I hope this guide will become useful. If you spot any glaring errors or omissions let me know. Likewise , if you want to assist let me know. This guide is meant to be just that , a guide. Its designed to dispel some of the tuner BS that floats around , and give you an idea whats what.
Right at the start I will declare my fanboy status for RS tuning based in Leeds. I dont like spending money, I am a Yorkshireman. By the same virtue I dont trust people very easily to work on my car. Specky , and Paul are the only ones that do as they wont rush in and rush out a job. They take time and do it right.
Anyway.
Your 225 meg will have around 225PS.
Your 230 meg will have around 230PS
There seems to be a large variation on the engines power. Some are around + 10% higher, a few are bang on the money and only a few are "down" on power.
Lets clear up a few things first. Whatever you dyno your car on first , stick with that. Dynos vary from place to place depending on many factors ( Ill do a dyno guide some other time ) so go for one type / brand / location and stick with it.
Most common first mod
A map. The map will smooth out the curves a little , and obviously gain you both HP and torque. I cant tell you exactly how much your car will increase by , as all vary. For reference, my baseline engine was dyno'd at 230.1hp , and 230 ibft of torque. I took it to RST and I got 265hp and 275ib ft. The figures are just for reference though - remember , thats what my car got.
Want to go a little further?
I would suggest that now is the time to keep the charge temps down. Its is important to keep the air cooler for the turbo, and unfortunately the megane 225/r26 cooler is poor. For reference the 225/r26 cooler is identical. Various companies make them. You can spend as little as £160 and get a chinese import cooler. Your nan could probably weld better , but you pay your money. Other companies include Forge and the new kid on the block AirTec. I like the look of the AirTec cooler personally , but I have an early chinese cooler with tube and fin , not bar and plate ( another day another guide for that ! ). Proven gains have now been established by Pro-Alloy. A great cooler with a great core.
The cooler wont gain you any HP , or torque , but it will keep the power going longer as your car gets hotter.
The upgrades have bitten now.
The airbox is restrictive in the 225/r26. Three ways of going on this. Panel filter , The 3inch mod, or open cone.
The panel filter is a direct replacement for your airbox. I ran a pipercross panel in my megane for 22000mi with no ill effect.
The 3inch mod is quite literally enlarging the small , restrictive cold air feed inlet onto the airbox to 3 inches and sealing it back up. Dont go bananas and dremel the front to death , just a 3 inch diameter will suffice. Back it up with a panel filter
The open cone option is another route. KTEC offer a very expensive option with 90 degree bends and what looks like a PC case cut in half. Its really not needed. Something like a large pipercross cone filter will more than suffice. They have been tested at 40deg c in a dyno cell and dont reduce power.
You would be advised to get a remap after fitting either the panel / cone. I would suggest adding the filter + cooler just before going for your first map.
Whats next ?
The easiest way to gain power next is to add a decat pipe. Bear in mind your car will spectacularly fail its MOT on emissions if you fit one , and its a 4h marathon of awkwardness to fit. However the gains are impressive. RS Tuning do a fantastic 3 inch decat , and also a sports cell one.
The standard exhaust flows quite well , I wouldnt upgrade just yet.
I would recommend a further map tweak at this point. It will maximise your gains and check everything is ok. You can also have the emissions light mapped out that will no doubt be on.
Injectors
Your tuner might mention about a "high duty cycle" on your injectors and recommend some bigger ones. The upgrade is a set of Siemens Deka 630cc shorts. Shorts as they are shorter than traditional injectors. You can get these from the internet for buttons , but I would strongly suggest you get a flow matched set. Dont just install these and hope. They need to be mapped in and your fuel tank / comfuser needs to be recalibrated to get an accurate level of fuel left.
If you run the above mods ( cone + decat + injectors ( if needed! ) you will be around 270-285bhp and 290 - 310ib ft
Meganes have inherently weak rods. Speak to your tuner but insist that they dont take it over 310ibft at maximum. Tuners who know what they are doing will not allow any more.
Want to go further ?
Add a "hybrid" turbo. This is a larger turbo than standard , normal megane r26 turbos are TD04 varients with 14t wheels , you can go 15t and 19t. 20t is available and all sort of housing variants. WThe standard one will be well out of puff at 295 maximum.
The td04 15t ( as found on the 250/265 megane ) will easily flow upto 325bhp and more torque than your rods can handle , for instance mine rand 313.5bhp / 325ibft at 1.2 bar.
There are other mods such as uprated actuators , larger / solid boost pipes but TBH , I havent found the need for them.
There are plenty of exhaust options lurking , scorpion , ktec and RS Tuning offer them ( as well as others such as Miltek ) my favourite which I have is the RS Tuning one. True 3 inch from cat back to tips. Sounds epic as well.
From what I understand the standard exhaust is more than capable of around 300hp , so I wont detail much more.
To get huge power it will take deep pockets. You will need to budget for rods , pistons and bolts. In essence a full rebuild really. It would also seem daft to run the little turbo so might as well go down a larger turbo route ( Gt 3071 ? ) and manifold to fit. 400+ hp needs a fuel system.
A basic forge engine drive in drive out is around £3000. Manifold around £900 and turbo £1000. Stacks up doesnt it ? Dont forget to factor in a new clutch as well ( around £1300 )
Mod these cars right and they are quick , fun , and reliable. Cut corners and you will be in trouble.
