Apexi Super Air / Fuel Controller Install

Read First!!
Install for this page is for a 1994 Stealth RT/TT using World M3-A plug configuration as shown in the
Instruction Manual. OBD-II ECU. If your pin configuration does not match, please use the correct
plug diagram. Do not guess with this as you are messing with the ECU and can cause a lot of damage
to both your ECU and your engine. This modification is not to be taken lightly as you are messing with
your air fuel adjustment of your engine. Detonation can rapidly damage your engine.
How it works and why it is Dangerous
You are actually Lying to your ECU about reported Air Intake to fool it into thinking less air is
coming in thereby delivering less frequent fuel injectors pulses to compensate for larger injectors.
Lie to it incorrectly and you will have too few injectors pulses resulting in a lean condition and also cause
detonation. A lean fuel will detonate easier and when the engine is hot it will detonate just because of
higher compression as in near the top of the compression stroke even without spark telling it to.
If the fuel air mixture detonates before the piston reaches top dead center and is on it's way back down again
and in fact still on it's way up, the explosion from detonation will try to force the piston back down again
backwards against the force of the other pistons, trasnsmission, wheels and drive train trying to force the
engine the correct direction. This is called detonation or Pre-Detonation or commonly known as Engine Knock.
It puts holes in pistons, destroys compression rings, bends connecting rods because the force is so powerful.
This in mind proceed with caution. This is the exact reason they say you should have it installed professionally
and also should be accompanied by a dyno session to check for problems. A knock Sensor is a wise investment
to install in conjunction with this modification for this exact reason. Knock sensors will not prevent detonation,
they will however tell you there is a problem that needs to be addressed and to stop doing what you are doing
lest you destroy your engine. I have installed a knock sensor #  PN 8964 from MSD with both Visual and
audible alerts for this purpose and also have scheduled a dyno session for the final tuning.

The SAFC Specifications

The Safc is only good for up to 540 cc injectors in our cars. The way this is calculated is that you will see that they
state it is good for a 50% variation from stock configuration. Our stock configuration is 360 cc injectors. 360 cc times
50% is equal and very easily calculated as 180 cc's.  360 cc's plus 180 cc's is equal to 540 CC's. While 550 cc injectors
from RC Engineering are flow tested pretty close to 550 cc's they are also flow tested at 45 lbs fuel pressure. Our stock
fuel system puts out about 43 psi at full voltage. With this calculation, the injectors will also put out a little less than
550 cc's so we will be running our SAFC at close to maximum variation from stock however it should work without
problems.

Ok, end of book, lets get on to the install.

The instruction manual has been sent out in Japanese in some units depending on where they are getting
supplied from and even in English, the translation leaves a lot to be desired the English is supplied from Apexi
in PDF format. http://www.APEXi-usa.com/documentation.asp
Click HERE to view and print it if you wish. (Downloaded from this site.) It's 1.4 megs and 33 pages long,
so maybe you want to print even pages first, flip them over and print odd pages next.

First we will start with the World M3a plug diagram. You have to know that this view is from the back
of the plug and not from the front as many Mitsubishi plug diagrams are shown. If you take this
diagram and turn it up on its left end you would be looking at it as the plugs are plugged into the side
of the ECU as if it were still mounted in the car and plugged in. A little confusing at first. Here is a photo.

Next we have a digram showing the Karmam Vortex MAS wiring diagram color code.
There will be wires you will not use from the SAFC.

First off I started by marking all my wires on the SAFC wire loom so I did not have to refer to two diagrams

Shown below is all my wires marked using white electrical tape and a Sharpie Marker according to the
diagram above. Note I have marked the two grounds, Black as GND F for "Far" and the Brown as GND E
for "ECU" side. AFM is "Air Flow MAS" side and AFE is "Air flow ECU" side. What is left is Throttle, RPM,
and Power wires. Also note the diagram does not specify to cut the ground wire between the two grounds
however you do cut the Air Flow Signal wire. What the technical purpose is for placing one ground closer
to the ECU than the other I can not explain, however they must have a reason.
Note that the Yellow, Blue and White wires are not used in this application.
I simply taped them back together and stuck them back down inside the sheath

In this next photo I have the plugs removed from the ECU which is located behind the radio, accessible
through the drivers side foot panel for the console. There is one screw on the side under a plastic cap and
another plastic plug type fastener that just pulls out near the front by the firewall side. The side panel then
pulls down from the dash  near the radio and out and is not difficult to remove. Up top near the radio it just has a
tab that sides under a slot to hold it up there.
Now note that when the plug is removed and brought down it is actually upside down from the diagram of the
plug assembly above. You will find that although the diagram looks as if it is one plug, it is actually a grouping of 4 plugs.
Looking closely you can see the division between plugs.
Take careful note not to lose the orientation of the plugs so you may chose the right locations for tapping into the wires.
Again, holding the diagram up on it's left side with the plugs still attached to the ECU is the correct way to view
pin configurations from the BACK SIDE. When plugged in and looking at the diagram properly these two pins
should be the top two on the side of the plug towards the rear of the car.
Here is the photo and note that if the plug were turned around and flipped 180° the plug would
be in it's correct position to be plugged in. Also note that I did not use the clamp type connections they provided.
I do not trust them to maintain a flawless contact. I used a wire stripper that just pulled back the covering exposing
a small section to where I could solder my connections. Shown is the Power Connection and both Grounds. Note the black
ground is furthest away from the ECU plug and the Brown is the closest. The wire in between has not been removed.
Remember that all photos in the Repair Center can be clicked on to show a 640x480 view of them.

