Peugeot 308 Tuning Mods & Upgrades

"Getting more performance from your 308 with Tuning Mods & Upgrades"

The 308 released to a great fanfare in 2007 and has been a strong seller for Peugeot. The car suits families but with the right mods it can become a real hot hatch as well as a practical daily driver.

It is my aim in this guide to pass on tips I've picked up on the best mods and tuning upgrades for the 308.

There are quite a few mods that don't do very much or are best avoided so I'll point these out as we go.

There are plenty of performance parts around for the 308 so we'll take a look at some of the best mods and get rid of a few myths so you don't waste your money on the wrong mods.

A few well-considered performance upgrades can make a world of difference behind the wheel of a popular vehicle like the Peugeot 308. Our detailed guide will show you how to tune your 308 to maximise its potential. Many folks we know have wasted time and money trying to modify their 308 ineffectively. Just follow our instructions and you won't have to worry about wrecking your 308's handling.

Enjoying your 308 more fully is possible by prioritising improvements to its handling. We see this is the case for many other owners whose first mods are handling related. If you want to lower your automobile, you need do it by around 35 millimetres and install firmer dampers.

Turning our attention to the 308s engine we need to get a bit more power out of the top end.

Smaller engines do not provide much of a return in terms of power so start with a bigger engine. Engine swaps are a good option if you have a small engine size.

308 Tuning: Engine Mods.

Many of our members do the following upgrades. Before you start tuning your 308 you should choose how far you want to go with your vehicle. Have a clear goal in mind with your requirements in mind.

Getting the right mods for your planned usage of the car is vital. Stage 3 motorsport mods just don't work well on the road making the car difficult to drive.

Please watch our video which covers the 5 principles of tuning your car. Be sure to keep up with our latest YouTube content and subscribe.

Best 308 Mods

1. Intake Mods and Exhaust Upgrades - Note that on their own these mods won't ADD POWER for most setups, but they can help release power after other mods by lessening the restriction.
2. Fast road cams are, on most engines, significant power adders. You need to arrange fitting by a competent person. Sourcing Cams can be hard, but there might be a local firm to regrind a stock cam .
3. Lighter flywheels - a lower weight flywheel will improve the engines rev changes. But not always recommended for all 308 engines.
4. 308 Handling Mods (Suspension) - Upgrading your suspension will dramatically improve the 308 handling. Poly Bushes and Coilovers are the usual mods to install to achieve this
5. ECU Tunes - 308 engine tuning/remapping ensures the biggest gains in terms of your investment, replacement ECUs, and piggyback ECUs are all alternatives.
6. Flowing and porting the engine head - for larger gains, you will get better flow and make a more efficient engine if you do this to support your other mods.
7. Forced induction upgrades - Adding a turbocharger is the most dramatic method to improve intake air supply, which permits you to utilize more fuel and make more power. Typically one of the most expensive upgrades you'll see massive gains.
8. Brake Mods - Improve your 308's stopping power ought to be near the top of your Mods list.

308 Tuning Stages

Typical stage 1 mods often include:lighter flywheel,sports exhaust,Panel air filter,Remap,alloy wheels,suspension upgrade (drop 30-40mm).

Typical stage 2 mods often include:fuel injector & fuel pump upgrades,power clutch,Fast road cam,Ported and polished head,.

Typical stage 3 mods often include:Internal engine upgrades (pistons/head/valves),adding or upgrading forced induction (turbo/supercharger),sports gearbox, competition cam, Engine balancing.

A broad power band over the rev range is preferable. Rather than a concentrated burst of power towards the top of the rev range. So be sure to hold on to as much low-end torque as possible.

To get more specific advice and guidance on your project and all elements of modifying 308's, our forum is the best place. That's what this site is around for - to pass on tips and advice.

However, adjusting the intake and exhaust flow incorrectly might throw off the idle and make the vehicle difficult to handle in traffic, so proceed with caution.

Better performance increases would be attained by combining a cam upgrade with additional modifications and capping it off with a remap.

Pay close attention to the fueling if you plan on increasing the power output.

You need to supply additional fuel when you have an increased power output. After performing modifications, fuel supply or timing difficulties are often to blame for power drops, flat patches, and irregular idling.

With more powerful injectors, you can ensure that the engine receives the fuel it needs. If your injectors are requiring more gasoline than the fuel pump can provide, you may want to consider upgrading.

Intake and exhaust modifications.

Next, we'll check the engine's intake and exhaust to make sure everything is flowing as it should.

The key aim with tuning your 308 is to ensure there are no restrictions in or out of the engine.

Despite common assumptions and urban myths I advise that induction kits often provide just a marginal boost in power at the top end of your RPM range. They are only really recommended if engine power is increased to a level where the factory air intake box is inadequate.

Typically, a washable panel air filter is all that is required for 308 engines, according to TorqueCars. If you have a turbocharged car or a highly modified engine, installing an induction kit can help you unlock the vehicle's full potential by supplying the engine with the colder air it demands.

Sports exhausts are a great way to increase airflow away from the engine, but be careful not to overdo it. Therefore, as a rule of thumb, stick to a size of 1.5 to 2.0 inches.

Maximum air/fuel mixture may be achieved with gas flowing or porting  to the head. However, this task is best left to an expert who has access to a flow bench and machine tools. 

Clutch Upgrades

A properly uprated clutch designed for high speeds on the open road is essential for channelling all that power where it needs to go. Don't ever try to save on costs or assume that a subpar clutch would do the trick.

I've found some performance clutches to be too heavy and impractical. So bear this in mind and choose a clutch that will cope with your modified 308's power output.

308 Remapping

Large power improvements from engine tuning/remapping NA (naturally aspirated) engines are uncommon unless the engine has been heavily modified. This is a whole different ballgame with turbocharged powertrains. Modifying the turbo's mapping results in substantial power improvements and unleashes the engine's full potential.

There will be significant power improvements by adding forced induction to a normally aspirated (NA) engine, but doing so is quite expensive.

Superchargers are more straightforward to install than turbochargers. It is challenging to map the boost curve of a turbocharged engine because of the exponential relationship between boost and engine speed.

The boost provided by superchargers, on the other hand, is directly proportional to engine speed, making them simpler to map. In most cases, a reduction in the compression ratio of the engine is necessary to accommodate forced induction.

Alloy wheel upgrades.

The benefits of alloy wheels include a lower unsprung weight and more efficient brake cooling. Large 308 alloy wheels can decrease performance. If you get big alloy wheels you will be changing your final drive ratio. Although some people have gone larger we would stick to a 18 inch rim size as the maximum.

If you would like to know more, or just get some friendly advice on Tuning your car please join us in our car forums where you can discuss 308 options in more detail with our 308 owners.

It would also be worth reading our unbiased Peugeot tuning articles to get a full grasp of the benefits and drawbacks of each modification.

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This article is flagged for an update, so please pass on specific tips below that I can include. All articles, and content was written by me, Waynne Smith TorqueCars founder. Some outlines are just too general so I appreciate your feedback and suggestions. This entry was filed under Peugeot. You can leave a response below or join our forum to discuss this article and car modification in detail with our members.

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