Power FC Hand Controller Options

[ltsmatthew]

Hey guys, I did some searching around and wasn’t really able to find any non-dated/useful information. I’m pretty new with wiring and electrical stuff on these RB’s, so give me some slack.

Anyways, I’m in the market for a Power FC for my RB25DET, and I’m kinda just trying to see if the Power FC is the one for me. I know there’s plenty of monitoring you can do on your hand controller (boost, coolant temp, etc.), but could someone write a list of everything there is that you can monitor?

I’m also interested in a multifunction-like gauge. Basically, I want to see speed, tach, water temp, etc. (the basic stuff), and I want it to be in a small gauge pod so it can be just mounted to the dash or whatever.

Thanks guys!

[hardsteppa]

Download the user manual. Dont think r33 one is available in eng but evo and honda one is, and will give you 99% of info.

[KiwiRS4T]

Buy a more modern ECU e.g. Link, Haltech and get a dash display to go with it.

[Duncan]

I disagree, PowerFC with Handcontroller  ($800-1000) will show everything OP requested plus much more (ecu inputs status, ability to set basic parameters, and even full tune if really necessary) for less than half the price of a haltech/link etc with dash.

I've just replaced the PFC with a Link in the stagea and miss the hand controller, am looking at adding OBD port and OBD display to the Link but everything is more $$$ to do what the PFC already did. Yes they are more capable ECUs but for a standard or lightly modified car PFC have been doing the job perfectly for decades.

[r33cruiser]

Agreed with the above.

There are definitely more complex ecu's out there with more features but for your basic mod's PFC is a decent choice.

Heck, I'm still using mine 12 years on and local tuners can still use them too.

[ltsmatthew]

2 hours ago, Duncan said:

I disagree, PowerFC with Handcontroller  ($800-1000) will show everything OP requested plus much more (ecu inputs status, ability to set basic parameters, and even full tune if really necessary) for less than half the price of a haltech/link etc with dash.

I've just replaced the PFC with a Link in the stagea and miss the hand controller, am looking at adding OBD port and OBD display to the Link but everything is more $$$ to do what the PFC already did. Yes they are more capable ECUs but for a standard or lightly modified car PFC have been doing the job perfectly for decades.

 

40 minutes ago, r33cruiser said:

Agreed with the above.

There are definitely more complex ecu's out there with more features but for your basic mod's PFC is a decent choice.

Heck, I'm still using mine 12 years on and local tuners can still use them too.

I’m going with a Garrett GT3076R, 3 inch exhaust, probably 750cc injectors, top mount manifold, Walbro 255, and TiAL BOV and wastegate. Would a Power FC be good for this setup?

[hardsteppa]

Yes. Will run bigger injectors and coils...as far as i know, won't run a different trigger but shouldnt need to for that.

And, go 3.5in exhaust if you can.

[Duncan]

It will work fine, as long as you are still running the air flow meter of course. Having a BOV connected will help prevent stalling when the throttle shuts suddenly which can be hard to tune for with an AFM

That was pretty similar to what I had been running for years on a PFC before I went a little sillier on the new engine...

[r33cruiser]

Yep you'll be fine.

Only minor issue you MAY have is air flow reversion back through the AFM causing a slight stall. With a decent length intake pipe and a good tuner you'll be fine.

 

 

 

 

[GTSBoy]

I think ultimately what holds the PowerFC back is that when you get to the point where the stock CAS becomes too unreliable to generate your timing, you have no (easy) way to implement a crank trigger.

[Tobz]

I believe the stock ECU, therefore the powerFC can only monitor:

Ign Map

Inj Map

AirFlow

Injector

Boost

Acceler.

Ign/Inj

Cranking

Wtr Temp

Rev/Idle

 

So the big ones missing would be Oil Temp and Oil pressure, i think you can add them as analogue inputs, expect that to add around $300 to the cost for good quality sensors.

 

Also AFR would not be shown, again i think about $80 for a half decent one? Also not sure how many, if any, analogue inputs are in the PowerFC.

Edited February 21, 2020 by Tobz

[djr81]

So at what point do you get a modern ECU and something like this?

https://www.autosportlabs.com/product/racecapturetrack-mk2/

[Tobz]

If it was me i would get a haltech or even adaptronic modular ecu.

They both have can bus and means you can then run something like this https://www.powertunedigital.com/ and pop it in a R34 MFD hood

would still need oil temp, pressure and afr sensors though.

 

I have an adaptronic select and that has limited me a bit so i had to get a Race Technologies Dash 2 Pro (which includes logging for track work) along with the oil temp, pressure and afr sensors and will be mounting it in the GTR MFD hood.

[ltsmatthew]

On 2/20/2020 at 11:35 PM, Tobz said:

 If it was me i would get a haltech or even adaptronic modular ecu.

They both have can bus and means you can then run something like this https://www.powertunedigital.com/ and pop it in a R34 MFD hood

would still need oil temp, pressure and afr sensors though.

 

I have an adaptronic select and that has limited me a bit so i had to get a Race Technologies Dash 2 Pro (which includes logging for track work) along with the oil temp, pressure and afr sensors and will be mounting it in the GTR MFD hood.

 

On 2/20/2020 at 11:14 PM, Tobz said:

I believe the stock ECU, therefore the powerFC can only monitor:

Ign Map

Inj Map

AirFlow

Injector

Boost

Acceler.

Ign/Inj

Cranking

Wtr Temp

Rev/Idle

 

So the big ones missing would be Oil Temp and Oil pressure, i think you can add them as analogue inputs, expect that to add around $300 to the cost for good quality sensors.

 

Also AFR would not be shown, again i think about $80 for a half decent one? Also not sure how many, if any, analogue inputs are in the PowerFC.

Well something more modern like a Haltech is something I’ll look into. But basically, I want a good and reliable ECU that call also plug into a screen to read vehicle speed, fuel level, coolant temp, etc.

The cost of a PFC is good, but if there are better options for more money, I’d rather just spend the money.

So say I want to look into something more modern/better. What’s a better ECU? Also, it’s an RB25 240SX

[GTSBoy]

A much better option (than what PFC offers) is just Nistune with a windows tablet mounted somewhere/how.

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

On 18/02/2020 at 11:55 AM, ltsmatthew said:

 

I’m going with a Garrett GT3076R, 3 inch exhaust, probably 750cc injectors, top mount manifold, Walbro 255, and TiAL BOV and wastegate. Would a Power FC be good for this setup?

No, because you're planning to run an atmospheric BOV.

Also why a GT3076? Man it's 2020 not 2006.

[ltsmatthew]

7 minutes ago, Dose Pipe Sutututu said:

No, because you're planning to run an atmospheric BOV.

Also why a GT3076? Man it's 2020 not 2006.

Price and power goals are the reasons I bought a GT3076R

[Tobz]

On 23/02/2020 at 2:03 AM, ltsmatthew said:

want a good and reliable ECU that call also plug into a screen to read vehicle speed, fuel level, coolant temp, etc.

Won’t be able to get fuel level or speed without running your own sensor. 

 

As said before the car can only show the below. Anything additional will require you to add your own sensors to the new ECU or Dash

Ign Map

Inj Map

AirFlow

Injector

Boost

Acceler.

Ign/Inj

Cranking

Wtr Temp

Rev/Idle