Jump to content
SAU Community

Recommended Posts

My powerFC + H/C arrived today after purchasing it from Nengun performance.

Could someone post the steps I need to follow to replace my old ECU with this one.

From previous posts on the powerFC it looks like I dont have to tune it straight away, ie. I can drive around with it for a week or two before I gather enough cash to get it tuned - is this true.

Should I wack it in just before getting it tuned, or can I put it in tommorow?

thanks for all the replies,

Mark

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/14818-how-to-install-a-powerfchc/
Share on other sites

How much did it end up costing from nengun?

I personally would probably leave out until you can get it tuned. No point driving around on an untuned aftermarket ECU when you have a perfectly good 1 already installed.

Mark, get someone to the the lot for you -

[risk mitigation]

Reason: If you install it then take it to someone else to tune, then if the worst possible thing that could happen, happens, the dude that tuned it will say " well, you installed it , so it's your fault ".

However, if you go to a reputable tuner ( there are lots on the site) And say, "I just got this in from Japan (or wherever) and I want you to install it and I want you to tune it for the best power WITHIN reasonable saftey limits" - and it goes to shite - you have got a much better case for re-course...

Yeah, I know this is a 'glass half empty' responce, but for the extra few bucks, I reckon it's worth it......

Cheers,

This should take you about 5 minutes to install. Just plug it in, reset it in the etc menu, and make sure the EBC option is off (you will know if it is on as it wont fire up:) ).

It is dead easy and you should get a performance increase. dont be paranoid, just dont force the plug. The initialise settings are conservative, so you dont have to worry there.

I'm with you B-Man, i'd rather just pay the price and have it all done properly on the day.

Sure it may only take 5mins to install it but if your not gonna get it tuned for 1-2wks after installing it why not spend that 5mins installing it 5mins before you go to the tuners? What have you lost?

Guest RedLineGTR

Plug it in yourself, and the controller. So they dont have to take the plastic panel off to get to the ecu or anything like that. From some of experieces, they might break something etc. you never no. hook it up yourself, but all the screws back how they are meant to be, and be happy how you put it in. So all you need to do is just drop it off at the tuners and the pick it up whenever ready.

Guest KILLER-T

Just plug it in turn the boost down and dont beat up too much on your car untill you get it tuned.It will be fine i did the same thing on my car.It might be a good idea to go to the initialize all setting and run the the stock map in the FC you never know what it has be tuned for and if you do reset you need to let the car idle for like 30 or 40 min so it can do its idle learning thing.Have a read of the instruction manual it tells you step by step how to do it

Thanks for the response.

Benm: It ended up costing me $1600 for the powerfc + h/c brand new, delivered to my door.

I've only had a quick look at the powerFC and it looks like there are no screws, just two lots of double sided tape. I haven't taken the h/c out of the box yet either.

I've got a uni assignment to finish off tonight, I might see if I can plug it in tonight.

I took a quick look at the manual and it had a lot of japanese characters on it so thought it safe asking here incase there was some kind of warning in Japanese.

I recall reading about having to tell the powerFC i'm using a EBC?

Mark

You need to tell it if you are not using the Power FC EBC. If you are using any other sort of EBC, dont worry about it. when you plug the power fc in and start the car IF it doesnt start, that will be because the EBC has been selected and the power fc cannot find it. Just switch it off - I am pretty sure its in the etc menu.

There is a pdf in english for a power fc hand controller, includes all the warnings, it is at the APEXi USA website, cant remeber the address, but if you do a search on google you should find it.

Honestly, this is absolutely the easiest thing you could do, more chance hurting the car giving it a wax...lol

EDIT: dont even need to use the double sided tape!

When i got my power FC and plugged it in it was pinging its tits off. Ended up having to take heaps of timing out of the base map and add fuel. I dont know about the rest of the people here but i wish the Autronic with the adaptor loom had been avail when i went ECU hunting.

With regard to the car not running with the EBC switched on (with no EBC connected) i just had the check engin light come up and it drove fine. I have heard of it stopping but i didnt experience it.

The hand controller is a pain because it takes heaps of time to take a couple of degrees out of the entire map (i know i can just turn the crank angle sensor) AND the map chaser function doesnt show you on the actual map only on a grid which represents the entire map which is REALLY annoying.

