Power Fc V Microtech Lt12s

[5ky-lin3]

Hey guys,

I'm just about to go in for a new tune with a few new parts about to be thrown on the car and decided it was probably about time I get a new computer before I do so...

Of course the Power FC is an obvious choice as it has been around for a long time and is backed by countless performances, but I've also been introduced to the microtech LT12S which I've been told is just as good if not better. Just wondering what are some positives/negatives between the two and which would suit my set up better?

I have a 96 S2 rb25det skyline that is all internally stock and just want it set up for street use but still of course the occasional drag and maybe circuit race aswell..???

Cheers

[KiwiRS4T]

There's tons of threads about computers for you to read but the short answer is first go to your best available tuner and ask what they like to use.

[R.3.2.G.T.R]

between the two, id go pfc but final decision is what ur tuner is able to tune

microtech i have heard can be a pain from time, search and you shall find

[paulr33]

search

look up documentation

ask 5 tuners

that should be enough to give you the answers

if all else fails read the PFC FAQ

then look for the micortech FAQ

[STATUS]

No comparison.... the lt12 is a blunt tool.

[2rismo]

  STATUS said:

No comparison.... the lt12 is a blunt tool.

I came here to post this.

[Adriano]

  STATUS said:

No comparison.... the lt12 is a blunt tool.

QFT

[rob82]

Microtech's have their place but PFC's are a much better ECU.

[bozodos]

that place is in either rotaries or in fully sick VL's. Bloody godawful horrible things. I wish I'd never bought a car with one in it.

[rob82]

  bozodos said:

that place is in either rotaries or in fully sick VL's. Bloody godawful horrible things. I wish I'd never bought a car with one in it.

I would use one before a haltech E6X - E11.

[PM-R33]

Link G4/Vipec V44, Haltech E11V2

Don't touch the Microtech, you will regret buying it, I did...

Edited September 23, 2010 by PM-R33

[snozzle]

+1 for microtech fail

[kristafa]

i love anti-microtech threads like this.

I went against the 'norm' and bought a microtech ltx12s for my RB26, why..? because it was a bargain! (2nd hand)

For what i have it does a great job, i start the car hot or cold, doesn't stall out (as described by some), and honestly is driveable i've done 7,000kms using it, from driving to work to hard flogs on open roads.

It was easy for my tuner to get it all dialled in.

Power FC may be better - but for those with comments like "microtech sucks"... i just dont see what you base that on

The bmw takes 55L to fill, and i get about 420-450km of driving consistently, it makes 244rwkw.

If a car makes good top end power, has usable midrange, starts and stops when you tell it to, has local support... what more do I need?

Chris.

[SLYDA]

I actually have both computers and was trying to work out which one to use in my new build!.

I love my PFC, the hand controller is so much better to use than the useless one you can get for the Microtech also I have had dealings with two cars with these computers and neither Microtech's start properly, they cough and splutter for the first minute or so before finally finally running after a quick rev (that's if they don't stall first!). Apart from that they also seem fine. I have to say also the piggy back module looks dodgy, and mounting these things with it connected is a complete pain in the ass.

+1 for PFC i think (only downsize to this computer i think is having to use an AFM).

[MercuryMotorsport]

  rob82 said:

I would use one before a haltech E6X - E11.

[«Cyph3r»]

  rob82 said:

I would use one before a haltech E6X - E11.

  MercuryMotorsport said:

I'd use a haltech before either of the OP's options.

Power FC's are decent but as far as japanese ecu's go the F Con V Pro's are a much better option. (Limited tuners available in australia though)

There is plenty of good ecu's available in australia now though and as everyone else has said I'd find the tuner that you want to do your car and ask them what they recommend for the application.

Power FC only being able to store one map at a time and not having aux outputs was a dealbreaker for me.

[PM-R33]

  kristafa said:

i love anti-microtech threads like this.

