FD Power FC Installed in S5 FC3s
 

As you may know one of our Banzai Racing project cars is a'91 Vert with a Cosmo 13B-RE engine.

We have just completed installing an FD APEXi Power FC using a S5 TII Engine Harness. We only had to change the location of a few wires and add one plug. Besides that, the harness connectors are the same.

I'm wondering if anyone is interested in a "How To" for this installation. Especially considering that Power FC & Commander are now available new for $690 and it's easier than a MicroTech/Haltech installation... and you get to keep your Oil Metering Pump and A/C!

Unlike the AP Engineering unit ($$$), we got the commander to work fine. However, like the AP unit, it does require a Map Sensor and FD Intake Air Temp sensor.

We will put the "How To" on our website and post up a link when available.

If going Haltech means losing my A/C I'm listening.

Could you still run this even if you pre-mix....( no OMP of course ) ?

The ECU triggers the A/C relay when you hit the button, I am sure there is a way around it with the Haltech, but this makes it plug and play.

Of course you can still run premix and there are no error codes when blocking off the OMP.

i am very interested!! please keep us updated!

What does a new engine harness run though? Most FC's have very bad engine harnesses..

If you already have an S5 TII then there really is no need to buy a harness. The parts that get modified are mainly inside the car, that part is rarely in bad shape.


We should have the how to up sometime tomorrow.

BTW we do not sell the Power FC or any components for this installation, this is just us giving the Rx7 community what we feel will be helpful information.

Stumbled onto this one - WAY cool! I can't tell you how bad I wanted a PowerFC for my FC back in the day. It's one helluva computer, and now it's MIGHTY cheap. BTW, $690 is for a brand new PFC and the commander.

I have heard rumors some time back about it not being that hard to get a PFC to run in an '89-91 FC.

Looking forward to your writeup!

Dale

What differences are there between the S5 harness and S4 harness? To make this more clear ...the options for adapting this to the S4 TII?

The S4 connectors are completely different, I am pretty sure that we can figure out the configuration. It would take a lot more manipulation of the harnesses.

get rid of maff to?

One of the big differences would be the TPS - the FD's ECU needs a full-range TPS, since it's MAP based, not airflow meter based. There's a lot more similarities between the S5 fuel injection system and the FD's.

It might be possible to do it on an S4, but it would take quite a bit more work I have a feeling.

Dale

Totally agree. Even if the wiring inside the engine compartment are in good condition parts of the harness in the engine bay are all nice and toasty.

Anyways

Where did you source the additional harness connector for the 4th FD connector? I have an AP engineering PFC and it'd be interesting to see any differences.

For the record you'll need to make your own adapter harnesses for the FD MAP sensor as well as the FD AIT sensor. Very simple. I've made a few posts in the PFC forum.

Let me know if there's any way I can help.

Yes it eliminates the AFM, FCD, S-afc, etc etc

No need for any adapter harnesses, we will have all that in the write up. This is not something we are trying out, I am already driving and tuning the car.

So you sourced out connectors for the needed FD sensors? I'm driving mine as well but would love to get ahold of some stock connectors and ditch my make shift "adapter harnesses" (lengths of wires and miscellaneous generic electrical connectors)

This could be avoided by swapping out the S4 TB for the S5 TB I believe?

I realize you've already gone through the trouble of adapting the PowerFC to the S5, but continuing onto the S4 would be awesome. However, if there was a way to adapt the S5 harness to the S4 block that would also be great. Don't know which option would be more convenient for the majority. This is still very cool though.

Don't know where you saw $690 though. I keep seeing $850+ for the ECU unit alone and $300 for the controller.

No, we did not source them, I have a box full of connectors from harnesses

The Power Fc & commander are $690 on Ebay and $680 at http://www.jappartsspecialist.com/Electronic.htm

Jap Parts Specialist is where I bought mine. Quick shipping, fully brand new in the box, and has been working for over a year now. BTW, just to keep everything clear, I have an FD, and the PFC is in my FD :).

It is most likely possible to run the PFC on an S4. Most of the primary sensors are the same. You would have to adapt an S5 throttle body with the narrow and wide range TPS's on it, then adapt the oil metering pump rod to that TB - it's quite possible, I did this on my TII back in the day, and it was very clean. CAS signal and coil packs are virtually identical.

I think the trick comes from the harness - I bet the '89-91 FC harness plugs are damn near identical to the FD plugs, thinking about it. The '86-88 plugs for the ECU are WAY different, so you'd need to source a harness. FD harnesses are pricey to come by in good shape - might actually be easier/cheaper to use an '89-91 harness. Again, it's feasible, but it's looking like quite a bit of work and extra expense.

Dale

I see, ok.

Yeah, the work I don't mind. I enjoy sitting around and cutting/splicing/soldering :)
The expense on the other hand I do mind :(

I would rather adapt the S5 harness to the S4 block. I did see someone trying to sell their S5 TII harness for $200 though!? Was it you with the 10th AE Dale that tried to use Greddy E-Manage and rewire the harnesses in the car?

BlueTII - Thanks for the pricing info.

I am not trying to start a fight or anything, but in my experience I have seen a lot of bad harnesses. Infact I am currently installing a Haltech in an FC at the shop, one of the big pushes was how bad the oem harness was.

Anyhow I agree this is pretty cool option for Rx-7 owners. I for one like the PFC a lot.

Do you give business discounts? :)

As stated in my original post the 3 S5 connectors are identical to the FD. I also run the PFC in my FD, this is what prompted me to figure out how to install it in the 13b-re Vert.

The S5 N/A harness can also be used we will work that into the how to later.

This thread is not about if your harness is good or bad, this is about installing a PFC into an FC. I have installed many many Haltechs and Microtechs, as well as AP engineeering PFC's. All I am doing is offering up another option that does not require you to hack up your car and is less expensive. I am not telling anyone that they shouldn't install one of the others.

Discount on what?

Running an aftermarket computer does not mean losing the A/C. The stock ECU gives permission to the A/C to run, but cutting two wires off one of the ECU plugs and joining them together bypasses that. Most aftermarket computers are also able to interface with the A/C for idle-up and cutting the A/C under load.

Im very interested in this!!! Its great you guys have gone to the effort of figuring this out and making it available to the Rx7 community, way to go.