lovin the afx/r pcm

SGT BRAD · Post by **SGT BRAD** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 4:43 pm

i just had to post my experience with the afx/r pcm. i know that dawm and tamadrumr have had issues so i was a little worried about what i was going to get, but the pcm has exceeded my expectations. sotp dyno feels a bigger increase than when i replaced the cam and swapped in a cam gear, udp and short tube header. the thing just pulls like a dump truck. 5th gear can actually be used for passing now. i can't wait to install the box intake and head back to the dyno. i'll post numbers when i can. i also wanted to say that i sent howell a 2001 r/t pcm and labled it. it is the same one that was returned to me and the turn around was less than 3 weeks, under 2 1/2 actually. all in all it's been a great experience. now to get that short block from darrell cox and finish putting the new motor together. woo hoo.

white2000neon · Post by **white2000neon** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 7:51 pm

No codes or anything like tamadrummer had. I know he got another one used and was going to try that one out. I guess we'll here about it when he gets back. I wonder also if its an r/t thing because both dawm and tama have r/ts and i presume you don't just a thought could be wrong.

BlackRoseRacing · Post by **BlackRoseRacing** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 7:51 pm

The first happy customer I've read about in a while.....
I wonder if he is changing his business relationship with people and actually trying to make customers happy...

SGT BRAD · Post by **SGT BRAD** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 9:27 pm

BlackRoseRacing wrote:The first happy customer I've read about in a while.....
I wonder if he is changing his business relationship with people and actually trying to make customers happy...

maybe so? i don't know. but, i can attest that the afx/r programming makes a bolt-on car behave totally differently. i am actually glad that i ended up doing the afx/r reflash as opposed to the arrangment that we were working on brr. i do still have the sentry module if you can use it for anything. just let me know and i'll send it your way.

i also thought that i'd add that the afx/r throws no codes and has solved my udp cel issue that seems to plague those of us with 02's. i've only run the motor up to about 6800-6900rpm, b/c the intake is weezing above 6400. but i've had no issues with it whatsoever. it is butt simple to install as well. i think it took a total of 10 minutes.

i am sorry that tama and dawm have had issues. i just wanted to post my experience b/c at this point the afx/r pcm is the best addition that i've made.

as i stated earlier i can't wait to get my motor from darrell cox. combined with my p&p head, al flywheel, crane 14 cam, ff lt header, box intake and tuned safc (all of which are sitting in a box on the garage floor

) things should be really interesting!!!

FTWNeon · Post by **FTWNeon** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 10:06 pm

That'll be very intresting indeed! I can't wait to see that and see some numbers. What are you expecting to make with all of that?

SGT BRAD · Post by **SGT BRAD** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 10:37 pm

FTWNeon wrote:That'll be very intresting indeed! I can't wait to see that and see some numbers. What are you expecting to make with all of that?

darrell is going to be ceramic coating and modifying the piston skirts and they are .040 over 10.5:1. decking the block should bring the compression up to about 11:1. bumping up to .040 bore adds almost 5% displacement so that'll help a lot. the nice thing is that the motor is sleeved so when it can't be bored anymore i can just replace the sleeves. the assembly is going to be balanced and maybe the crank will be lightened. i haven't decided yet.

the head is a howell stage 6 with 1mm os ss valves and crane springs and retainers. i picked the crane 14 b/c i didn't really want to have to deal with lash caps and a reduced base circle cam like the 005.

the intake is an r/ternie box manifold with ported runners and was designed for a 2.0 with 12.5:1 pistons. so it should be pretty well matched to my set-up.

the fast fabs header is going to have to wait a little while since i have a tri-y collector that i am going to weld onto it. then it will have to be sent to swaintech for coating. but, the current tti longtube should still be pretty good.

all told i am really hoping to make 190hp (after the fast fabs header is installed). we'll see. realistically 185 is probably more accurate, but with 24 accel injectors and safc tuning i should get pretty close to 190. we'll see. i will definitely post dyno results once everything is said and done.

oh i almost forgot the nitrous. it'll have to be a small shot until i get a timing retard box. then i'll hit it with a 100shot! if i can hit 300 on the bottle i'll be stoked. i figure that'll take a little over 100 shot so maybe i'll step up to a progressive direct port kit. it all depends on detonation and how well i will be able to tune it. if i can't break 190 off of the bottle then i'll probably just settle for a 75 shot and be done.

white2000neon · Post by **white2000neon** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 1:03 am

This is awesome news. I wanted to get the afxr but with all the problems everyone is having i decided not to get it, but now im thinking about getting it.

edit

SGT Brad do you have an r/t or no?

scneonchic · Post by **scneonchic** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 10:40 pm

Good to hear that someone had a good experince w/ howell. I want one of these one day for mine, but I didnt want to wait forever and have problems the way everyone else has. This gives me hope, maybe I will still do this one day.

