Peugeot 407 Tuning

"Tuning up the 407"

The Peugeot 407 was a mid-size family car produced by the French automaker Peugeot from 2004 to 2010. In this article we shall give your a good starting base to the best mods for your car, but we'd encourage you to spend some time on the site looking into the details of each type of performance part.

It served as a successor to the Peugeot 406 and was designed to compete in the highly competitive European mid-size sedan and estate market.

The 407 was available in various body styles, including sedan, estate (station wagon), and coupe.

We look at 407 tuning and summarise the best modifications for this popular family car.

Overall the Peugeot 407s are good project cars and with a few sensible performance tuning mods you can dramatically maximise your driving enjoyment.

They may be overlooked by many as Family or executive cars but they are great to drive and make superb sleepers if you do the right mods to them.

History of the 407

The Peugeot 407 was introduced in 2004 as a replacement for the Peugeot 406. It marked a significant step forward in terms of design, technology, and overall refinement. The car featured a more modern and stylish exterior design, characterized by its sleek lines, distinctive front grille, and well-defined contours.

The Peugeot 407 was targeted towards a broad audience looking for a comfortable and well-equipped mid-size vehicle.

Its combination of style, comfort, and practicality made it appealing to families, professionals, and individuals seeking a balance between performance and everyday usability.

The car's elegant design and upscale interior features also aimed to attract drivers who valued a touch of luxury without the premium price tag.

Engine Options:

The Peugeot 407 offered a range of engine options to cater to different preferences and driving needs. These included a variety of petrol (gasoline) and diesel engines, providing a balance between fuel efficiency and performance. Engine options typically encompassed:

1. Petrol Engines: The petrol engine lineup featured a range of displacement and power outputs, including economical four-cylinder engines as well as more powerful V6 options. These engines were designed to deliver a smooth driving experience while offering a blend of fuel efficiency and performance.
2. Diesel Engines: Peugeot was known for its efficient diesel engines, and the 407 was no exception. Diesel options included four-cylinder turbocharged engines, offering excellent fuel economy and torque for long-distance driving and highway cruising. The turbo diesel is a real gem when it comes to tuning them.
3. Transmission: Depending on the model and engine choice, the Peugeot 407 could be equipped with manual or automatic transmissions, providing flexibility for different driving styles and preferences.

Throughout its production run, the Peugeot 407 received updates and improvements to keep up with changing market demands and regulations.

While it may not have achieved the same level of iconic status as some of its predecessors or other models in the Peugeot lineup, the 407 served as a capable and competitive mid-size car option during its time on the market.

In this article, we delve into the crucial concept of a "power band" and explore how modifications can help optimize it.

We have seen some awesome 407 tuning projects and there seems to be quite a loyal fan base of 407 owners.

With the right mods your 407 can be transformed into a fun car. Don't waste money, do your homework and follow our unbiased guides to each performance upgrade to avoid disappointment.

Many 407 owners uprate the handling of their cars as a priority, this will certainly increase your enjoyment of the car. We would go to a maximum drop of 35mm on most models. You risk rubbing on the arches if you go lower than this.

Top end power should be your overall aim on the 407 with a nice fat peak torque band.

The best power gains come from larger engine sizes. The more you start with the bigger the return on investment so engine swaps are good value mods for small engined cars.

These mods are usually performed by our members, decide how far you wish to go in your tuning project before you begin.

Getting the best mods for your planned usage of the car is essential. Stage 3 competition upgrades just don't work well on the road as it makes the car hard to control in slow traffic.

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 Engine Mods for your car

1. 1. Engine Tunes - engine tuning/remapping provides the most advantage in terms of cost savings,  aftermarket ECUs, and piggyback ECUs are all alternatives.
   2. Fast road cams are one of the most significant mechanical changes, but they must be installed by someone who knows what they're doing and they are not always easy to source but you might find a local firm to regrind a stock camshaft.
   3. Intake and Exhaust - Note that on their own these mods will NOT ADD POWER in most cases, but they can help enhance power after other mods by removing the restriction.
   4. Upgrades to turbochargers and superchargers - forced induction is the most efficient approach to increase air supply, allowing you to burn more fuel and make more power. It is one of the most costly upgrades but provides the best gains.
   5. Head work - The goals of porting and flowing the head are to get air flowing into the engine while removing flow restrictions and turbulence.

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

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

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

Power mods.

Peak power is nice in motorsport but for a driveable and fun car you need a long power band and perhaps extending the rev range.

When it comes to enhancing your car's performance, there's more to consider than just peak power.

While achieving high horsepower figures is exhilarating, a truly enjoyable and drivable car requires a balanced approach that extends beyond sheer output.

We will provide a comprehensive overview of essential modifications, with a focus on intake and exhaust systems, cam upgrades, fueling, and timing adjustments.

