Apexi Power FC ECU

[Akane]

Hrmm, don't believe everything you hear then. I've seen an R33 go on the dyno on the base map and knock its head off till it got sorted properly, but if those cars survived then guess I'm wrong.

Yeap, you could use those wise words for yourself, no offense intended, but if you run a shop and have drag cars built, you should know that PowerFC is plug and play off the shelf. I have an AP Engineering PowerFC, 0.95bar with GT28RS, 90% injector duty cycle, engine's still in one piece last time I checked, which is......... 2 hours ago.

[Ako]

I was meaning for myself not to believe everything I hear, spose I should have written that more clearly.

The reason we always say to people to get it tuned pronto is that far too many cars will seem to run just fine, when in truth are way too advanced to be thrashed. The idea of the PFC is that it can be plugged in and driven round all day from as soon as you plug it in - on 100 octane fuel. For guys here in NZ restricted to 95, I prefer to advise people to spend another few hundred on some tuning, than coming back in a couple of weeks wanting a new engine worth a few thousand.

As with anything, there are exceptions to that rule, but bear in mind when I sell something, I have to make sure it doesn't go and blow the guys car up 2 weeks later cause he thought he could save a bit of cash.

[GT4 20]

Just got back from the dyno (will post results up later) and given the initial readings, I'm glad I didn't run the Power FC on it's base maps for more than a couple of days.
Yesterday, for example, even running 8psi saw the engine check light flash briefly, indicating the knock sensor was picking up something nasty. And on the dyno today, at cruising revs, there was + 50 deg of ignition 8O No, that was not a typo.
As pointed out above, fuel quality will have a lot do with with how things run and I'm sure that the cams etc also need to be factored in, but I'd hate to have blown a newly built engine because I wouldn't spend a few hundred dollars on a dyno session.
Gary

[RomanV]

(will post results up later)

You're such a tease.

[JT]

Didn't the turbo tezza die from detonation fairly soon after being boosted though?

IIRC, yes.

Not really surprising, on 11.5:1 compression.

It didn't have a PFC with that engine. He had the new engine built with internals from a GenIII and got the ECU just after. He had to wait a few weeks before the tuner was available, but I don't think he ran more than a few psi till then so it doesn't prove much in this case.

[vvega]

. And on the dyno today, at cruising revs, there was + 50 deg of ignition 8O No, that was not a typo.

Gary

at crusing no load running
i,e potterign along at 100 km'h 50 degress is quite normal
saves on fuel

but under load(boost) 20 dgrees woudl be the max i woudl run without a det set (boash knock sensor a knock block and a set of headphones)
reling on a computer to interprit knock and tell you is not teh best idea

with teh knock block you can hear the oil in you engine splashing round and inaudibule knock(the kind your ecu has a hard time finding) id crystal clear

v

[99gtt]

Hrmm, don't believe everything you hear then. I've seen an R33 go on the dyno on the base map and knock its head off till it got sorted properly, but if those cars survived then guess I'm wrong.

Yeap, you could use those wise words for yourself, no offense intended, but if you run a shop and have drag cars built, you should know that PowerFC is plug and play off the shelf. I have an AP Engineering PowerFC, 0.95bar with GT28RS, 90% injector duty cycle, engine's still in one piece last time I checked, which is......... 2 hours ago.

. No offence intended akane but your car might be running but doesnt sound or perform very well for the mods you have.

[Akane]

No offence intended akane but your car might be running but doesnt sound or perform very well for the mods you have.

Sorry I'm not really up in the technicial side of things, but how much power am I suppose to be making for my current setup, and is there anyway to improve it? Please advise!

[sergei]

you should get one of those 450Hp CT26, I'll readily swap mine CT26 for your turbo you could make it into 450hp one..

[RomanV]

No offence intended akane but your car might be running but doesnt sound or perform very well for the mods you have.

Sorry I'm not really up in the technicial side of things, but how much power am I suppose to be making for my current setup, and is there anyway to improve it? Please advise!

You should be making at least 10 bazillion donkeypower.

[fivebob]

No such thing as plug and play - even the power FC still HAS to be tuned professionally before you drive it

Better tell KiwiMR2 and turbo tezza, they both ran their cars on base tune for a period of time.

As have I for the last 18 months

Though I'm only running 10psi on a totally stock Gen III so it's not exactly in detonation territory. It never has a knock level over 50 in the logs.

Also I should note that the map I'm running is the one that came with the datalogit software and it's 3-9° retarded from most stock PFC maps I've seen.

[fivebob]

.
Yesterday, for example, even running 8psi saw the engine check light flash briefly, indicating the knock sensor was picking up something nasty. And on the dyno today, at cruising revs, there was + 50 deg of ignition 8O No, that was not a typo.

Read this threadFor some useful info on the ignition maps for the PowerFC and the 3S-GTE in general

[fivebob]

Can they modify the power fc to suit a caldina.

Not unless you want to run a Gen III head and inlet cam, with the distributor and timing sensors from the Gen III and a Gen III loom or some sort of patch loom to conevrt the 3 row plugs from the GT-T to the 2 row terminals of the PowerFC.

In short it's cheaper, and better, to run a Motec

[fivebob]

Can they modify the power fc to suit a caldina.

Motec.... and if you disagree, fivebob is going to whomp on this thread soon...

Nah, every one is entitled to make mistakes

There are a couple of other ECU's that could do the job, maybe not as well, and possibly with less safety at very high HP levels, but most of that is in the tuning and a poor tune on a Motec is just as bad as one on any ECU.

[Akane]

awww guys, I was asking a geniune question. Since there is no one that I have seen with the same setup as mine (PFC + 550cc + GT28RS + i/c), I am dying to know who's out there making significantly more power than me with the same setup

[Ako]

Just out of curiosity, what sort of a/f and knock levels are you getting? Just looked at your profile, thats a decent figure for that wee turbo + engine. Must be a blast to drive!

[Akane]

When I put in my 550cc injectors and made injector corrections based on calcuations from fivebob and myself, it was getting "acceptable" a/f according to the tuner, and after a "tune", he said he just flatten the a/f curve a bit and pulled some timing here and there.

the dyno chart with a/f reading (after tune) could be found at:

http://lol.co.nz/temp/NOGRIP_Dyno.jpg

Thanks, yes it's great around town, ofcourse I'll get totally murdered by cars who are straight out power but this setup has it's place in the "Street tune" category.

[KiwiMR2]

Should be interesting to see what my "old" car will make, the new owner is planning on fitting the DP & getting the PFC tuned

I ran it on the base map for about 3 months. I'd like to think it will be putting out around Akane's figure, maybe a tad more

Cheers
KiwiMR2

[Adydas]

Akane, at the time i had the ST165 and no sign of the ST185 so your story dont hold up there had nothing to do with ripping off at all.. in fact i belive it was the same issue just wont work.

and by plug and play i dont mean anything about tuning ill tune it either way, i ment dont require feeding craploads of wires everywhere to wire it up etc its alot simpler to do.

Anyone know where i can find AP Engeeniering Powerfc for the ST185? OR confirm does a SW20 one work?

Hmm new questoon.

[Akane]

Can't wait to see the results there KiwiMR2, keep us informed!

Adydas, you might be better off with a fully stand-alone for your ST-185 RC