Apex'i Power FC Pros & Cons...? (Tuners come-in)

[hmong337]

Hi, I've been reading a lot about this EMS and I want to know what tuners, with first-hand experience, think of this EMS. For the price, plus the datalogger, it seems like an amazing deal. My question is: What do you guys like about it? Don't like about it? What are key functions that are missing on the Power FC that other EMS's (within the same price range) have that the Power FC lacks?

I've also heard that you cannot trace or datalog wideband air/fuel ratios with this EMS...? True?


Now... Pros/Cons?

[Claudio RX-7]

The first thing we need to address on the Power FC is that the there is a vicious rumor going on that its discontinued and no longer being made, but i have also heard that its being manufactured again by another contractor for Apex.

Now, about the EMS it self, the Power FC has a few pros and a few cons, on the good side its very practical, its designed to substitute your factory ECU there for use your factory sensors and has the hand controller which lets you play with it as much as you want. On the negative side, the hand controller can be somewhat of a pain to navigate the internal program and do good tuning, its not impossible, and some people can do wonders with them, but if you dont know what you're doing you can get into trouble.

Also, there is software for the Power FC, the DatalogIt, but you have to pay for it (300+ dollars i think??) and once you do the tuning with the Datalog it you wont be able to retune with the Commander (this might not be true, but ive heard it before).

Also, if you are like some of the people who wanna get rid of the Air Flow Meter and go MAP sensor, right now you wont be able to because the PFC wont let you do the swap, and the unit that did that isnt available unless you track a used unit down from Japan.

And finally, the street price of the PFC, given the fact that its not available new right now, is low, which could be good, for what it can do, but bad if you wanna upgrade to a system that will be more feature packed and user friendly. I personally use Haltechs and love em to death, they are universal, reliable, decently priced compared to most systems out there, and they provide a very good number of features right out of the box.

I've tuned Haltechs, AEMs, Motec, Perfect Power, Electromotive, etc, and can tell you that all systems will have pros and cons, so in the end the real decision is based on your budget, if you can do it your self or not, or if there support or a qualified tuner in your area that can provide the service, after all, any system will be as good as the person who installed it or tuned it.


That's my 2 cents.

[ExtremeMr2]

Originally Posted by Claudio RX-7

The first thing we need to address on the Power FC is that the there is a vicious rumor going on that its discontinued and no longer being made, but i have also heard that its being manufactured again by another contractor for Apex.

Now, about the EMS it self, the Power FC has a few pros and a few cons, on the good side its very practical, its designed to substitute your factory ECU there for use your factory sensors and has the hand controller which lets you play with it as much as you want. On the negative side, the hand controller can be somewhat of a pain to navigate the internal program and do good tuning, its not impossible, and some people can do wonders with them, but if you dont know what you're doing you can get into trouble.

Also, there is software for the Power FC, the DatalogIt, but you have to pay for it (300+ dollars i think??) and once you do the tuning with the Datalog it you wont be able to retune with the Commander (this might not be true, but ive heard it before).

Also, if you are like some of the people who wanna get rid of the Air Flow Meter and go MAP sensor, right now you wont be able to because the PFC wont let you do the swap, and the unit that did that isnt available unless you track a used unit down from Japan.

And finally, the street price of the PFC, given the fact that its not available new right now, is low, which could be good, for what it can do, but bad if you wanna upgrade to a system that will be more feature packed and user friendly. I personally use Haltechs and love em to death, they are universal, reliable, decently priced compared to most systems out there, and they provide a very good number of features right out of the box.

I've tuned Haltechs, AEMs, Motec, Perfect Power, Electromotive, etc, and can tell you that all systems will have pros and cons, so in the end the real decision is based on your budget, if you can do it your self or not, or if there support or a qualified tuner in your area that can provide the service, after all, any system will be as good as the person who installed it or tuned it.


That's my 2 cents.

So like me I got a second gen Power FC and repinned my harness got rid of my airflow meter and am running a map sensor.
Also Apexi is restructuring and are still running there automotive side of the company.
It has been said that less popular power fc models will be continued..
- MR2 applications
- R34 skyline
-etc.

[Sang]

Originally Posted by ExtremeMr2

I think you are mistaken about something.
- From what I have seen all PFC's are made for JDM vehicles.. this being said the second and third gen 3sgte engines were both MAP Based.

You are mistaken. The 3rd generation (Rev3) was a speed-density setup, the 2nd generation (Rev1 and Rev2) were MAF based. The PFC as it came from Apex-i was only made for the Gen3. AP Eng made a piss poor version that was based off the Apex-i unit, it was altered as a "PnP" unit for the Gen2. Some tuners out there wont even touch (think tune) a car with the AP Engineering version of the PFC because they despise how shoddy AP adapted it to a gen2 application (eg Bryan Moore).

[mr-2-tyler]

so if you were doing a na to turbo swap i would want to choose a 3rd gen motor to give myself less of a headache if i want to use the PFC

[DavidV]

Originally Posted by Claudio RX-7

Also, there is software for the Power FC, the DatalogIt, but you have to pay for it (300+ dollars i think??) and once you do the tuning with the Datalog it you wont be able to retune with the Commander (this might not be true, but ive heard it before).

Incorrect. I have a Datalogit, have used it many times, and can continue to tune with the Commander.

-- DavidV

[DavidV]

Originally Posted by hmong337

I've also heard that you cannot trace or datalog wideband air/fuel ratios with this EMS...? True?

Not true. The PFC traces on its own, and with the Datalogit, can datalog (as the name implies).

-- DavidV

[Luni]

If you have a Datalogit as David is talking about, you can plug multiple 5v inputs into it to log. So, WB02s, EGTs, etc, you can log. And Your hand commander plugs into the datalogit, and you can make changes to the maps and settings on the fly as well.

Its actually a pretty decent system.

[6xxx]

Originally Posted by Claudio RX-7

Also, if you are like some of the people who wanna get rid of the Air Flow Meter and go MAP sensor, right now you wont be able to because the PFC wont let you do the swap, and the unit that did that isnt available unless you track a used unit down from Japan.

what do u mean?? if u have a gen2 and repin the pfc you have to use gen3 sensors and with the ems u can use a GM map sensor or a gen3 map and get rid of ur AFM.

for a gen 3 its all plug and play i have it and the commander is really useful.

I have the PFC boost control kit and it's easy to change boost levels with my commander. also the datalogit is really easy to understand.

bad things i can think of is i doesn't have a 2-step built in. also there isn't much support for it like AEM or i think the PFC needs to be updated!!