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The mkiv Supra Owners Club

Apexi Power FC ECU


Wez

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Hello,

 

Just wondering if anyone has had any experience with the Apexi Power FC replacement ECU, they seem pretty well priced at approx £750. Are they any good and what factory settings are not included, I know with the Mines and TOM`s ECU you loose ABS is this the case with the Apexi aswell, if so what else is lost?

 

It looks like there are two ways to configure it aswell, either through a laptop with software (is this included with the ECU) and through a hand-held unit. If anyone has the software would it possible to post a link to it so I can see what settings are available.

 

Any info you guys have got would be great.

 

Regards

Wez

 

:cool:

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I remember Justin posting something about this last week - I've never heard of one on a Supra before - this is the second time someone has mentioned something about this now!

 

Apexi Power FC's are great peices of kit.

 

The software for the laptop is available - it doesn't come with the unit and no-one is *supposed* to have it.

 

The commander is fantastic toy, I've played with one on a GTR before.

 

Where did you find out that the Power FC was available for the Supra?

 

Gaz.

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Originally posted by Wez

Hello,

 

Just wondering if anyone has had any experience with the Apexi Power FC replacement ECU, they seem pretty well priced at approx £750. Are they any good and what factory settings are not included, I know with the Mines and TOM`s ECU you loose ABS is this the case with the Apexi aswell, if so what else is lost?

 

It looks like there are two ways to configure it aswell, either through a laptop with software (is this included with the ECU) and through a hand-held unit. If anyone has the software would it possible to post a link to it so I can see what settings are available.

 

Any info you guys have got would be great.

 

Regards

Wez

 

:cool:

 

Power FC is available for J-Spec early year manuals only. Dunno if you lose ABS, I doubt you would, ABS is pretty much independent of the engine ECU.

 

End users (you and me) only get to use the dreadful hand "Commander" thing. It's really easy to lose where you are in the map, and it's tiny. Official Apexi dealers get the Power Excel software, dongle and cabling, but as far as I know all the menus are in Japanese, and you need japanese Windows to run it on, and a Jap keyboard. The Power Excel software has been hacked and improved, and translated to English by some NZ guys, but is only available currently for the Mazda FD3S and the R33 / R34 Skylines. I doubt there will ever be a JZA80 version.

 

The only really good way is an aftermarket ECU, but BIG money, MAJOR hassle, so the Power FC may be the only reasonable option, certainly better than the stock ECU with black box kludges. Never seen a Power FC on any JZA80 in the UK though. You would have to import a Power FC from Japan if they list and sell them for the JZA80 there.

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Yes the Power FC is excellent, I have one with the Commander on my Type R. Like Chris said some guys in NZ have a program that allows you to prgoram it like a dealer but only available for the RX& and Skyline at the mo (I'm still waiting for the Type R version). I have been told RC Engineering can program these as well but I don't know what they use but they reprogrammed one on a Civic Type R of a mate of mines (he didn't have the FC Commander), and they seem to have a picture of the FC-Edit (the one the NZ guys are programming) program on their mag adverts. May be worth asking if they can re-program the Supra version.

 

Or sort out the pinout chart I posted up about and you can get an AEM one running on a j-spec. :rolleyes:

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Power FC is available for J-Spec early year manuals only. Dunno if you lose ABS, I doubt you would, ABS is pretty much independent of the engine ECU.

 

Ah, I see...

 

Official Apexi dealers get the Power Excel software, dongle and cabling, but as far as I know all the menus are in Japanese, and you need japanese Windows to run it on, and a Jap keyboard. The Power Excel software has been hacked and improved, and translated to English by some NZ guys, but is only available currently for the Mazda FD3S and the R33 / R34 Skylines. I doubt there will ever be a JZA80 version.

 

Well, I know you don't need a Jap Keyboard or Windows, but the menu is in Japanese icons - theres no writing so its a lot easier. However the actual map info is in English - like RPM, Boost etc etc...

 

The only really good way is an aftermarket ECU, but BIG money, MAJOR hassle, so the Power FC may be the only reasonable option, certainly better than the stock ECU with black box kludges. Never seen a Power FC on any JZA80 in the UK though. You would have to import a Power FC from Japan if they list and sell them for the JZA80 there.

 

Very interesting. Thanks for that Chris...

 

This is a quote from Justin:

 

I have on order an Apexi Power FC for an auto supra which is in the uk awaiting customs clearance;

 

An auto supra?

 

Gaz.

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Apexi Power FC is definately available for the MK4 Supra, I can get them no problem, in stock at my supplier in Japan, nice bit of kit for the money definately.

If you really want to go to town though forget that and go for the AEM, I have one on my car now, its capabilities are endless, I've only really just started mapping it after sorting out a few "problems", nothing serious though. My car now feels quicker than it did before on a much lower boost setting. It can also run all sorts of extras like traction/launch control,nitrous,anti-lag,water injection,etc. Nice

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Thanks for all the info guys, sounds like it might be worth investing in one of these units instead of going the piggy back method. The only thing that puts me off slightly is the hand commander, what is it like to use?

 

Paul whats the lead time and cost on these units. Can you map them?

 

:D

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Guest Martin F
Originally posted by Wez

Oh yeah, ABS, I thought this was intergrated into the ECU on the MKIV supra, is this not the case?

 

:baa: :stupid: :baa: :baa:

 

No it's seperate.

 

Paul - Did your own ECU's die a death ?

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Some very interesting comments here.

 

I have a "contact" that develops custom software for these - features not available on the standard include anti-lag, NOS control, Water Injection control etc etc

 

So they can incorporate some of the good features of the AEM...

 

I'll still having an AEM however. Eventually ;)

 

Gaz.

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I have 2 Apexi Power FC's on order, one for a manual and

one for my auto.

 

We are also developing a "proper" fully mappable ECU from

Autronic which will be available for both auto and manu within 2 weeks.

 

Both the autronic and Power FC for the auto will still retain the stock ECU for auto-box functions.

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Guest Terry S
Originally posted by Diane Abol

We are also developing a "proper" fully mappable ECU from

Autronic which will be available for both auto and manu within 2 weeks.

 

 

Details? Which ECU?

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It wont be a "plug and play" , we are fully mapping a blank

ECU from scratch and we are doing it on the 21st Oct.

 

Until then, I cant say how smoothly its all going to go.

 

I already have a fully mappable Autronic on my evo and the

car runs better than ever 8-)

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