Right at the start I will declare my fanboy status for RS tuning based in Leeds. I dont like spending money, I am a Yorkshireman. By the same virtue I dont trust people very easily to work on my car. Specky , and Paul are the only ones that do as they wont rush in and rush out a job. They take time and do it right.
Anyway.
Your 225 meg will have around 225PS.
Your 230 meg will have around 230PS
There seems to be a large variation on the engines power. Some are around + 10% higher, a few are bang on the money and only a few are "down" on power.
Lets clear up a few things first. Whatever you dyno your car on first , stick with that. Dynos vary from place to place depending on many factors ( Ill do a dyno guide some other time ) so go for one type / brand / location and stick with it.
Most common first mod
A map. The map will smooth out the curves a little , and obviously gain you both HP and torque. I cant tell you exactly how much your car will increase by , as all vary. For reference, my baseline engine was dyno'd at 230.1hp , and 230 ibft of torque. I took it to RST and I got 265hp and 275ib ft. The figures are just for reference though - remember , thats what my car got.
Want to go a little further?
I would suggest that now is the time to keep the charge temps down. Its is important to keep the air cooler for the turbo, and unfortunately the megane 225/r26 cooler is poor. For reference the 225/r26 cooler is identical. Various companies make them. You can spend as little as £160 and get a chinese import cooler. Your nan could probably weld better , but you pay your money. Other companies include Forge and the new kid on the block AirTec. I like the look of the AirTec cooler personally , but I have an early chinese cooler with tube and fin , not bar and plate ( another day another guide for that ! ). Proven gains have now been established by Pro-Alloy. A great cooler with a great core.
The cooler wont gain you any HP , or torque , but it will keep the power going longer as your car gets hotter.
The upgrades have bitten now.
The airbox is restrictive in the 225/r26. Three ways of going on this. Panel filter , The 3inch mod, or open cone.
The panel filter is a direct replacement for your airbox. I ran a pipercross panel in my megane for 22000mi with no ill effect.
The 3inch mod is quite literally enlarging the small , restrictive cold air feed inlet onto the airbox to 3 inches and sealing it back up. Dont go bananas and dremel the front to death , just a 3 inch diameter will suffice. Back it up with a panel filter
The open cone option is another route. KTEC offer a very expensive option with 90 degree bends and what looks like a PC case cut in half. Its really not needed. Something like a large pipercross cone filter will more than suffice. They have been tested at 40deg c in a dyno cell and dont reduce power.
You would be advised to get a remap after fitting either the panel / cone. I would suggest adding the filter + cooler just before going for your first map.
Whats next ?
The easiest way to gain power next is to add a decat pipe. Bear in mind your car will spectacularly fail its MOT on emissions if you fit one , and its a 4h marathon of awkwardness to fit. However the gains are impressive. RS Tuning do a fantastic 3 inch decat , and also a sports cell one.
The standard exhaust flows quite well , I wouldnt upgrade just yet.
I would recommend a further map tweak at this point. It will maximise your gains and check everything is ok. You can also have the emissions light mapped out that will no doubt be on.
Injectors
Your tuner might mention about a "high duty cycle" on your injectors and recommend some bigger ones. The upgrade is a set of Siemens Deka 630cc shorts. Shorts as they are shorter than traditional injectors. You can get these from the internet for buttons , but I would strongly suggest you get a flow matched set. Dont just install these and hope. They need to be mapped in and your fuel tank / comfuser needs to be recalibrated to get an accurate level of fuel left.
If you run the above mods ( cone + decat + injectors ( if needed! ) you will be around 270-285bhp and 290 - 310ib ft
Meganes have inherently weak rods. Speak to your tuner but insist that they dont take it over 310ibft at maximum. Tuners who know what they are doing will not allow any more.
Want to go further ?
Add a "hybrid" turbo. This is a larger turbo than standard , normal megane r26 turbos are TD04 varients with 14t wheels , you can go 15t and 19t. 20t is available and all sort of housing variants. WThe standard one will be well out of puff at 295 maximum.
The td04 15t ( as found on the 250/265 megane ) will easily flow upto 325bhp and more torque than your rods can handle , for instance mine rand 313.5bhp / 325ibft at 1.2 bar.
There are other mods such as uprated actuators , larger / solid boost pipes but TBH , I havent found the need for them.
There are plenty of exhaust options lurking , scorpion , ktec and RS Tuning offer them ( as well as others such as Miltek ) my favourite which I have is the RS Tuning one. True 3 inch from cat back to tips. Sounds epic as well.
From what I understand the standard exhaust is more than capable of around 300hp , so I wont detail much more.
To get huge power it will take deep pockets. You will need to budget for rods , pistons and bolts. In essence a full rebuild really. It would also seem daft to run the little turbo so might as well go down a larger turbo route ( Gt 3071 ? ) and manifold to fit. 400+ hp needs a fuel system.
A basic forge engine drive in drive out is around £3000. Manifold around £900 and turbo £1000. Stacks up doesnt it ? Dont forget to factor in a new clutch as well ( around £1300 )
Mod these cars right and they are quick , fun , and reliable. Cut corners and you will be in trouble.
