Power FC or AEM.....

[GreekRPS13]

I was curious for anyone who has a Blacktop(s14) Sr and uses either a Apex'i FC or AEM what they think of it and how easy it is to use or what not cause i was looking to get either or and am really decisive....for some reason the search isnt working right now and just sends me a to a blank screen? dont know why but yea let me know what you guys think:hs:

[DrtyRat]

I'm going PFC in a month(s14SR). I found way too much +'s for the PFC not to get it. Check out FA's advanced section for some good info.

[drift freaq]

PowerFC can be had for a lot less than an AEM unit. I personally prefer the PowerFC because its affordable and has a lot of options on how to go. I.E. L jetro or D jetro, comes with base maps, can be used with a laptop or a commander learns your engine setup etc.....

[GreekRPS13]

I'm going PFC in a month(s14SR). I found way too much +'s for the PFC not to get it. Check out FA's advanced section for some good info.

Whats the PFC?

PowerFC can be had for a lot less than an AEM unit. I personally prefer the PowerFC because its affordable and has a lot of options on how to go. I.E. L jetro or D jetro, comes with base maps, can be used with a laptop or a commander learns your engine setup etc.....

interesting i was leanging towards that but yea thanks

[CKAMC]

PFC = power fc......

[Ninjabread]

=Power Fuel Commander

[s13silvia123]

personally i prefer the power fc but i heard alot about the AEM e-manage too. both have good revieews on them. the poer fc is at my budget while the AEM isnt. its up to your taste not ours but its our opinion though.

[zads]

I'm running the AEM.
It costs more obviously, but I chose it because of the bitchin software, flexibility of the unit, and customer support (AEM electronics forums).

You can easily configure inputs and outputs on multiple ECU channel/pins, which allows you to easily add sensors or actuators. You can set up the ECU to activate those outputs however you please (at a certain temp,rpm,vehicle speed, etc).

Datalogging is fairly adequate for regular people, though a couple MB of storage would be better...
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1271/4359802/9202277/135708467.jpg

Throw in things like fully mappable PWM outputs, boost/nitrous/traction control, and more control functions than I have time to set, and I'm sold.

[smelly240]

personally i prefer the power fc but i heard alot about the AEM e-manage too. both have good revieews on them. the poer fc is at my budget while the AEM isnt. its up to your taste not ours but its our opinion though.

^^ he meant to type AEM EMS - emanage is that silly greddy thing.

big power - go for aem, under 500 id go pfc. heard good things about haltech too

[GreekRPS13]

:bash: ^^ he meant to type AEM EMS - emanage is that silly greddy thing.

big power - go for aem, under 500 id go pfc. heard good things about haltech too


see thats what im talking about ^^ i heard for like 500 or less AEM isnt all that necessarrry but if your going really complicated and high end then it really helps.......ugh soo hard... :ughd:

[Hugh]

I've tuned both, and the AEM is worlds apart from the PowerFC. AEM is not entry level, and is not cheap because it does a lot more than the PowerFC does.

You can make the same amount of power with any computer, so don't feel like there's some theoretical horsepower limit you will reach.

If you go with the Power FC, I reccomend the D-jetro for converting to a MAP sensor. That MAF sensor is a pain in the butt to tune with, and is too touchy. Tuning by pressure level is so much more straight forward and reliable.

If you go with the AEM, do the same and step up to the MAP sensor for the same reasons.

The AEM comes with base maps in the software, albeit not great ones... but they will get the car running. With either computer you're sorta starting at the same point. The difference is where you can go from there.

I personally love having programmable outputs and inputs to do whatever I like with. Also having secondary rev limits for two-step launching or using traction control on the AEM is a big plus.

I use the Electromotive Tec3 which is a 10 out of 10 for difficulty of initial install and tuning, so I find it funny to hear someone worried about the AEM being too difficult. My computer required me to fabricate a full crank trigger system, rewire the entire engine, and replace the full ingition system. In the end, I have a wonderful computer with infinite adjustability... why I love a good standalone.

[GreekRPS13]

thats cool thanks for that, but ive heard some other things from people who have owneed them and they said its unreliable like faulty or something, and i mean if you spend 1k plus or whatever does it come with warantys or something idk whats your experience with using the system?

[Hugh]

If you're concerned about it being faulty, then just get the PowerFC... its reliable for sure. (years have proven it)

If AEM's unit is faulty, I'm sure they will fix it. (downtime sucks, though)

I don't have any long-term experience using an AEM. I've tuned one for a customer and have read plenty of great reviews from reputable tuners I know on the ECU.

The price is a big concern, I'm sure... and you can save tons going with a used PowerFC. It might be better as an entry level computer to learn on, anyway.

[CKAMC]

buddy of mine over at DA has one... here is what he had to say about it.

EMS ...about a third of them are shit...but they dont bother to test them since they make so many of them they just send you another one (we have his old one on the floor of the garage as a hockey puck)

He also had to change his CAS sensor as the stock unit has issues with the EMS...but after he swapped to their recommended CAS sensor and cleaned up his wiring (did a painless kit quick a while back) his car ran well since...but its weird because hamshaft (DA) was going to use the car for Sema and it didnt want to boost... and it ran fine on a dyno before we took it up there.

