesel engines are relatively easy to get quite a bit of power out of.
Modern Diesel engines are already brilliant engines compared to what they used to be like. They are a lot less noisy and have great power through the gears. But what’s if you just want that bit more
The great thing is you don’t have to do a lot to get a lot and most times out of ten, you’ll also increase your economy. You may find you already get a great MPG and more pull than a petrol, but what can make it better
Carry on reading to find out how you can increase your Diesels potential.
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Get A Performance Exhaust
One of the main reasons people go for petrols are the noise. Don’t deny it, petrols just sound mean. But there’s nothing wrong with a grunty Diesel if you get a good exhaust on it.
There are plenty of ways to upgrade your pipes, from eBay specials to custom-made stainless steel pipes. If you are going to go for the latter, we recommend going all out, getting a turbo back, with something that’s going to really let it breathe.
The great thing about a performance exhaust is the grunt you get out of it. But in doing so it’s allowing your car to breathe better so your performance will improve too.
These may increase power by up to 10% and might set you back between a couple of hundred to over £1,000. You might want a single, double or quad pipe setup, either way it’s going to sound and perform way better.
One of the top garages in Doncaster for these are Top Gear Performance, but there will be one closer to yourself if you’re not from the area.
Upgrade The Intercooler
An intercooler is a great way to increase power as you can improve the cold air going into your turbo. And as we know cold air carries more oxygen and oxygen is used in the igniting of the fuel to create motion.
Simply put the more cold air, the more oxygen, the better the combustion.
Intercoolers are a great way to add between 5% to 10% power gains, but they need to be fitted by a professional in my eyes, to make sure there are no leaks or otherwise.
Most performance garages will recommend certain brands for your car and fit them aswel. This is because a lot of people have done a lot of research to find out which upgraded intercoolers go best for which engine.
The only downside to a bigger intercooler is more surface area will create more drag and can be detrimental, so you have to figure out if the power increase is worth the added drag.
Definitely an upgrade to think about.
Hybrid Turbo
For a nice drop and swap replacement you can go hybrid turbo as these usually bolt straight in place of your old turbo without extra pipe work.
Because we now know how to get colder air into the engine, a hybrid turbo is going to get more of the cold air in there as it pushes it in more than the OEM.
These can add a lot more power, no idea on how much as it really depends on your car, but these are a great way to increase gains without too much work, although they can be pricey.
One word of warning when fitting a hybrid, because you’re adding more air, you may need to upgrade your fuel pump and injectors to get the best out of it.
Get A Good Remap
Now you’ve done all this work to your car and increased power by over 9000, you might want to consider mapping it all in to your ECU.
The great thing about diesels is they love a good remap, they respond very well to a quick tune. You can shop around for these because different garages have different power outputs.
Another great benefit of a remap is that they can increase your MPG, and who wouldn’t want more power and more economy, literally the perfect combination. Great for all you long time commuters who like a bit of speed.
So if you really think about it, the money you outlay for a remap, which could be around £300 – £500 depending, could save you money in the long run! There’s an excuse you can tell the missus!
Click this photo to shop for Race Chips
If you just want a plug and play race chip they are alright too but you might not get the power like you will from a performance garages. Some popular garages are Pumaspeed, Collins and Mountune. Even though there are literally hundreds across the UK, make sure you’re getting one that gets the best for your money.
Rolling On Coal
We all love our cars, whether it’s petrol or diesel. No shame in whatever your driving. If you really want to see some diesel power try googling Rolling On Coal and that will give you an idea of the power potential.
Remember that whatever your driving is still special to you and no one else, tune it the way you want, you’re not here to impress everyone else, you’re here to impress yourself. Build a sick smoker and be proud of it.
If you have any more suggestions on powering up your diesel, drop a comment below. For more cool posts check out our Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
Peace
Kevin
Kevin@boostandcamber.com
Founder of Boost And Camber
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