SAFC II to be installed

[Ryan]

I'll be taking Brad's SAFC II off his hands next weekend. From there it is going straight into my car with Carsten's assistance.

I have the usual "go faster" bits: air filter, exhaust, MBC, FMIC, ATF etc. Whilst I'd love to go all the way with a standalone ECU, I simply cannot justify it at this stage. Hence, I am doing what I can with a limited (so the wife doesn't know) budget.

I have a general understanding of what this device does and because I do not have a wideband, I will be taking the car to a professional tuner who knows what he's doing and has all the gear necessary to tune it. I also know that I can't expect a huge performance increase but hey - I'm on a budget afterall so every little helps.

I've done some reading on the tinternet just to gauge what sort of power gains CAN actually be had. My research tells me that on N/A cars you generally don't see a noticeable increase in power. On forced induction cars it seems to be a little more noticeable. I have seen figures from 5-6kW through to 15kW, the latter being on a Mk IV Supra.

I was wondering - has anyone else fitted one of these and if so, what sort of results did you see? I do not know the capabilities of this device. Is it possible to tune it for:

1. A performance setting - ie: max power possible @ expense of fuel economy

2. An economy setting - self explanatory

I'm wondering if, depending on what mood I'm in, I can select like... one of the saved tuning settings? I assume it can save multiple settings, no?

Before it goes for the tune I intend on changing the oil+filter (which needs changing) as well as spark plugs and ignition leads which, given its age, need doing as well.

[Nutter_John]

Max power mode will save you fuel as the SAFC is removing fuel to make more power .

[Ryan]

Max power mode will save you fuel as the SAFC is removing fuel to make more power .

Right - so then the key is just to stay on the power? I'm okay with that.

[Ryan]

Just wondering - would it to my benefit to fit an EBC with the SAFC instead of MBC or does it not matter?

[Nutter_John]

I'd say yes on the basis that you are adjusting the fueling and an ebc give better control over the boost curve

[Gly]

the safc only holds one map,
and i would stick with the tap,

because...
its cheap and it works. (dont fix whats not broke)
a ebc will set you back $250+ for a good one

the safc will be tuned to whatever boost, and you should not alter the boost after tuning.

[peter thomson]

SAFC 2 has 2 maps Carsten

[Turbo_Steve]

Even then, though, if it's a true 3D map, lower boost will work just as well on a high boost map.
Surely the real benefit of an SAFC is when you start to move past the point of fuel cut, though?

[scientist]

the SAFC is more like a 2D map...@ a specific RPM point make Changes.

You can tune for economy within the Low throttle map. since you will only get economy at throttle levels lower than WOT.

I've used them, they are ok for what they do. But i prefer the Greddy E-manage

[Ryan]

Thanks for the replies...

As we're heading into winter now, lower ambient temps will bring the point of fuel cut a bit closer. Well, when I have a chat with the guy next month I'll see what he says I guess.

[Ryan]

Just been reading up on as much as I can on the subject of power gains for this device. Whilst doing so I stumbled across this US site:

http://www.3si.org/forum/f42/getting...0/index38.html

It seems they have done a similar thing to our MAF mod by removing "honeycombs". Interesting...

[Turbo_Steve]

Hmm...careful with changing the structure of the MAF. Ours seem sensitive enough to inlet tract construction, without removing the honeycomb designed to break up turbulence.

MAFs are complicated an sensitive beggars: I've had to rescale a modified one before, and been surprised how peaky the output can be.
Just take a look at Ken's thread on LS1 MAF usage.

[Ryan]

Not to worry Steve - I had no intention of fiddling with it Was just curious about this mod that the Yanks had done and if it was similar to our MAF mod...

[Eurospec]

Noooooo! Dont touch the maf! Like Steve says its a twitchy twitchy twitchy bugger.

There was a period of time when all the gto guys did this. They all reported that the car ran much better AND made more power. For a short period of time, then they start to run like crap.

This is because the kvf maf relies on laminar airflow in order to induce a vortex in it, and then count the vorticies. If the flow is not laminar the maf miss reads. What happens is that in the first instance the maf under reads, hence more power since it leans out. Then the ecu tries to compensate with the trims, but since the airflow is no longer laminar it cant make a correct calculation. The trims go all to pot, and the car starts to run like my ass!

Cheers,

Ben.