BlackRoseRacing · Post by **BlackRoseRacing** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 8:19 pm

We'll for the five minutes I ran my car with the PCM, so far so good...
I revved the car to 4k rpm then punched it and it hit the 8k rpm on the tach without a problem....
Of course the wife cam out after she heard that and was like what the F are you doing...

Nothing dear, just making sure its ok for work tomorrow

Within those five minutes everything seemed to work perfect in neutral(and no I dont have any MTV's installed)...
I'll post a result tomorrow after the daily commute to work.....

PS - I have my stock pcm in the back seat with tools to change it if there is a problem

stang892k5 · Post by **stang892k5** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 9:33 pm

does afx sell the pcm for an 02 neon??? all ive seen is for the 01 and later models

white2000neon · Post by **white2000neon** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 10:46 pm

Yea they make em for the 02.

BlackRoseRacing · Post by **BlackRoseRacing** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 7:04 am

They offer them for 00-02 2gn's...
They are all interchangeable except for a couple things....
In order to use the 2000 pcm you aregoing to have to change your IAC motor to the old style setup. The easiest way to do that is to get a 2000 engine harness and go from there. As for the 01/02's there completely interchangeable.
If you have the sentry system your pin WILL have to be entered into the pcm in order for it to function properly with the option of vin/mileage change. Here in WNY though I had to change the vin/mileage in order to pass inspection...
And if you ask, no they dont offer one for a magnum, its been discussed here....
ok im off to work, C-Ya

white2000neon · Post by **white2000neon** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 7:17 am

The one thing i want to know is if you have sentry key do you need a ECU that came off a car with sentry key. Or can they just put you pin and mileage into the ECU for the Sentry key to work.

BlackRoseRacing · Post by **BlackRoseRacing** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 4:48 pm

^^^
Yes, you can enable a Non-Sentry pcm to work in a Sentry car...

kc2005ptgt · Post by **kc2005ptgt** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 5:11 pm

^^^ wait, you said you have an AFX/r also? But you have an RT, do you not? how can you use it then??

BlackRoseRacing · Post by **BlackRoseRacing** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 7:18 pm

Long story short, I dont have the butterflies installed, ive been running the open manifold for almost a year now

Also an update:

I just got home from work and got rid of the P0134 code:
P0134 - O2 Sensor 1/1 Stays At Center

Now I got the P0132 code again:
P0132 - O2 Sensor 1/1 Short To Voltage

Im going to contact Gary personally to see what he says, in the mean time tomorrow after work im going to use the DRB3 to see if I can get any more info.
And yes, part throttle it fell on its face,stumbled and when I punched it it was fine, after a few time of that happening the P0132 code came about. And im now running a new 02 sensor from work so I know its not the sensor...I'll update as soon as possible...

Thats from another conversation I had with the previous owner of the pcm....

white2000neon · Post by **white2000neon** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 10:49 pm

Who did you get the pcm from it almost sounds like tamadrumr88 old afx that gave him a lot of problems with the o2 sensor codes.

tamadrumr88 · Post by **tamadrumr88** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 10:58 pm

yeah, he has a/fx-r #2 of mine.... he bought it through an installment plan

i just got canuck_2k's af/x-race so that makes ecu #3... im getting the vin flashed bright and early tomm and ill let you all know how it goes

white2000neon · Post by **white2000neon** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 11:31 pm

Hopefully it works out for you so you can shed some light on this for me because im going to need one and you know why.

BlackRoseRacing · Post by **BlackRoseRacing** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 8:07 pm

I'm in talks right now with Gary Howell, yeah yeah, some of you have had your problems with him, but in all honesty, id rather get an answer than bitch and complain.
As it stands right now...Tama you were right, his first response was to tell me I have an elctrical problem, my reply was basically that my car is practically new, no rust or corrosion, and I also mentioned to him that I am having the same issue as you BUT on a toally different car, and I have 5star TECHS working with me

So far they all believe its a pcm problem, but I contacted Gary on other questions and I'll post details as they follow...
As it stands right now my stock pcm is back in and the AF/X R is rolling in my trunk....

SGT BRAD · Post by **SGT BRAD** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 8:40 pm

just a quick update on my experience. i am still lovin the afx/r pcm. however, i have 2 issues. 1. gas mileage is down 3-4 mpg. oh well, you can't have everything. 2. the pcm definitely needs the highest octane that you can throw at it. i had to put in 92 octane the other day and the car 'seems' to be a little less peppy. still the best bang for the buck in my book.
brad

BlackRoseRacing · Post by **BlackRoseRacing** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 8:55 pm

By the sounds of it you either got lucky with the latest PCM or im just nuts thinking there is a problem...
Was yours plug and play?
No CEL issued?
When was your PCM updated?
there should be an authorization sticker somewhere that states the day of the programming....

