No, it's a good tool for tuning. It just has its' limitations. Like any tuning tool, you need to have all the right tools to tune safely, i.e. logger, wideband, EGT, etc...

 

Excuse my ignorance on this subject, but you say this...

How is my timing going to be too far advanced? Wont the ECU take care of it within reason?

I'm only wanting to tune in my intake and exhaust and a nice and fat 11:1 ratio with about 19 or 20 psi.

 

The ECU has 3 timing curves; light, medium, and aggressive. What dictates which curve gets used is the amount of air that enters the engine. The ECU uses the more aggressive timing curves when the load is light. Under heavier loads (i.e. under boost), the ECU uses the least aggressive curve.

If you're using stock injectors, most likely your timing won't get too far advanced from using an AFC. However if you use larger injectors and you compensate for them using the AFC, you will end up tricking the ECU into thinking less air is entering the engine. This can possibly bump your ECU into using a more advanced timing curve.

 

I will be using stock injectors, so I won't have to worry about timing will I? Assuming reasonable boost and AFR's are used?

 

You really have to verify that with a logger. Guessing on something like this could have disastrous results. With your motor on the line, why not spend $150 and get a logger? www.pocketlogger.com

 

I have no issue with it, but when I was considering getting an SAFC I didnt know timing would even be a remote issue. The thing is I could drop 125 on the harness, 250 on the SAFC and 150 on the logger to figure out Im knocking and can't do anything about it, where as I could just get a flash and be done.

But there are a few things that drove me away from the flash in the first place that I would have to get over.

 

Timing probably isn't an issue since I know one guy out here running an AFC on 91 octane w/o issue. So I'm guessing it shouldn't be an issue on higher octane gas. Just watch out if you upgrade your injectors.

I went the flash route because I didn't want to buy all those tools and checking/adjusting my tune all the time. I was considering the UTEC for the longest time.