apexi power fc install questions

[White Comet]

i posted this in the sr section but there isnt a lot of traffic in there and now that i think about the questions i have dont really apply to sr's only so here it goes

alright, i recently purchased a power fc d jetro and have a few questions about the installation of it. the model i have is the one that replaces stock ecu code e5.the first question i have is what the temp sensor wires splice into. one is brown and the other is red. the pressure sensor has a plug that goes right into the ecu so thats no problem. but the temp sensor just has 2 loose wires at the other end. any help on this is appreciated since i've read a few different posts about how to hook this up and i want to make sure its the right way.

next question is where the actual sensors themselves go. the temp sensor obviously threads into something but what. does it go in place of a coolant sensor or get tapped into an ic pipe? and does the pressure sensor just get vacuum and then mount somewhere?

any advice is helpful but preferably from those with experience since there's enough rumors going around

[hbpignosePA]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO

i must get mine started before you

[White Comet]

hehe you still will. i have other issues to sort out but the pfc is a big one and there arent english instructions available

[hbpignosePA]

ha

im loosing hope; im running outta s*** it can be

[kouki munster]

The air temp sensor should go on the cold pipe near the throttle body, and the map sensor just mount it high on the fire wall and run a vac line to the intake manifold.

You can see where mine is mounted in the pic.(the orange plug)

I've never messed with the power fc so I won't be much good with the wiring.

[White Comet]

ok thats kinda what i thought but thanks for confirming it. my bov is mounted in the same spot as your. should i mount the temp sensor between the bov and tb or out in front of the bov?

[White Comet]

just made a call to RT Tuning and they were able to help me out. in case anyone is ever in the same situation the brown wire goes to pin ecu pin 21 and the red wire goes to pn 26, and just keep in mind thats for an s13 sr other models might be different.

the next thing im wondering is in regards to driving with the power fc untuned. to my knowledge you can install the d jetro and drive it before getting it tuned. im just worried that if i install the d jetro and remove the stock mafs that the car will run as though theres no mafs installed. i just dont want to remove the mafs and then hit the 2500rpm rev limit. any input is appreciated

[White Comet]

i almost forgot one last thing. does anyones know the thread size of the temp sensor? if not i'll just have to go to the hardware store and play guess and check

[kouki munster]

My temp sensor is mounted before the bov, its kind of hard to see in the pic but its on the bottom of the cold pipe just before the bend going down to the battery tray area, but it doesn't matter if its before or after the bov.

You can just drill a hole in the cold pipe a little smaller than the threads on the temp sensor, and just use the sensor to cut the threads in the ic pipe, it is aluminum after all. Then pop it back out and put something on the threads to make sure is seals and you'll be good to go.

[Didderson]

Yep, take your time and step drill bits slowly, and you should be able to thread it in without a tap. I've done it on my IC piping wastegate NPT nipple and Joel's too if you need an experienced hand Use something to seal up the threads, liquid weld, epoxy/ rtv anything. There won't be much force going thru those self made threads especially w/o a tapped threaded hole.

[White Comet]

i thought of that but i dont like the idea of a thread sealer getting sucked into the tb or slopped on the outside. the bung will be easy to weld on

[Didderson]

Bung sounds good. It'll help avoid disrupting the airflow too if you keep the sensor more flush w/ the pipe diameter.

[White Comet]

very true but its not possible for this sensor the probe is too long, so it will have to poke out into the air path.

btw my cold pipe is stainless steel not alum and my brother is still set up to weld stainless so it'll be cake

[rc1honda]

the next thing im wondering is in regards to driving with the power fc untuned. to my knowledge you can install the d jetro and drive it before getting it tuned. im just worried that if i install the d jetro and remove the stock mafs that the car will run as though theres no mafs installed. i just dont want to remove the mafs and then hit the 2500rpm rev limit. any input is appreciated

I own the L-jetro so i can't help with the d-jetro intastalltion. However, when you get the PFC installed you can have to do the idle start procedure to let the PFC learn how to idle your car.

