Things can get a little overwhelming when trying to decide on an EFI system for your build. Some units don’t support the right features if you’re building a boosted Outlaw engine or a nitrous fed Pro Mod build, and others may not offer the comfort features desired by many mild street projects.
FuelTech is a Brazilian based company specializing in high end motorsports-based electronics; creating products like full blown stand alone engine management systems (EMS), wideband controllers, low-z injector drivers, and data loggers. Their customers have a large presence across a wide variety of motorsports disciplines including drag racing, road racing, desert racing, rally, and marine.
For the past few years, FuelTech’s top tier Power FT standalone unit has been the FT500 and FT500 Lite. It has been a market leader in engine management systems across the globe thanks to its advanced features and easy to use user interface. This unit can be seen controlling many Pro Mod record breaking engines and even powering Shawn Ellington’s world famous Chevy Nova, which you may recognize as the Murder Nova from the Street Outlaws television series.
While FuelTech is proud of the success seen by the Power FT platform so far, ever since its initial release their engineers have been diligently working on the next generation of engine management. All of their hard work has finally paid off and FuelTech has officially released the FT600, the successor to their current EMS line. The FT600 is capable of catering to the individual needs of an aggressive street build, a 3,000+ horsepower drag monster, and everything in between (X275, Outlaw, Heads-Up, Radial, Outlaw 8.5, bracket racing, etc).
If you already own the FT500 and want to upgrade but are worried about compatibility with your current tune that you’ve worked so hard on, have no fear, the FT600 is reverse compatible with all FT500 maps. It’s as simple as opening the file in FT Manager, making your adjustments (if needed), and then loading the file onto the unit.
The FT600 borrows all of the awesome features available in its FT500 predecessor, such as live map tuning directly from the in-car touch screen unit or from a laptop using the FT Manager software, internal data logging with adjustable logging speeds from 20 to 250 Hz, customizable launch control maps, boost control, nitrous maps with individual tables for up to six stages, and even wheelie control based on height and inclination sensors, just to name a few.
Beyond those shared features, the team at FuelTech worked tirelessly to redesign this unit and integrate controls that would truly be a drag racers dream. A high-precision accelerometer and gyroscope were also included to incorporate a G-meter, lateral G-force, yaw and pitch function directly into the unit’s internal data logger, which is extremely important to accurately set up traction control, power management, and suspension tuning.
The features found in their GearController unit were also programmed directly into the FT600. When used with a strain gauge sensor at the shifter, the user can even set gear-based ignition cuts for no-lift-to-shift with dogbox style transmissions.
One of the best features exclusive to the FT600 is the new 68-pin connection, adding an additional nine inputs and an additional 12 outputs over the FT500, for up to 20 external sensor inputs and a total of 32 outputs; making it very difficult to run out of ports even for a high powered drag racing build.
The aluminum body and connectors have a watertight seal to prevent water damage, and the dashboard was designed for better visibility and access to information that racers need quickly, which can now even be used as a full replacement instrument cluster; even adding a configurable 10 LED system for use as a progressive shift light, and four additional front facing LEDs for use as customizable warning lights for various sensors.
The FT600 is definitely the new flagship of the EMS world. FuelTech has added so many awesome features that it offers everything needed by any form of motorsports, from a professional race team requiring high resolution 3D maps for precision tuning, to enthusiasts with a street driven monster still requiring closed loop fuel control. The unit is bright, colorful, user friendly and fast, allowing for racers to view more information at once, access it, and make map adjustments much faster than ever before.