It's important to note that while we provide a starting base for your modifications, in-depth research into each performance part is recommended for a well-rounded understanding of their impact.

Power Band and Driveability:

The power band refers to the range of engine speeds (measured in RPM) within which an engine delivers its best performance.

In motorsport, peak power is a decisive factor, but for a car to be both enjoyable on the road and competitive on the track, a long and well-balanced power band is crucial.

A broad power band ensures that power is accessible across a wider range of RPM, translating to smoother acceleration and a more engaging driving experience.

Achieving this balance requires a thoughtful combination of modifications that harmonize the engine's components.

Camshaft Upgrade and Other Modifications:

A camshaft upgrade is a significant modification that can significantly impact the power band. However, it's crucial to view this upgrade as part of a holistic approach.

Combining a camshaft upgrade with other modifications, such as intake and exhaust enhancements, ensures that the engine's components work in harmony to deliver a well-rounded power band.

The intake and exhaust durations play a large part in your cars power band, but be careful here, getting this wrong can upset the idle and make the car hard to drive in traffic. You'd need to follow a cam upgrade with other mods and finish with a tune/remap for the best performance gains.

To extract the best performance gains, a tune or remap is often necessary, optimizing the engine's parameters to align with the new modifications.

Fueling and Timing Considerations:

Increasing power output demands more fuel, which may lead to heightened fuel consumption.

Addressing this requires uprating the fueling system, including injectors and the fuel pump. Neglecting this aspect can result in power losses and erratic idling.

Properly calibrated fueling systems ensure that the engine receives the necessary amount of fuel for optimal performance while maintaining stability during various driving conditions.

Don't forget to uprate the fuelling when you are increasing the power - it makes the car more thirsty. Frequently power losses, and erratic idling after mods are done can usually be traced to timing or fuelling issues.

Uprating the injectors is another beneficial modification and will deliver sufficient fuel. Uprate the fuel pump to cope with the extra fuel requirements of your tuned 407s uprated injectors.

Timing adjustments also play a role in fine-tuning the power band, ensuring precise ignition for seamless power delivery.

In the pursuit of a car that offers both exhilarating performance and drivability, focusing solely on peak power is insufficient.

A well-tuned power band, achieved through a strategic combination of modifications, creates a harmonious synergy among the engine's components.

Whether it's upgrading intake and exhaust systems, considering a camshaft upgrade, or fine-tuning fueling and timing, each modification contributes to an engaging and satisfying driving experience.

Remember, the key lies in balance – a balanced power band translates to a truly exceptional driving experience.

Intake and Exhaust Tuning.

Upgrading the intake and exhaust systems is a fundamental step in optimizing the power band. These modifications influence the engine's ability to breathe, enhancing airflow for improved combustion.

However, careful consideration is essential, as an incorrect upgrade can disrupt the engine's idle and drivability, particularly in traffic.

A well-matched intake and exhaust system can broaden the power band by allowing the engine to breathe more efficiently across various RPM ranges.

Intake and Exhaust Upgrades:

Breathing mods are usually next up. Contrary to popular belief there is usually very little power gain to be had by fitting an induction kit, they only work well and are recommended after you increase the engines power to the point where the standard air intake box cannot cope!

Induction kits can work well on turbo engines and larger engines (if supplied with a suitable cold air feed or air box), generally though we'd just recommend for 407 engines you should just fit a sports panel air filter preferably made from cotton.

Do not go with the widest exhaust you can buy this will reduce the exhaust flow rate - the best exhausts for power gains are usually between 1.5 to 2.5 inches. It is the shape and material more than the bore size.

Getting a professionally flowed (ported and polished) head with larger valves can fully release the engines power.

Your clutch can seriously let you down if it starts to fail and the standard clutches are only ever good for power gains of up to 50%. Fit an upgraded clutch to avoid power leak through the transmission. Remaps offer impressive power gains on all turbo charged cars. On NA (naturally aspirated) engines the benefits are doubtful.

However a tuned/remapped ECU on a NA (naturally aspirated) engine will help unleash the potential if you have done a lot of mods.

Adding forced induction will see phenomenal power gains but this is usually too expensive to be cost effective.

It is generally easier to bolt on a supercharger than it is to get a turbo working.

Turbos give boost in exponential proportion to increasing engine speed and this can make mapping difficult.

Superchargers however will give a boost which is proportional to engine speed so is easier to map. Alternatively you could add water injection to control knock.

Alloy wheel upgrades.

The benefits of alloy wheels include a lower unsprung weight and more efficient brake cooling. The downside to large alloy wheels on your 407 is that you alter your effective final drive ratio and this will have a detrimental effect on acceleration and performance. For this reason we would advise sticking to a maximum wheel size of 18 inches, although we know some of our members have gone larger than this with no problems.

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 407 options in more detail with our 407 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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