Power FC or Microtech? s5 street port
 

I am nearing the end of my build, which is a street ported s5 13b (atkins rebuild with 3m apex seals etc), with a knight sports turbo, 550cc primaries, 1000cc secondaries, full 3" catless, fmic, all emissions removed, with a aeromotive a1000 fuel pump and an aeromotive a1000 fpr.

The car is a Datsun 510 which will pretty much only be used for track days and maybe a couple of joy rides on the weekends.

This will be my first stand alone ecu purchase, however, I am both mechanically and electronically inclined

So I pose a question that I have not really received a definitive answer on, "what should I go with, Microtech or Power FC?"

Thanks for all the help guys and here are a few pics of my car and install:

Right now I'm running a Microtech but will be switching over to the PFC for more of a street ability factor. From what I've learned thus far and please guys correct me if I'm wrong but the Microtech is a little more crude in the fact that it operates better under race conditions when more inclined to be at WOT then cursing around town. And the PFC is a little more refined with the ability to eliminate hiccups thought the RPM range.

Thanks for the brief clarification. Where are you located? The car right now is in WA and I am in AZ. Do you have a recomendation for shops that tune the fc/rotary combo in either wa or az?

Thanks again.

Sorry buddy I cant help you there, I'm in Chicago

gotcha

Don't take this the wrong way, I love the Power FC. So much so that I developed adapter harnesses to install it in the S4, S5 and even the Automatic trans FD.

However, in your particular application I would recommend either the microtech or Haltech as a better alternative, simply because you can install it without having to source the FC engine harnesses. I truly think it would be a much easier and cleaner installation to use a standalone that came with a flying lead.

Makes a lot of sense, thank you very much for the reply!

Do you ever see used microtech's in great condition floating around?

-Josh

power fc
 

don't know about the microtech unit, but i just did a power fc on a hillclimb car. happy with the entire unit and its adjustability, but would make one recommendation. instead of buying the commander, i would use a laptop. much easier to navigate and if you get the right one, price is the same. i was quoted $300 for a software/interface cable package that would tune any power fc. the oufit is in texas and called rotary performance i believe. the stuff comes outta new zealand i guess. good luck.

Apexi does not sell the commander separately any longer, any shop selling the Power FC with out one is breaking up the package. You can still pick up the Power FC + commander for $950 Shipped from venders on Ebay

The interface is called a Datalogit http://www.fc-datalogit.co.nz/

do you have access to base ignition map for na s5 rx7? id been working with unnatural (apexi dealer) in portland but there off 2day. its a hillclimb car that is headed for a race.

Banzai-racing has a good point about the harness. However I would probably try and source a harness and use the PFC just because I am familiar with the PFC and I don't like the Haltech interface.

Just compare costs and ease of installation. Haltech or Microtech will give you a very clean installation but is a bit more involved with the initial setup.

Since you're not actually driving an Rx-7 I think you should go with a Haltech or Microtech. Then you can get the harness the way you want it.

Thanks for all of the comments.

To update everyone, my friend is parting out a 3rd gen that consequently has a power fc and hand controller. ;)

Yesterday I took his full wiring harness, power fc, hand controller, and UIM :)

I will need the full schematics for the 3rd gen but have opted for this route since he gave me a sweet deal.

What do you guys think?

This wiring is going to be tough-- s6 harness on an s5 motor in a Datsun 510. Good luck. A lot of the plugs/connectors aren't going to match up, like the injector clips and idle speed control system.

Injector connectors are the same on the S5/S6, but that is not the issue. It takes more than just the engine harness, the boost sensor and the entire ignition system all plug into the driver's side harness. There are 4 connectors on the PFC, the engine harness is only 2 of them.

This is not going to be an easy job, you are going to be better off making a new harness with the connectors that you have, keeping it simple. This way you do not have a bunch or extra crap that does not go to anything.

Yup for sure. I plan on making a full custom harness. This seems the only thing to do at this point. It will be an extremely time consuming/tedious process but will save me quite a bit of money in the end.

Thanks again for all the advice.

-Josh

If I were committed to so much custom work, I'd consider a MegaSquirt. But then I am a cheap bastard.