Pug106 Engine Tuning (Air Induction)

Uprated Air Filters

The standard air filter in a car is likely to be quite a restriction on the air flow into the engine. By flowing more air into the engine, more fuel can be burnt, and therefore more power can be produced.

To increase the flow of air, you will have to replace the original filter, with an uprated, free flow, replacement element, or replace the restrictive air box as well, using a performance induction kit.

This should be the first thing, except possibly for an exhaust, that you should give attention if your tuning your engine. There's very little to be gained from an engine until it's got the ability to breathe.

High Flow Air Filter Elements

An uprated air filter element is the simplest way of getting more air in to the engine is by replacing the standard, factory fit, air filter with an uprated item from one of the many air filter specialists.

The new filter should have a higher flow rate, which will allow more air to get into the engine and in turn will allow more efficient combustion and therefore more power. Also by using a standard fitting filter, you should not have any warranty or insurance problems, and if you happen to have a problem with the car, just remove it and replace it with the original, although the uprated, less restrictive filter is usually of a higher filtration standard than the original.

A good quality air filter should cost around £40, and requires no modifications to any parts of the car, but just don't expect any big power gains.

Induction Kits

Induction Kit fitted to a GTI

A new induction system will give slightly better results than the uprated filter and will also give a more sporty sound from the engine, which is desired by some, and also looks great under the bonnet.

The induction kit reduces the restriction on the air flow to the engine by removing the original air box, filter and induction pipe from the car, and replacing it these parts with a high flow pipe and a cone filter which is much better at both particle filtration and air induction.

Apart from actually getting more air into the engine and reducing the restrictions on the car, another important factor is the temperature of the air being taken in.

By directing cool air from the front of the car, or some sort of vent, more power can be found. This cooler air is more dense than the hot air inside the engine bay and by using cool air the engine will get more oxygen in the same volume of air, which aids combustion which in turn gives more power and torque.

Without directing cool air into the system, you may find that you actually lose power after a long journey, due to the heat buildup in the engine bay. This is also noticeable if you do a lot of town driving, as there's not as much air flow round the car and heat can build up quickly, therefore sapping the power, so if this is the case, then maybe an induction kit is not the right move.

Induction Kits can cost between £60 and £120 and most include some sort of ducting to direct cool air from an opening somewhere at the front of the car, to the air intake.

Ram Coolers

Peugeot Sport Induction System

Another option, and one that is becoming increasingly popular among 106 and Saxo owners is a cold air box, or 'ram-cooler'.

Originally developed by Peugeot Sport and Citroen Sport for the 106 and Saxo competition cars, this takes the cold air factor back to as it was with the original factory induction system, but now without the air flow restrictions and therefore helping to produce more power throughout the revs.

The system uses the same principals as an induction kit but uses a large box at the front of the engine bay to force as much cold air into the induction system as possible, therefore maximizing the effect. Low speed torque is also helped, as only cold air is being used, whereas with an induction kit, at low speeds, all that can be used is the hot air from the engine bay, and as explained before, hot air is less dense and therefore contains less oxygen.

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