SGT BRAD · Post by **SGT BRAD** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 9:39 pm

brr,
there is a sticker on it listing the update, but since it's installed i can't tell what the date was. i recall seeing the sticker, but can't recall the date on it. maybe i got lucky. i've got no cel especially not the weird one that every 02 seems to get with the addition of an udp. i'm entirely happy. i wish everyone had the same luck. btw i'm so friggin busy. i'll try to dig out that sentry module for you sometime this weekend.

tamadrumr88 · Post by **tamadrumr88** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 9:49 pm

hey guys, third time's the charm, my af/x-race ecu works now!!!!! easy 3rd gear, and one 4th gear chirp like woah!

BlackRoseRacing · Post by **BlackRoseRacing** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 6:17 am

SGT BRAD wrote:brr,
there is a sticker on it listing the update, but since it's installed i can't tell what the date was. i recall seeing the sticker, but can't recall the date on it. maybe i got lucky. i've got no cel especially not the weird one that every 02 seems to get with the addition of an udp. i'm entirely happy. i wish everyone had the same luck. btw i'm so friggin busy. i'll try to dig out that sentry module for you sometime this weekend.

The UDP issue on 02's only relate to the OE pcm having a fit about it, the howell pcm de-sensitses the knock sensor programming to get rid of that and issues with race valvetrain...
The O2 situation im still working on, since tama has a cel now even with his 3rd pcm but this time its for the downstream O2 and not the issues im having....

SGT BRAD · Post by **SGT BRAD** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 1:20 pm

tamadrumr88 wrote:hey guys, third time's the charm, my af/x-race ecu works now!!!!! easy 3rd gear, and one 4th gear chirp like woah!

are you speed shifting to chirp 3rd gear? i have most of the mods to make similar hp/tq, but not anywhere near chirping the tires? however, i've never speed shifted, that's probably why i have 100k on the stock clutch. i wonder if it's more to do with the r/t cr gearbox? lmk. thanks.

tamadrumr88 · Post by **tamadrumr88** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 1:40 pm

i just shift as i normally would, but faster so-to-speak... i dont bang the gears really, id rather be 3 tenths of a second slower down the track but keep my tranny healthy, than bang the gears and flatshift to get those few last tenths, at the expense of a tranny

i could chirp third on snowflakes on 185/60-15 with the af/x-r, longtube, and stock clutch

now that im on the spec clutch it engages so quick, and now that im back on the af/x-r diet i can chirp third with ease but the es100's are pretty sticky compared to the goodyear eagle ls. if i had the 185 size goodyears now i could probably chirp fourth because theyre very light and they offer little traction

im sure the 3.94 gearing helps too.... ~11% more theoretical torque to the wheels

SGT BRAD · Post by **SGT BRAD** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 1:58 pm

hmmm...having the non-cr gearbox and 205 series tires on 17 inch wheels probably doesn't help. however, the wheels are only 1lb heavier than factory snowflakes and the tires only weigh 17.5lbs a piece so they are comparable to the 15" 185/60/15 that was stock. maybe once i install the fidanza puck clutch we'll see a difference. i am sure that there is some minor slipping of the clutch at this point with 100k on the odo. i wish that i could take a ride in one of ya'lls r/t's or acr's. i am very curious to see the difference b/w the 2.

BlackRoseRacing · Post by **BlackRoseRacing** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 8:59 pm

ok...little update...
Sorry to take your topic SGT off topic, but instead of starting a new one im going to kinda add to yours....
Ive got Gary thinking about reviewing Tama's pcm #2 from my car to see what the problem is...
Tama, if you read this, for the hell of it....
1 - disconnect your battery
2 - remove your fuel pump relay
3 - Get under your car and disconnect the downstream O2 sensor, of course mount the wires somewhere safe
4 - Reconnect steps one and two after a Min of 30 minutes..
Take the car for a normal drive then play with it, let me know if the downstream O2 problem happens again....

SGT BRAD · Post by **SGT BRAD** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 10:58 pm

ok, i just wanted to say that i went on a backroad tonight just to try to "chirp" the tires into 3rd. with a hard clutch dump after revving to 7k in 1st i was able to "chirp" 2nd. trying to do the same in 3rd was pointless. i have noted that my motor comes on the cam around 3500 rpm and is fairly tame below that. once in the powerband it pulls like a dump truck, but "chirp"... not me. i really wish i could drive tama's car back to back with mine to feel the difference. i am sure that with the new motor i'll have plenty of power, but i'm curious what is going on right now. i envision that tama and i make similar hp since i have all bolt-ons and cam and tama has the r/t, but with less mods. maybe i'm just too old and round.