Next photo is of the first plug completed and taped up. This takes care of the first plug on the bottom.

Next photo involves wiring to the third plug in line going up from the bottom. The second does not have
any wiring going to it. On the third we will wire in only the RPM sensor line. Again looking at the diagram properly
with the plug in the ECU it would be the second pin up from the bottom towards the rear of the car. You will also note
that it is not the second wire, but the second pin in line. (Can really see it but trust me, it is.)
Consequently the first pin doesn't even contain a wire,
however it still must be counted because we are not looking at wire configuration, but pin or hole configuration, so
don't grab the second wire by mistake. Again, soldered in line by just tapping the line and not cutting it.

I did not take a photo of it taped up, but of course you will also wish to tape this one up.
First photo was just for example.

Next Photo moving on to the 4th and last plug. Pin position when plugged in would be 3rd (Throttle Signal)
and 9th pin position (Air Flow Signal) which must be and is the only line that will be cut because it splits the
signal, sends it through the SAFC and then returns a different signal to the ECU.
These positions are also from the bottom up and toward the rear of the car.
Note that there are no wires connected on any plug on the firewall side of any plug.

Here is a photo of the connection of the Throttle Sensor

Here is the photo showing the split connection of the Air Flow I did use the supplied connections for this
 

Now you are finished with the wiring section and have to decide where you wish to mount it, so route the
cable that you just hooked up in the direction to where you wish to mount the SAFC and plug the connections
back into the ECU.

My Install Location Supplimental
Following is where I mounted mine. Only cautions are not to mount it in front of your heat air ducts,
because heat and air will cause malfunctions as per the directions. Here is a photo of the bracket that
comes with the unit for mounting. I altered mine to adapt to the location I felt was best where I could monitor
functions and had easy access. In front of my controls for the heat and air, but designed for continued acces to
them as you will see.
Shown is the supplied bracket and the location where I broke off a section. The section in the side cutters
is the section I removed by bending it back and forth and snaping it off. Next to it is the part removed.
I then dressed it off with my grinder.

Following this, I bent the two remaining tabs to form a U shape. Believe it or not the swivel bracket width between
them is the  same width as the section between the Air Conditioning controls and the radio. I then painted them with
Dark Grey Bumper Coating to match the interior. Here is the finished product.

Here is the bracket mounted in the car

Shown below is the SAFC Mounted to the bracket and two small screws on the top side only
right next to the vents. None needed on the bottom as the SAFC exherts weight downward, so it will be
fine without screws. As you can see I removed the radio trim piece and ran the wire and then replaced the piece.
No trimming of the radio face plate is necessary. The wire makes it through fine in the upper right corner
Note that I left a little slack in the wire.

Here is why

I figure I do not access these controls very often and even know where most of them are,
but if I need to look it is convenient.

That concludes the install

When you turn your ignition on these are what you should see.
This will come in first

Then the screen will change to this

Ok, preliminary settings before a Dyno I got direct from Mike MaHaffey at Altered Atmosphere Motorsports. These are
the only settings I will be posting in here due to the fact that incorrect settings can and will damage your engine.
That said, I am recommending a Dyno Tune for anyone installing these units to make sure your settings are correct.
These settings are a limp mode setting to get you to the Dyno. Avoid going over 3,000 RPM with these settings. This
should be no problem and highway speeds in 6th gear or even 5th gear are well below 3,000 RPM's. With these settings
mine performed well and no knock was detected with the MSD knock sensor. Heat range was fine and on the EGT Gauge
I topped out at about 1,000° F which is well below  anything dangerous from lean conditions during a 25 mile ride at
highway speeds about 70 mph .

Leave all settings as they are except the following.
Note also that these settings are with 550 cc injectors and a Supra Fuel Pump with stock fuel pump wiring. If you have a
different configuration that that, don't ask me what your settings are, because I will not be able to tell you. You must
remember, I am not a Speed Shop and I do not try out different configurations and can only tell of personal experiences.

Lo-Thrtl Settings
1,000 rpm = Negative 20 to 24 (I chose 24)
2,000 rpm = Negative 20 to 22 (I chose 22)
3,000 rpm = Negative 18 to 20 (I chose 20)
4,000 rpm = Negative 18 to 20 (I chose 20)
5,000 rpm = Negative 18 to 20 (I chose 18)
6,000 rpm = Negative 18 to 20 (I chose 18)
7,000 rpm leave alone
8,000 rpm leave alone

Hi-Thrtl Settings

1,000 rpm = Negative 15
2,000 rpm = Negative 15
3,000 rpm = Negative 15
4k, 5k 6k, 7k, 8k Leave alone

Start your engine and let it idle for about 5 minutes to learn settings before using the accelerator for anything besides
keeping it running as it will run a little rough at first till it learns. This is normal.
Make your Dyno Appointment.

Here is my Dyno on 02/22/02 at Altered Atmosphere in MD.
Call Mike @ 301-330-8835 and make your appointment for before the Ocean City Meet.
Altered Atmosphere right above Washington DC.
Have fun!!
 

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