Ems is an odd one!

PFc is great with all my other friends that have ran one... we did a rb25neo and with a simple injector,maf,t3/t4 upgrade the car layed down 409WHP and 415tq and ran great until the chassic ran into some problems at the track..............

[GreekRPS13]

buddy of mine over at DA has one... here is what he had to say about it.

EMS ...about a third of them are shit...but they dont bother to test them since they make so many of them they just send you another one (we have his old one on the floor of the garage as a hockey puck)

He also had to change his CAS sensor as the stock unit has issues with the EMS...but after he swapped to their recommended CAS sensor and cleaned up his wiring (did a painless kit quick a while back) his car ran well since...but its weird because hamshaft (DA) was going to use the car for Sema and it didnt want to boost... and it ran fine on a dyno before we took it up there.

Ems is an odd one!

PFc is great with all my other friends that have ran one... we did a rb25neo and with a simple injector,maf,t3/t4 upgrade the car layed down 409WHP and 415tq and ran great until the chassic ran into some problems at the track..............

see thats exactly the kind of stuff i was talking about that makes me like want to not get one:aw:

[Hugh]

Sounds like you've already made up your mind.

[punxva]

i think like most people have said, the power fc is the way to go

[GreekRPS13]

i think like most people have said, the power fc is the way to go

Agreeed thanks all for the help in the convincing :hsdance:

[McRussellPants]

I've tuned both, and the AEM is worlds apart from the PowerFC. AEM is not entry level, and is not cheap because it does a lot more than the PowerFC does.

AEM is fairly mickey mouse compared to the other big names.

all the cool shit costs extra.

wasted spark on 2000$+ ECU? fuck that noise.

AEM EMS eats shit all day long, The AEM dealer down here is constantly dealing with a few that just randomly shift to another map.

I won't touch them, ever.

I don't know nothin bout no PFC, seems pretty decent on my friends FD, but Kuahs motec is baller tron 9000

[steve shadows]

Haltech is cheaper and you get more...

the whole kit is 1475.00 and no more gay maf, + you can use it on as many cars as you have different patch harnesses...

if you want check out thsi thread weve had some lvely debate. \

http://forums2.freshalloy.com/showthread.php?t=159908

[Hugh]

wasted spark on 2000$+ ECU? fuck that noise.



McRussellPants, please, elaborate.

What is wrong with wasted spark ignition?




Steve, the Haltech doesn't come with a nifty dash display and can't be tuned without a laptop. This is a major problem for a lot of people who either don't own laptops, or really just want a nifty dash display.

I use a $100 POS laptop to tune my standalone.:hsdance:

[zads]

AEM is fairly mickey mouse compared to the other big names.

all the cool shit costs extra.

wasted spark on 2000$+ ECU? fuck that noise.

AEM EMS eats shit all day long, The AEM dealer down here is constantly dealing with a few that just randomly shift to another map.

I won't touch them, ever.

I don't know nothin bout no PFC, seems pretty decent on my friends FD, but Kuahs motec is baller tron 9000


Never once had a problem with my former daily driver that had the AEM EMS in it.

I've owned an Electromotive Tec-3R for another car; overpriced. Latest windows software is a definite improvement from their previous buggy software. Had a Tec-2 for a barebone race project too. Hated everything about it.

Worked on a team with the Motec M400 before, its a great product and stable as the AEM, but like the Tec-3R, paying the retail price without sponsorship is ridiculous. The extra goodies integrate well together, but cost more than the engine management..

[Hugh]

Wow, I've had my Tec3 for almost four years now. I've daily driven the hell out of it and raced on it a lot. I learned how to tune it in one day, and cranked out 395rwhp on my last SR20DET with it. (the same week I installed it)

I absolutely LOVE my Tec3, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Expensive? Yes... but it is 100% standalone, with integrated ignition and an excellent timing system that don't require you to reuse problematic OEM parts.

Add the cost of any other high end standalone to that of a wicked aftermarket ignition, and you're in the same territory.

[Hugh]

McRussellPants, please, elaborate.

What is wrong with wasted spark ignition?




McRussellPants, still waiting for a response

[McRussellPants]

Sorry, I usually don't bother with Zilvia tech threads.

But only the fact that its coming on a 2000+$ ECU.

I don't really care about the AEMs features or whatever, watching multiple Supra/SC guys complain about 6 month old AEMs dropping the map and making their motor detonate randomly is all I care to know about it.

Hearing about Bob Norwood laughing in the face of said supra tuners when they said they were running AEM is also amusing to me.

Just about anyone I talk to that isn't biased or didn't get them for super dealer hook up says AEM eats it.

in conclusion, do what ever, but its not for me, i'd buy a Motec thats been in a rally car for 3 years before I touched a brand new AEM.

[Hugh]

But you seemed pretty dead set against wasted spark.

Doesn't the AEM use the stock coil packs in sequence like the stock ECU? I wasn't aware it was wasted spark.

I'm not defending AEM here... I don't own one. I've just tuned one and it was pretty bad ass.

I am, however, defending wasted spark, as its what I run. With everything I've read about it, the only negatives I've heard are lack of individual cylinder ignition timing. (I won't go anywhere near doing that on my car, so not a problem)