Basic power gains from 1.9 8V and 16V engines

nchandler

nchandler

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Fellow Frogger
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Sep 10, 2001
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Melbourne
As some might know, I am looking at buying Simon's 205GTI in Brisbane, however I am also considering a friend in Melbourne's Mi16. What I was wondering, and I really do not want this to sound like a question off the Fast Fours Forums, but what sort of power gains would one get from the respective engines with say a basic exhaust (2.5" all the way through with the 16V, and 2.25" with the 8V) and a decent air filter? Any basic advice would be appreciated. From what I've seen the Mi16 gets a much better note than the 205 with a decent exhaust fitted, raspy and high revving.

Thanks again.
 
Hi Nick,
Others can probably comment more authoratatively on power gains but my overally thought in reading your email was that the basic cars themselves are quite different.

I might get shouted down for this :) but here are my thoughts: They are both great cars but the Mi16 is a lot heavier and more 'sophisticated' whereas the 205 is a driver's delight. They can both sound good with exhaust mods and the additional power from an exhaust etc will be minimal in both.

I'm biased so I think you know which way I would go :) perhaps others could provide their thoughts.

Steve
 
I'd agree with what Steve has said.

Both cars won't see a big improvement in power although you may see a slight improvement in responsiveness on both.

Darren
 
I've done it to my 205 (2 1/4 stainless and filter)and it is more responsive and revs faster and for a bit longer. No great power gains though, but it does sound deep, not like a sixteen valve more like a big four almost like a skyline six.
 
Buy the 205.. do a cold air induction set up.. if u're still not happy cut the cat converter out.. if that still it's enought then the mods 2 get it going after that are getting expensive.
If I had a 405 Mi16 I wouldn't touch it.
 
Isn't it illegal to cut out the cat?

Secondly, how much can you gain by doing so?
 
aaahhhh.... no so don't tell anyone.

the power gain is better than leaving the cat in and putting a big pipe on it with an annoyingly loud muffler.
 
Pug307:
Isn't it illegal to cut out the cat?

Secondly, how much can you gain by doing so?
Click to expand...
very much so illegal!
It made a notable difference to the exhaust note but the power gain was negligable.

BTW i now have a completely EPA/ADR/Vic Roads etc compliant exhaust....hot dog, 2 resonators, cat and a standard rear muffler. :rolleyes:
 
Andres i disagree... the cat restricts flow from the eng. and it's better to get rid of that than to put on big pipe. A wise man once called it the road less travelled.
 
Luca, I never said it didnt make a difference.
I felt that for the risk involved, I didn't think it was worth it, it wasn't an easily noticeable difference.
And i've never said fitting a bigger exhaust is better....not on a standard pug anyway.

And did I mention it was illeagla, where's Haakon when you need him! wink

The official line I got was that it's not illegal to remove it, but it needs to be there to be legal... :confused:
 
Why not just fit a cat off a V8 Commodore. They flow more than enough for a 4 cyl car. The difference between having one of these fitted and no cat at all is non existant.

I'd much prefer to be legal than have that 0.5hp more.

Darren
 
Who could be bothered doing that?
Take it off or leave it there.

Anyway back 2 the topic there's heaps u can do 2 the 8v eng but the Mi16 was highly tuned when it came out so the first thing i'd do to that would be cold air....
 
You do it because the existing cat is stuffed. They don't last as long as most people would think. I use a highflow cat (yes I know the Mi16 came with one) and a 2 1/4" system with a resonator and straight through rear muffler. Sounds awesome with a K&N on the intake side. Power gains......I doubt it.

Cal.
 
Anybody ever opened up a cat and cut the guts out of it? :D :D Looks standard, but I bet it would go like a cat-free.
 
If you look at the 8v eng. and the way the induction is set up is all wrong for Australia. The design idea behind having the air box above the exhaust manifold was to get some warmth into the freezing air that they experiance in Europe. Here there's no need for that so a great gain is to get the thing breathing properly and do a cold air modification on it. The second suggestion I can offer is keeping in line with the topic is cutting the cat out ($50) and this finishes of the breathing problem and allows the motor to flow air more freely. The next logical this to do would be to pull the head off and get it on a flow bench, but this is moving away from the basic word in the original post.....
 
i have to agree with luca on this one....the cold air set up is the way to go with the 205 (must be sealed) and if you do remove the CAT (which we all know is illegal) i assure you the power gain is more than negligable....its definitelly noticable...infact my traction problems got much much worse after i dumped my cat...car feels much revier and is much punchier....my 2c

cheers
dino
 
My 205 puts out 80kW at the wheels with the std. induction system. Can't be that bad.
 
Peter your infamous for being a wealth of knowledge... and for doing mods to 205's... what series is u're current 205 and is it a stocker?
 
It's a series 1 with a mild cam, mild head job and an aftermarket ECU.
 
....no i m sure the original setup is not that bad....but NOT BAD is a long way from being EXCELLENT...which is what my setup is like now...its excellent....short sweet and direct....u can really appreciate the cold air setup during the peak of summer when even the newest of new cars start to be affected by heat exhaustion let alone a 20 year old car like the 205...

cheers
dino
 
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