I went against the 'norm' and bought a microtech ltx12s for my RB26, why..? because it was a bargain! (2nd hand)

For what i have it does a great job, i start the car hot or cold, doesn't stall out (as described by some), and honestly is driveable i've done 7,000kms using it, from driving to work to hard flogs on open roads.

It was easy for my tuner to get it all dialled in.

Power FC may be better - but for those with comments like "microtech sucks"... i just dont see what you base that on

The bmw takes 55L to fill, and i get about 420-450km of driving consistently, it makes 244rwkw.

If a car makes good top end power, has usable midrange, starts and stops when you tell it to, has local support... what more do I need?

Chris.

I had a Microtech LT12S in my car for a few years. At the beginning it did its job and I was pretty happy, it wasn't until time passed that it started really pissing me off.

Here are a few things that really annoyed me off the top of my head with the worst ones first. I'm sure there are plenty more things.

- No live tuning and no ability to save maps on a PC. Always had to have the laptop connected in the car and the car running to do any changes to the current map. This is because the map is saved on the ECU itself and can not be saved externally. With my Vipec I can adjust a whole tune while lying in bed and save multiple files of different maps. Then simply go to the car and load up any map I want.

- Can't reset ECU. Say some one completely f**ks with your map and you need to reset it to the base map. Oh sorry, you can't, you have to send it back to Microtech and pay them to do it. Or say some one only changes a couple of things and you need to go back to the way it was. You can't, you have to find what was changed and change it back.

- Bullshit fuel consumption.

- No knock sensor input.

- Smoke screen out the rear of my exhaust every time I went WOT. Now I have been told this is a Microtech thing, something about the injectors opening completely for a split second when you go WOT and you can't really tune it out. Not sure how true this is, but after speaking to a lot of people they all had the same problem and couldn't get rid of it.

- No ability to update firmware. Meaning what you buy is what you get. The Vipec constantly has new things added to it and its a simple free download to get new updates.

- Serial cable with that gay dongle thing that you have to pay more for instead of a damn USB cable.

- Computer software and hand controller is so hard to use and makes it seem like you are using something from the 80s. The Vipec in comparison is so nice and easy to use it's almost too easy.

Hmmmm what else....Oh yeah.

- Can't run external MAP sensors. Internal one must be upgraded by sending it back to Microtech.

- To set up Antilag you have to lose your aircon tuning adjustments.

- Got told you can't run a narrowband on one. Not sure how true that was, I tried playing around with that for a bit and couldn't find how to do it.

- Next to no outputs for setting stuff up.

And all that aint even really from a tuners perspective, I tried learning how to tune with it but it was way to difficult to learn yourself. The Vipec I picked up so quickly and the quicktune is just a godsend. That's all I can think of at the moment, i'm sure there were heaps of other things.

Edited September 24, 2010 by PM-R33

[STATUS]

  kristafa said:

i love anti-microtech threads like this.

I went against the 'norm' and bought a microtech ltx12s for my RB26, why..? because it was a bargain! (2nd hand)

For what i have it does a great job, i start the car hot or cold, doesn't stall out (as described by some), and honestly is driveable i've done 7,000kms using it, from driving to work to hard flogs on open roads.

It was easy for my tuner to get it all dialled in.

Power FC may be better - but for those with comments like "microtech sucks"... i just dont see what you base that on

The bmw takes 55L to fill, and i get about 420-450km of driving consistently, it makes 244rwkw.

If a car makes good top end power, has usable midrange, starts and stops when you tell it to, has local support... what more do I need?

Chris.

TBH you dont know what your missing until you fit another more capable ecu... i personally love tuning microtechs cause they are so basic and simple even a kid can tune them only drama is they are coarse.

[PM-R33]

  STATUS said:

TBH you dont know what your missing until you fit another more capable ecu... i personally love tuning microtechs cause they are so basic and simple even a kid can tune them only drama is they are coarse.

So true. It's like been fed SAO biscuits your whole life and then some one giving you a steak lol.

[kristafa]

maybe one day i'll make the move! i do like steak..