Before doing the idle start up, you can input your injector corrections and lag time. After you input your injector corrections and lagtimes a you can do the idle start operation. Affter that the car should be driveable. I would stay out of boost and if you have a wideband watch the air/fuel until you can get a tune.

Here is a link that helped me along. It tells how to do the injector corrections and idle start procedure. Also a heads up. If you car doesn't start immediatley you have to remember to turn the bosst controller on the PFC commander to off, if you are not using the apex-i PFC gboost controller. The Japanese sign for off looks like a "+" sign. GL

http://paulr33.skylinesaustral...q.htm

[White Comet]

can that learning process be done without a commander?

[kouki munster]

Yep, the stainless steel makes things more difficult, usually the sensors are a uncommon size that most hardware stores don't carry. Your best bet is to go to a nut and bolt place with the sensor and get them to match the thread pattern, but be prepared to pay for the tap, as they are usually pretty pricey from nut and bolt stores.

[White Comet]

why would i need a tap? if i can find the correct bung to weld on the sensor will thread into that

[kouki munster]

True, but if you cant find a bung you can always drill a hole in the pipe, thread the hole, and screw the sensor in. Witch ever way you go good luck.

[rc1honda]

can that learning process be done without a commander?

Well that could be tricky. If have a dataloggit or the Apex-i PFC software then yes it could. But usually you want to initailize the PFC before tuning. Unless of course, the tune that is already on the EMS is close to the setup you are running with your motor.

If the tune that came with the EMS is the same as your setup you might not have to do the idle start at all.

But if not then you would need the commander or the dataloggit so you can input engine parameters. And also to clear the previous tune. And usually you use the commader to manipulate the fuel/timing maps. But dataloggit is better for this or the Apexi PFC software.

Another heads up. Dataloggit is not a Apex-i software. The dataloggit box and software is a independent company from apex-i. Apex-i also sells PFC sopftware for about 200 bucks. I have it and can sell it to you if you want for 150. I mistakenly bought the apex-i PFC software thinking if was for the dataloggit when in fact the dataloggit and apex-i software are completly different and independent from each other.


Modified by rc1honda at 1:31 PM 2/17/2010

[White Comet]

hmmm well i either need a commander or just wait to hook it up til it gets tuned. i guess it would have a stock tune since its new. would i need the software since im not tuning it myeself

[rc1honda]

hmmm well i either need a commander or just wait to hook it up til it gets tuned. i guess it would have a stock tune since its new. would i need the software since im not tuning it myeself

Well the thing is if you can't do the injector corrections you car is going to drive like balls. If you had stock 370cc SR injectors then it would be ok unitl you got a tune.

And yes you need to buy software or the place thats doin the tuning would need to have a dataloggit or apex-i PFC software available. The PFC commander unfotunaltey is engine model specific. Meaning you have to use the redtop commander for the redtop PFC, they are not interchangeable.

[White Comet]

oh ok, the shop im going to is set up to tune power fcs already. and once i get the car running, id only drive it straight to the tuning shop

[S14toRPS13]

Hey White Comet, how much did you get your Power FC for?
Modified by S14toRPS13 at 3:09 AM 2/18/2010

[White Comet]

well i bought it for $500 being told that is was an l jetro. when i got it i did some research on the part number and found out it was a d jetro. since the company thought it was l jetro none of the sensors got sent along. i explained this to the company and convinced them to send me everything else i needed for $220 shipped. so the total comes to $720 for a brand new d jetro without a commander

[S14toRPS13]

Wow that's a really good deal! Any specific reason why you decided to go with the Power FC?

[White Comet]

they have a great reputation and theres a few locals running them with great results and drivability. i kicked around a few other ideas but when i found that deal it was too good to pass up and as an added bonus i can now ditch the ugly mafs. theres a shop in philly that will be doing my tuning. they charge $175 an hour and with my setup they estimate it'll take 1-2 hours