159 3.2 - Needs More Power

Guys

I really need some assistance before go move away from Alfa's again. This would be a real shame for me as I do really like the cars in general. I have owned my 159 now for approx 5 mths after selling my E46 SMG M3. I do like the car but I really really really lacks power and the prospect of having to shell out 7K for what can only be described as an over priced Supercharger conversation makes me feel violently ill.... The difference between the 3.2 in the M3 and the 3.2 in the Alfa is vast!

My Aim is 300+ bhp with a good wedge of Torque to match it but looking into it to date I haven't been able to find any way of getting close to that for under 3K . Can you please give me some suggestions as to how I might achieve them. I only have 3 real design rules;

1. I am not will to shell out 7K for a Supercharger Charger conversation for a car that in reality is only worth 10K I would probably shell out up to 3K for a Turbo Conversion though if anyone knows someone that does them..... and does them well!

2. £2200 for a set of Cams is also out of the question.

3. No NOS (I would love this but the insurance would be rediculous!)

In reality I am probably looking for 50bhp over standard which equates to approximately a 20% increase over standard. Surely this is achievable.

I live in the North West so we have some good tuners up here I have been told. The budget that I have available for this would be around 2-3k albeit the 3K is on the high side so I would really want to be seeing some significant power increases for this (like M3 figures).....

Thanks

[ALFA TUNER]

Originally Posted by Subsonic

Guys

I really need some assistance before go move away from Alfa's again. This would be a real shame for me as I do really like the cars in general. I have owned my 159 now for approx 5 mths after selling my E46 SMG M3. I do like the car but I really really really lacks power and the prospect of having to shell out 7K for what can only be described as an over priced Supercharger conversation makes me feel violently ill.... The difference between the 3.2 in the M3 and the 3.2 in the Alfa is vast!

My Aim is 300+ bhp with a good wedge of Torque to match it but looking into it to date I haven't been able to find any way of getting close to that for under 3K . Can you please give me some suggestions as to how I might achieve them. I only have 3 real design rules;

1. I am not will to shell out 7K for a Supercharger Charger conversation for a car that in reality is only worth 10K I would probably shell out up to 3K for a Turbo Conversion though if anyone knows someone that does them..... and does them well!

2. £2200 for a set of Cams is also out of the question.

3. No NOS (I would love this but the insurance would be rediculous!)

In reality I am probably looking for 50bhp over standard which equates to approximately a 20% increase over standard. Surely this is achievable.

I live in the North West so we have some good tuners up here I have been told. The budget that I have available for this would be around 2-3k albeit the 3K is on the high side so I would really want to be seeing some significant power increases for this (like M3 figures).....

Thanks

But you want 50 bhp more without spending any money

I wouldn't have said £3000 is no money?

[ALFA TUNER]

It is not cheap to get that kind of power increase out of any n/a engine

I assume this is Gus :-)

So you think what I am looking for is not achievable?

Do I take the sudden silence to mean yes? ..... or have you got busy?

Anyone have any ideas?

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

[ALFA TUNER]

Originally Posted by Subsonic

Do I take the sudden silence to mean yes? ..... or have you got busy?

Anyone have any ideas?

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

I do have work to do as well
Like I said,you are asking a lot from an n/a engine for very little in exchange.

If I am going to have to spend more that that I may as well just upgrade the car to an S4 or something. As a comparison it will cost me another 4-5K but I will have a car worth that much, insurance won't be loaded for modifications and I will get more MPG

I really do prefer the Alfa but I don't want to be throwing money away at the same time

[Pud237]

159 3.2 Q4 was never designed to be competing with S4s, M3s etc. Its a 1740kg car with 190bhp at the wheels. Consider a 156 GTA 200bhp at the wheels and 300kg lighter, E46 M3 260 at the wheels and almost 200kg lighter - the weight and 4WD are killing the performance. But the 159 Q4 is a lovely car to drive, if you want reasonable pace, comfort, refinement, loads of grip and safe handling etc. I think maybe you just bought the wrong car. You should try a GTA, if it isn't for you then maybe look at what the Germans have to offer.

Thanks for pitching in Do you think it would be more than 3K for the turbo conversion?

[srsgrandmaster]

I would amagine it would be as the parts sre hard to source they come from the saab 9-3x power or the vxr astra the power gains would make it 330bhp the last one i saw

[srsgrandmaster]

sorry vxr vectra v6 not astra

Thanks for the idea

Just had a quick scout around and have found astra vxr turbo new + manifold + FMIC all for £550, in addition to this is what? Oil Feed, welding, Intercooler pipework, remap, thicker head gaskets,? Doesn't seem unrealistic. Are the Fuel injectors and pump up to the job?

What is the engine good for on Standard internals?

[Pud237]

Originally Posted by Subsonic

Thanks for pitching in Do you think it would be more than 3K for the turbo conversion?

If you are paying someone to supply and fit then without a doubt. If you do all the work yourself and buy second hand parts where you can, then you can probably do it for that sort of money.

Originally Posted by Subsonic

Thanks for the idea

Just had a quick scout around and have found astra vxr turbo new + manifold + FMIC all for £550, in addition to this is what? Oil Feed, welding, Intercooler pipework, remap, thicker head gaskets,? Doesn't seem unrealistic. Are the Fuel injectors and pump up to the job?

What is the engine good for on Standard internals?

Astra vxr is a 4 cylinder though, I bet most of those parts wouldn't suit your engine..

Oh now that is far harder to get hold of

It's a real shame that none has put a kit together for this.....

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[Pud237]

Originally Posted by Subsonic

It's a real shame that none has put a kit together for this.....

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

It is a shame, but I can't see why someone would do it, there is next-to-no market for this kind of thing unfortunately.

[ducksonetime]

Doesn't the 159 V6 have the engine they borrowed from GM - the one they use in a Holden Commodore? If so there's HEAPS of performance upgrades down here in Aus...

Yes, I wish it was that simple. I am in oz in 5 weeks. I have been told however that all they share is the block so I am not so sure it would do the job.....



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[Pud237]

Originally Posted by ducksonetime

Doesn't the 159 V6 have the engine they borrowed from GM - the one they use in a Holden Commodore? If so there's HEAPS of performance upgrades down here in Aus...

Do the Holdens use a 3.2 version? Or bigger?

[samson1990]

A holden commodore uses a 3.6l V6

[Cuore_Sportivo_155]

i think your best bet will be an increase in CC... not cheap, but i belive the parts to get 4l+ are readily available for this type of block..

What if I lower my sights slightly to 300bhp? From what I have seen above I can get 285 from a REMAP, what if we couple this with the suitable changes to the exhaust? This would seem to me like a cheaper way of doing it? and surely the exhaust would give me the additional 15hp to get through the 300?

[Squadrone Rosso]

A remap & filter help a lot.

First gear is extended up to 6800 RPM. I've experimented with cone filters but they all lost guts. Sounded great but that was that.

I've got an AD badged pipercross in the original box. Induction sound is improved but low end grunt is maintained.

The main thing against the 3.2 is the linear power delivery and the overly long second & third gears (IMHO).

It doesnt feel as rapid as our 3.2GT but it flatters to deceive. Just look at the speedo.

The Brera sounds ace in stock form but the 159 is way more subdued. Go for a map, filter, some sports cats & exhaust and you'll be about there I reckon.

Cheers,

Simon

PS. I've previously posted about enlarging the CC. Do a search

[Lemi]

You could buy a holden V8 here for about 3000 pounds