Oh and i am interested to know what other people have done about mounting it since mine DIDNT come with any brackets to mount it.

Outside of that it was a true plug and play unit.

This is Son of sydneykid

R33NT - did you reset the computer before installing?? If it didn;t come with any brackets to mount, i guess you didn't buy a new one, so, logical question.... would make sence to me then

What are the steps for installing the powerFC?

1. disconnect battery

2. remove stock ECU

3. plug in powerFC + H/C

4. reconnect battery

5. switch off powerFCs EBC somehow in the menus

(i'm running a profec B EBC, have full exhaust, pod, high flow turbo) is there a setting I can use on the powerFC so it doesnt do damage to my engine?

My powerFC is brand new, would it have been tuned for a stock r33 gtst?

Killer-T mentioned resetting, should I reset the powerFC and if so how do i do it?

Mark

Hi Mark download a copy of the English Language Power FC manual and Commander manual from the Apexi USA web site. They are in PDF format. Since they don't have Skylines in the US, the best fit is the RX7 PFC and the Honda Commander.

http://www.apexi-usa.com

Hope that helps.

Thanks SydneyKid.

Yesturday during my lunch break I tried disconnecting the battery, but since i've upgraded my battery its very hard to undo. Added to that, I cant really get at it because i've mounted my amp in front of it. The weekend will give me enough time to install it (with the help of the english PDF file i've just downloaded).

Mark

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Similar Content

  • Latest Posts

    • Thanks everyone for the replies and suggestions. Got the seats out (hoping I could find some existing grommets but no such luck). By tapping and measuring etc. I could figure out where I could drill through if needed. But first I borrowed an inspection camera and managed to go through factory holes in the chassis rail and could see that the captive nut was holding steady which is why it could retighten. So it was indeed a stripped section of thread, so I applied downforce by levering the bolt head with a screwdriver and went slowly back and forth until it came out. Camera helped a lot cos I could monitor that the captive nut was holding tight. Now I just have one very seized main subframe nut to tackle 😅
    • BOVs do have a purpose, if you ever log pressure before and after the throttle body, you will see a spike pre throttle on lift off from a WOT condition. Enough to bend throttle blades / damage e-throttle motors or simple assist in blowing off cooler pipes. FWIW, the above on really applies to those running at least 2 bar of boost. OP shouldn't have an issue, on the other hand, here are some videos of my shit box over a decade ago with some succulent dose with the airbox on and off. That shit box is unrecognisable these days 🫠    
    • I've tried all different combinations of BOVs/ no BOV and stock bypass valves over the years, on gear changes the stock bypass valve seems to get the car back on boost quicker because in part the turbos wheel speed isn't being slowed down by reversion, although they have issues holding boost much over the stock setting. Most aftermarket BOVs you can adjust the spring, tighter will make it open later and close sooner, but in my experience it'll cause a bit of flutter at low load/rpm anyway. I've also got some input into this whole no bov causing turbo wear, never had an issue on any on my turbos HOWEVER, I got my R33 GTST with 200k kms on it, with from what I can see still has the original turbo, no lateral shaft play but has about 4-5mm of play in and out which to me seems like a worn thrust bearing from years (100-150k kms?) of turbo flutter running no bov, so maybe there is some truth to it in the long run. But that'll never stop me loving the Stutututu while I have the car.   OP just wants to know if he can run a atmo vented BOV with no major issues and the answer is YES, plenty of people do it, there's no harm in installing it and seeing how it runs before spending $$$ on an aftermarket ecu, last time I bought a Nistune it was $2400 for install and a tune , unsure of todays prices but you get me. Crazy money to spend just to fix the minor inconvenience of stalling that can be overcome by letting the revs come down to near idle before putting the clutch in or a little bit of throttle to avoid it. You're better off leaving the ecu and tune for after a bigger turbo/injectors have been installed to take full advantage of the tune and get your moneys worth.   Let OP have his Whoosh sound without trying to break his bank haha
    • I see you missed the rest of the conversation where they have benefits, but nothing to do with avoiding breaking turbos, which is what the aftermarket BOV made all the fan boys, tuners, and modders believe was the only purpose for them...
    • But they do so for the other reasons to have a compressor bypass. It's in the name.
×
×
  • Create New...