Which 159 best for tuning?

[paul_o]

Hi,

Been a lurker for a while and almost bought a 2.4 Ti today (the young sales guy didnt take a hint when I tried to meet halfway!) but am still looking.

I know that you can significantly boost the 2.4 - seen the threads about Gus in St Helens. My question is, has anyone modified the 1.8? I also saw 'gus's thread about how it is tricky, so I want to know if anyone here has done it yet - and what the gains were (and the typical mpg). I get a decent petrol allowance, so whilst I know the diesel will be way way better, I'm not going to rule out the 1.8 - and would be nice to have a petrol again.

If I've posted in the wrong place, forgive me admins - my question IS around modifying ultimately, as opposed to should I buy one or the other. In other words, I am interested in the post-mod performance as whatever I get it WILL get remapped.

Thanks in advance!!

[Quadrofoglio]

The 1.8 is a bit of a black sheep in the 159 family that no one likes to mention. I'd doubt it could be modded in any worthwhile way. Perhaps ask on a Vauxhall forum (as it's a GM engine). There are hardly any around either so you'd be pushed to find one.

The 2.2 petrol and 2.4 diesel seem to be favoured for mods.

[Ruskins]

the 1750 TBi should have plenty of potential...

[Pud237]

With the 1.8 being a Vauxhall engine, I wonder if a C20LET or Z20LEH will drop straight in? They are plentiful and cheap.

Originally Posted by Pud237

With the 1.8 being a Vauxhall engine, I wonder if a C20LET or Z20LEH will drop straight in? They are plentiful and cheap.

Jesus I doubt the C20LET outta the VXR's etc would fit handy into a 159 but it would be cool some massive power can be got out of them.

You need to distinguish between the 1.8MPI NA GM engine
and the "1.8" 1750 TBi Fiat engine....


I would say look at the 2.2 if you are looking for mods.
It's light, people on here have got it up around 200BHP
just with intake mods, a new exhaust and a remap
and there've even been successful Supercharger mods
available. Allowing it to punch well into the current V6s
power domain....

[Pud237]

I don't think there's anything 'Alfa' about the 1.8 MPI. I think it was just taken straight from Vauxhall and fitted without modification into the Alfa.

2007 Alfa Romeo 159 1.8 MPI car technical specifications from Carfolio.com - 4 door 1.8 litre (1796 cc) Inline 4 139.9 PS, 5 speed manual
2006 Opel Astra Twin Top 1.8 car technical specifications from Carfolio.com - 2 door 1.8 litre (1796 cc) Inline 4 139.9 PS, 5 speed manual

But it wouldn't be a bad place to start for tuning compared to the 2.2 if you were looking for fairly big power, it is much cheaper to tune a Vauxhall than to tune an Alfa, purely down to economics of supply and demand. I think if you are planning to go down the turbo route this would be much easier than doing the 2.2. If you aren't looking to do much more than intake/exhaust/remap and it must be petrol, then go for the 2.2, after all there ain't no replacement for displacement.

[Stevie28]

Model: 159 1.8 16V 140

Original Bhp: 140 Bhp
New Bhp: 152 Bhp

Original Torque(Nm): 175 Nm
New Torque(Nm): 190 Nm

Apparently the 1.8 MPI can be remapped as above, this is advertised at Mobile ECU Remapping | Engine Tuning | DPF Removal | DPF Problems | DPF Delete | ECU Remap

[MBadger]

Double post

[MBadger]

The 1750 is already turbo charged so how much more you going to squeeze reliably.

The 2.4 you can take from 210 to 260/ 70 with a dpf removal and remap
The 1.9 diesel can go from 150 to 205
Petrols such as the 2.2 only get a 10bhp increase from remap.

Of course intake and exhausts etc will improve it a bit.

Ifnyou want to spend bigger money superchargers are available for the petrols and I am sure you can turbo one of them.

I'd love to put a rotary engine into one - imagine 250 - 300 bhp in a 159 with a light engine . Would help the handling also and 8000 rpm also good

Mind you a v6 sound would be nice

[marcevo1]

Cheapest tuning / biggest gains = anything with a turbo on

Then get stripping the weight out of it - the 159 weights far too much!

IMO waste of time playing with the n/a engines as the gain is so small on these 4 pots