Safc Installation

[SPORTcoupe300]

Hey Guys,

I just won an APEXi SAFC-2 on eBay (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...item=2458335616) and was wondering if any of you guys have installed one yourselves and have any tips or suggestions.

I'm planning to do the job myself, but I've never touched the ECU before.

(Actually, I don't even know where it is. So that's a good place to start.)

Where do I find the ECU/ECM?

It's a 96 SC300.

Thanks,

~Alan

[Bubbles]

I believe it is right under the passenger footrest. I'll take a look at my manual later, but it's for a 93, and a 96 has OBD-II so that might be different.

[UCF3]

SportCoupe:

What kind of connector does the SAFC have?

[Sadistic]

Like I said in my other post about AFC's. Make sure the grounds are far enough apart, or it's goodbye AFC. Touchy little *BLEEP*s they are.

[bean_8044]

I just finished putting mine in on the 1jz yesterday. Dont use any of the connectors on there except for the male and female ones. I soldered everything on and its working out real good. As for the grounds, they have to be on the ground wire to the ECU and the brown ground wire has to be closer to the ECU than the black ground wire. They black has to be at least 1cm away from the brown wire, so make sure you dont splice in too far from the ECU. Ive never seen a setup where the power and ground splice into an existing one, but my stuff works so i dont ask qustions. Let me know if you need any help

[SPORTcoupe300]

Thanks for the advice so far guys.

I haven't received the unit yet but I am just getting prepped so I can install it as soon as I get it.

My main concern is the fact that my ECU has 2 incoming knock sensors and the instructions for how to pick one are kinda hazy.

Sadistic: What happens to the AFC if the grounds are not properly spaced?

I don't think spacing should be an issue. Weird setup in my opinion.

Bean_8044: Thanks for your input. One thing I'll have to deal with is that this unit has been used and is already programmed to some settings. I'm not too sure whether there's a way to reset the memory. I wish there was so I would know I'm starting fresh.

UCF3: What do you mean by that? I think it's just a bunch of wires that you then have to match to the proper ones ont he ECU

I wish there was a plug-n-play but then they'd have to make a separate harness for every car out there.

[bean_8044]

Well, i got the SAFC I so i dont have the knock sensor stuff on there, but the ECU will !Removed! automatically if it gets knock so i wasnt too worried about it. If your grounds arent seperated properly or set up properly you might as well consider the SAFC toast along with the ECU. I dont have the exact quote from the manual, but i believe it said that "damage MAY HIGHLY result" blah blah blah. To reset the SAFC I all i had to do was go under etc menu and then select Init All and that reset the memory. I had a brand new one, but i did it just to be sure. There isnt a connector really either, just the cable that comes off the SAFC and connects to another cable that has just wires on the other end. The whole cable is about 5ft or so. It makes for some interesting and nerve racking times when you put it in and the first time you start it up, but the Toyota ECU will just freak out andd go limp if something goes wrong. About the only thing to go wrong (assuming your wiring is good) is the AFM wires losing contact and it wont send the proper signal to the ECU. That happened to me and i just bypassed it and the stock ECU recovered fine and later on i put the SAFC back in and it works to this day

[SPORTcoupe300]

Alrighty.

Thanks for all the info Bean.

I guess I'll just wait for the damn thing to come in and wire it the way it says in the manual.

Separate thanks for the "reset" instructions. I knew it should be in there somewhere.

I've never seen groudning be this tricky, and definitely never seen an improperly done ground blow *BLEEP* up, unless of course the positive and ground are reversed. (Don't ask how I know)

I'll keep you guys posted on how this install goes.

Bean: Where'd you mount yours by the way?

[bean_8044]

Well....thats the thousand dollar question right now. I have no idea where i want to put it. I want to kep it out of sight so i was thinking on the visor, but then id have to take alot of trim apart to wire it up there aside from extending the wires. Maybe in the center vent holes, but since i would be putting the S-AFC and AVC-R there, that would cut out all of my A/C(practically). Maybe inbetween my Kenwood radio and the A/C controls, but then its plain as day. In short, i have no clue where im going to put mine. Right now it wired to the center box and i just pull it out when i show it to people or to stare at the moving lights.

[SPORTcoupe300]

:D Is that why you bought it? the moving lights? j/k

What's wrong with in between your head-unit and AC controls?

Plain as day is good =)

I wish I could put it there but I have the stock headunit and am therefore thinking of putting it in front of the AC vents.

I never blast heat in my face, so that's fine, and I'll still be able to blast the AC during the hot summer days (when the SAFC might need cooling :D)

Hardest part of getting it up to the visor would deninitely be in extending the wires.

The trim comes off and goes back on prety easy.

I had the stupid microhone from the non-working analog phone up there and i took it out in less than 5 minutes.

[bean_8044]

Dont be fooled by the size, that controller gets HOT. Im still trying to hide most of the performance add-ons that i can(asthetics and theft). I dont care what anyone says though. Even if i have drilled/slotted rotors, 18s, giant single exhaust, and you can hear the turbos plain as day, i still want it to be as sleepy as it can be. Of course, here everyone knows that a Soarer with a single exhaust is going to be a runner so why bother. I almost tore off all of the trim when i tried to see how pliable it was so i may put it up where the visor is. Extending the wires shouldnt be that much of a problem for me since im good at soldering. If youre nervous about soldering the wiring harness then at least practice before or have a friend do it. You could take it to a shop, but then thats going to add on a hundred at least to the tuning fee. Once i get a few more things im going on the dyno for tuning

[SPORTcoupe300]

What do you have on your car that requires change in the fuel curve?

You have an intake or biggger injectors, or do you just not give a *BLEEP* about nature? :D

[bean_8044]

Unlike you silly americans, i have the 1JZ!!!!! (insert evil laugh here) For now, i have the stock turbos (CT12a), monstrous cat-back exhaust, and a mild intake mod. I should have the fuel rail, AVC-R, and exhaust cam in soon. I know i dont really need the fuel rail, but i bid on it and then was outbid, but the guy retracted his bid so i won it anyways. Figure i may as well put it in now. The AFC adds a nice kick on the top end for me. Once it gets to turbo range (3k-5k) it pulls good and once it gets to AFC range(5k-8k) it pulls harder. i havent even seen third gear yet unless im going less than half throttle and ive been up to 160kph