jobster

Hi,

I am new to Imprezas and tuning them and could do with advice re quite a few things........

I have a 96 Import WRX, totally standard apart from Brembos and a Revolution decat exhaust. I want to do some mild additional tinkering/tuning without blowing a fortune. Also I'd like to do the tuning and mapping myself, its more an educational journey of discover rather than a 'see how fast my car goes' exercise I'm after, hence the not blow a fortune comment (cos chances are i might 'blow' everything,lol)

The first things I was thinking of are, FMIC, headers, induction. To control all these I was thinking of using an Apexi Power FC with commander.

Question 1
Can the Power Fc be mapped properly/well with the commander? (using an AVCR or similar)

Question 2
Does the Power FC use the MAF to measure airflow or can this be dispensed with?

Question 3
I believe my current lambda sensor is dying/dead, should I replace with a wideband sensor? Where are both best sourced from?

Question 4
Will I be able to map/measure the fueling accurately with a decent afr meter?

Question 5
What is the capabilty of the TD05 turbo? Are there any decent upgrades available for 90 inlet systems and what are their capabilities?

Question 6
Injectors,FPRs, pumps etc I have taken into consideration obviously but have i missed anything else obvious?

Sorry for so many questions thought it best to do them all in one thread so as not to take over the whole forum ;-)

If you can answer any or all, your help and advice is much appreciated

Cheers

JJ

jobster

Sorry

Question 7
It still has speedo/odo clocks in kph, I have seen some lovely neon replacements ;-) but more importantly how do I get rid of the speed limiter it has at approx 110ish mph?

AndrewC

Short answers:

1. It can be done, but not properly or well, you need the FC-Datalogit and FC-Edit software to do it properly.

2. Yes the PowerFC uses the MAF sensor.

3. You can't just plug a WB sensor in place of a NB one, you need a full WB system to drive the sensor and display the AFR/output to a laptop/drive your ECU.

4. Not an AFR meter that uses a NB sensor, see above.

5. TD05 maxes out at around 350bhp, you can get TD05 hybrids that retain the 90deg inlet which can take you to around 400bhp.

6. To buy the equipment you need to map the car properly would cost you more than it would to get someone to map it for you several times.

7. Speed limitor is built into the std ECU, powerFC does not have this functionality.

Andrew...

Jolly Green Monster

iTrader: (4)

Only if you have mapping experience or want to damage the engine.
The Power FC can be mapped from the Commander yes, the equipment enabling you to map it from software on a laptop is nicer and allows logging etc.. you need to factor in paying someone to map the car if you haven't already accounted for that.

No it uses the MAF. Although with larger turbos you max out the standard maf sensor on the phase 1 car, AndrewC sells a MAFSIM which eliminates the maf sensor.

no and yes.. lol for a wideband you need a complete kit which AndrewC also sells.. around £250 last time I bought one iirc.. but you are better off putting a original lambda sensor in as well / instead so that it can be run closed loop so on cruise and idle the fuelling is altered to give as reasonable mpg as a scoob can.

no, need a wideband.

by capable of mid 300bhp and similar torque.. the 90degree entry hinders only slightly.. You can fit a FE turbo and just place a 90degree samco bend straight onto it.

cold air feed to induction, uppipe, heat wrap on headers and downpipe and uppipe.. there is loads depends how far you want to go..
inlet manifold spacers..

worn out now.. lol

First attempt reply to get things rolling
Simon

Jolly Green Monster

iTrader: (4)

Power FC removes the speed limiter.

jaytc2003

iTrader: (1)

You can certainly change settings with the commander but with an ignition cycle they are lost, so I dont think you can map it correctly without a laptop. The avcr can be adjusted from the unit itself and will retain its settings. The boost can basically be tailoured to your needs, eg certain boost in certain gears, max boost, repsonse etc.
Also answer for question 7, I believe the power fc will get rid of the speed limiter by mapping it out

It does use the maf to measure the airflow. There are people who run it with something called a mafsim which gets rid of the maf, but I havent searched out details on how this works. Also other people have used bigger mafs. I think the nissan 300 maf is a popular swap (not straight swap as wiring is slightly different I think)

Pass

To be honest you would need wideband to do this, also detcans to listen to the engine itself

the tdo5 is good for over 300 bhp, Andy Forrest does some uprated ones like a 18g and 20g (both tdo5's) amongst others, check his website for details.

maybe uprate the suspension with a whiteline kit, I would imagine the car may be feeling a bit sloppy in the corners (you would probably only realise this though when you change the oe parts with the uprated whiteline ones.

Ported headers which can help the turbo to spool up a bit quicker, and maybe a parallel fuel mod to try and help all cylinders to get equal fuel (although by mapping you can sort of do this anyway)
Also deep pockets, once you start to mod you will find that you will want more and more.

Sure someone more knowledgeable will be along in a bit to answer more questions and maybe go in more detail.

jaytc2003

iTrader: (1)

bloody ell you lot.
Thought I was doing well then

Jolly Green Monster

iTrader: (4)

Sorry Jay but:
Only the IGN/INJ is reset after an ignition cycle.. everything else remains..
You can and I have mapped from the commander... it is good for focusing on a specific thing, especially if the laptop is 'monitoring / being use to alter' something else

Simon

jaytc2003

iTrader: (1)

see how I covered myself though by saying "correctly"

I should have know that really as I had adjusted my timing previously to get the pops and bangs

Jolly Green Monster

iTrader: (4)

lol.. there are some functions you cannot access on the commander..

obviously being able to store the map is attractive so you can reload etc..
The logging is also very valuable whilst mapping and when looking back on how the car used to run etc..

Simon

jobster

Wow thanks for the responses already!!

I do have some mapping experience, but it is what you might call "map tweaking" after small mods on a Cosworth engine using an Emerald M3DK, and the wideband was already fitted. I must admit my knowledge of lambdas and their accuracies is totally limited hence my q's on afrs for mapping.

So, its a standard for closed loop fuelling but wideband for mapping?

But the Commander is not so good mapping in itself, and I guess the datalogit software costs a bundle does it?
What would people suggest as a good starting ecu for self mapping/tuning/

As I mentioned I fancy doing this myself, using a mapper kinda defeats the object!