Faq: Apexi Powerfc - Frequently Asked Questions

[Madaz]

should be a sticker on the side of the unit

[pistol-pete]

Is it related to the FCC3 part of the serial? Because I can't see that anywhere on the PFC itself, only the had controller.

[paulr33]

yes the only way, if you cant start the powerfc, or have it running in the car is the sticker on the powerfc case

if this sticker is removed, you have no way to work out what version, other than with a working hand controller connected to it and viewing etc, version

you can read here

http://www.paulr33.com/powerfc-faq/powerfc-faq.htm#70

but in summary

there are two mainstream powerfc versions

the first gen was sold without the hand controller and the model # is the car's engine model

ie RB26D or RB25 or RB20 so on the side of the powerfc case it has a serial number like RB25-201022 etc etc or RB26-232221

the second gen was sold with hand controller in a bundle and the model # is the car's model

ie ECR33 or BCNR33 so on the side of the powerfc case it has serial number like BCNR33L-4232123 or BNR34L-2321144

The L stands for L jetro ie, airflow meter and D stands for Djetro - ie BNR34D-21211 is R34 GTR djetro

now the hand controllers come in 3 batches usually known as FCC, FCC2/3 and then FCC EL (aka FCC4)

FCC EL or FCC4 works on every powerfc regardless

FCC only works on first gen powerfc

FCC2/3 works on first gen and second gen powerfc

[DVS-180]

My ecr33 power fc never had a controller so I got the new el hand controller. When I plugged it in to my ecu it says apexi and then says communication error. I checked it on my mates rb25 r33 power fc and it works fine. What's wrong with my power fc and where can I get it fixed in Perth? Help

[paulr33]

yeah that is odd

it should work as the EL controller works on every powerfc except chaser auto

can you show me a pic of ETC, VERSION on your powerfc if you have another working hand controller?

if you dont can you look at what the version string is on the side of the powerfc case? it should a white sticker with ECR33-XXXXXX or RB25-XXXXXX

[89CAL]

Having a bit of an idle issue at the moment. I know what its doing I just cant work out why....

Ok, so engine is warm etc so it should be in normal idle mode, its hunting quite a bit. The cells its hitting on the map are all at 15degrees, but the hand controller is showing me that its jumping between 20 degrees and 15 degrees (may hit 19 or 18, but around 20 anyway)

So all the cells are saying 15 degrees, so is there something going on where the car is switching back and forth between normal and cold start operation? Not sure why else it would be jumping up and down. Appears worse when the A/C is on

Idle is about 800rpm, was around 750rpm last week and I upped the idle figures to get it to the 800rpm. It was previously 850ish rpm so not sure why its dropped (about a month or so ago)

So is it possible that I have something wrong with the cold start valve/temp sensor that is playing with the timing?

[JonnoHR31]

what have you got the idle values set to and what does it idle at when its at 15 degrees? the pfc goes into a closed loop idle mode and ignores the main ignition map, using between 10 and 20 degrees of timing to make it idle at the target idle, although it seams to do a pretty shit job of it sometimes.

[W0rp3D]

My car wont start with the first hit of the key when its cold, I have to let it turn over a couple of times then let the key go and hit it again and it starts, is there any easy way to fix this, has to go back for a tune so im not overly worried but if I can fix it I will.

[Madaz]

maybe you aren't letting the fuel pump prime lone enough?

[W0rp3D]

I wait till it stops so I don't think thats it

[Madaz]

ak ok

[89CAL]

what have you got the idle values set to and what does it idle at when its at 15 degrees? the pfc goes into a closed loop idle mode and ignores the main ignition map, using between 10 and 20 degrees of timing to make it idle at the target idle, although it seams to do a pretty shit job of it sometimes.

yeah it seems to hit 20 when it goes below 800rpm, but my boost gauge is showing im only gettting -10 vac instead of -15 that i used to get. I played with the tune a bit and got it to idle nicer now (the fuel cells it was cycling between were a fair bit apart) also upped the idle values to 900ish rpm (which you cant do on the HC but apparently can with FC-Edit) so it'll do for now (now idles around 850rpm). But I think I have a vac leak somewhere. Just cant seem to see where at the moment. will have to buy some spray to find it.

Thanks for that anyway, useful to know

[JonnoHR31]

target idle is under rev/idle in the settings menu of the hand controller. one setting for a/c off and one setting for a/c on.

normally a vac leak will raise the idle unless its huge. but if your getting less vacuum then its definately worth looking for.

what sort of afr are you getting at idle? RBs tend to need to be fairly rich to idle nicely, they usually miss and carry on if you try and tune it to 14:1 or leaner.

[JonnoHR31]

My car wont start with the first hit of the key when its cold, I have to let it turn over a couple of times then let the key go and hit it again and it starts, is there any easy way to fix this, has to go back for a tune so im not overly worried but if I can fix it I will.

what are your cranking injector opening times set to? and what injectors are you running? sounds like its not getting enough fuel

[89CAL]

target idle is under rev/idle in the settings menu of the hand controller. one setting for a/c off and one setting for a/c on.

normally a vac leak will raise the idle unless its huge. but if your getting less vacuum then its definately worth looking for.

what sort of afr are you getting at idle? RBs tend to need to be fairly rich to idle nicely, they usually miss and carry on if you try and tune it to 14:1 or leaner.

Yeah I had adjusted them on there to 850 and didnt seem to help, cleaned the AAC and couldnt get idle to change by adjusting it (with TPS unplugged)

Went into FC-Edit and thought I'd just try and stab in a random number and tried 1000 and it accepted it so i just went down from there

My AFR's at idle are pretty lean, in the 16's but they've always been around there from what I can remember. It's O.K now, still isn't 100% but is alot better then what it was. Might try running it richer and see what that does.

[W0rp3D]

what are your cranking injector opening times set to? and what injectors are you running? sounds like its not getting enough fuel

i have no idea on the opening times, im running hi flow standards @ around 500cc, its odd that th first time you hit the key it wont start but the second time it starts perfectly.

[Madaz]

mine will occasionally crank and not start if i remote start but never enough to of been a problem

i also got the crank settings of my remote changed and that helped

[JonnoHR31]

i have no idea on the opening times, im running hi flow standards @ around 500cc, its odd that th first time you hit the key it wont start but the second time it starts perfectly.

in the settings menu of the hand controller its under cranking. does it sound like its not getting enough fuel or too much?

[pfcr33]

Just wonder what everyone's values are for the exhaust gas senor, cold and hot on a R33 GTST S ii

I did a search for EXTM, Power FC exhaust senor but got squat on the value, did find a few cars for sale though lol

anyway

on the hand controller for the Power FC

Etc > sensor check > EXTM

Mine is stuck on 4.98 to 5, is stays the same, checkedbefore I start the car (when it was cold) and after driving for 20 minutes.

I got a new cat put on a few weeks ago, now have some strange things going on, car seams more fumey then normal. When I picked thecar they guy said the senor didn't fit into the new cat so he wait for it…. Welded the sensor in!

I never checked the value before the new cat went in but with my limited knowledge I am taking a stab in the dark that as the exhaust heats up this value should change to help control the mixture or something like that.

Cheers for any help you guys can provide

Edited November 12, 2011 by pfcr33

[paulr33]

EXTM always shows 5 its cos the powerfc doesnt use it or from memory its always unplugged on ERC33

i wouldnt bother with it, its the cat overtemp sensor light on the dash

its probably unplugged on most gtst's