I'm in the process of building my GSR for forced induction and during this downtime I've been exploring different tuning options. Of course, the obvious solution would be to go with S300 V3 simply due to the fact tuning support for it can be found everywhere (I'm in the San Francisco Bay Area) but at the same time it has been proving difficult to find a decent deal on an OBD1 P72 or P30, not even including S300. I've been aware of Power FC being available for OBD2A GSRs as listed on A'PEXi's website and I'm curious if it's even worth any consideration over S300? I already know a tuner would need Datalogit or Power Excel to fully work with Power FC, assuming there are even local tuners that know their way around it.

 

Hard to get around it without the software/ hardware. But you need a few additional parts to do it (I have Power FC with turbo already) I'd use the S300, but you might not be able to use it in CA.

 

The Power FC is literally garbage. As in, if I had one, I would throw it in the garbage, and get something else.

 

Can't use a Power FC in California either since it's a whole new ecu, so that conversation is a non-starter. Power FC is old, works fine, but is really only useful if you're doing some sort of period-correct build. If you live in California pretty much your only choice is to cheat.

S300 is a good product but requires you to rewire or use a jumper harness. Causes its own set of problems.
Link makes a G4 plugin for OBD2A that's worlds ahead of an S300, and the price is really approachable to get yourself into a proper ecu.

 

I would most certainly recommend the s300 or Neptune RTP for your setup. A customer of mine just got a socketed OBD1 P72 from HAmotorsports, if you're having difficulty finding one I'd contact them.

 

I'm sorry you feel that way. For what it was at the time, it was ahead of its time in terms of plug-in reliability for Honda engines that were hyper tuned and extensively modified. The one thing that this unit and Apex'i did not seem to understand about the the American market at the time is that having specified tuners with specialized software only, although narrowed the gap for bad tuning, also eliminated people from having this piece of hardware available for the common use in the market, when tuning shops were expanding in.the US from '99-2008.

I will defend the use of it, as it is extremely reliable, and I even use it today on one of my current projects that I've had for over 18 years. With that said, I do believe you're right and that it is outdated based upon today's innovative technology. I've now moved onto to a Halltech system (albeit an older P1000) for my turbocharged application, because the needs that it requires are a bit different than what the Power FC was able to provide.

I know that we all have differing opinions, but I believe that the Power FC still wins a lot of merit for people that still have it now, and don't really plan to change to use it for anything else other than its original intention.. So I don't think that it is garbage, but compared to when it was released back in 1999, yes it was ahead of its time then, but there are better and more easily tunable solutions now.

 

Well said.

 

I actually plan to keep my Power FC as a nostalgic relic (like my original 1998 HKS SSQV, my ARC Type R intake system, and other items from the Golden Era of Japanese products), and I even have a replacement meter screen and harness adapter. I know that they won't sell well from their original value, but I kinda like putting those in a display in my Man Cave (that's in 10 years) just to look on in nostalgia like my Type R Brochure, my Options magazines, etc. ;-)

 

I have an associate that is s using one in his silveighty build with the intention of doing it period-correct. It’s actually a really nice piece of hardware.

 

Yes., Especially if he has the D-Jetro version that allows him to go from MAF to Speed Density. Life gets SOOOO Much easier that way.

 

If it was 15+ years ago I wouldnt call it garbage, but like you said, its outdated. Even on stuff that isnt as easily tunable, I would still prefer to piggyback a standalone in parallel than ever using something like a PowerFC, eManage, etc.

I think now, when someone is asking about using an AFC, or whatever kind of piggyback, it is best to be a bit hyperbolic to get the point across. If you say "Its not the best, its outdated, but it can be made to work", theyre going to here "It works" and then waste time on a sub-optimal solution.

No offense intended to you or anybody else who legitimately knows what theyre talking about. I just leave the subtlety at the door when giving advice to n00bs.

Sounds like a tremendous waste of time to me.
Unless I was restoring some kind of historic race car that actually used that hardware, I dont know why anybody would intentionally use old electronics.

 

Again, to each their own. But it's nice to have differing opinions, so that the OP can have people's feedback on both sides. Especially from those that have actually used the system. ;-)..