Hello from NE OH

[Sublime_shooter]

Hey Everyone!  Like most, I'm here because I'm interested in adding a bit of power to my ecoboost and finding information vs garbage is a taxing process...  My daily driver used to be an 04 F350 which I spent a small fortune on over the years of owning it to make it quick. 12 second 1/4's quick. My drive to work changed and 90 miles a day wasn't practical with it so I offloaded it for a 16 Explorer Sport.

While the Explorer is no slouch, it feels slow compared to my old land yacht, so I'm looking into ways to give her a little more pep, and the smartest ways of doing it. Some of my gripes with the Explorer I'm curious if can be easily tuned out are, if I can give it rear wheel drive bias or at least 50/50 all the time and if the mode switch can be changed from say snow, to a track setting where traction control and what not is off, at the turn of a dial instead of 50 button pushes (or is that just sand mode).

Then there's which tuner.... Plug and Play is all I need for a daily, but I went from having my self convinced to use a tuner that's proprietary to an SCT where I can play with other peoples tunes and now I cant make up my mind.

Thank you for reading my short story and I'll see you guys here in the forums.

 

[SHOdded]

Welcome, glad to have you and your '16 XSport join us!  Have you already bought the SCT tuning device?  Which one do you have?  ATM, Unleashed, AJPTurbo, and Gearhead are your top choices for SCT tuners.

 

[glock-coma]

Hello neighbor, North Royalton/Parma checking in.
I have a mild AJPTURBO tune and could not be happier.
It’s been very reliable as a daily driver.

 

[Sublime_shooter]

Welcome, glad to have you and your '16 XSport join us!  Have you already bought the SCT tuning device?  Which one do you have?  ATM, Unleashed, AJPTurbo, and Gearhead are your top choices for SCT tuners.

I let my SCT go with the truck so I'll be buying a new device. Opinions on which device or brand are encouraged, but I am familiar with SCT and custom tunes however I'm new to the gasoline world, and the whats what and who's who within it.

AJP is localish and he seems very active on this board, so his tunes are definitely in my thoughts.

 

[Sublime_shooter]

Hello neighbor, North Royalton/Parma checking in.
I have a mild AJPTURBO tune and could not be happier.
It’s been very reliable as a daily driver.

I make my way to Parma every now and again (4wheelParts and Fatheads).  I'm like smack in the middle between Akron and Youngstown. I see in your signature that you're running a two bar MAP. What made you stick with the 2 instead of going with the 3 that seems ever so popular?

 

[glock-coma]

I did run a 3 bar for awhile when I had an unleashed tune.
When I was data logging Brad (AJPTURBO) ask what my expectations were and how serious I wanted to get.
I explained I wanted something that was reliable as a daily driver but wasn’t going to be a track beast by any means.
He deemed the 2bar adequate for my needs.
I seldom see boost spikes above 14.7 so the 2 bar works perfectly.

 

[sm105k]

Hello neighbor, North Royalton/Parma checking in.
I have a mild AJPTURBO tune and could not be happier.
It’s been very reliable as a daily driver.

I make my way to Parma every now and again (4wheelParts and Fatheads).  I'm like smack in the middle between Akron and Youngstown. I see in your signature that you're running a two bar MAP. What made you stick with the 2 instead of going with the 3 that seems ever so popular?

Because Brad can get almost a 3 bar tune out of a 2 bar.  He does a damn fine job. 

 

[802SHO]

Welcome aboard Sublime_shooter!  I think that ultimately whoever you choose will definitely wake your vehicle up.  Depending on your goals for the future.  I think propriety tunes are great and if you live within a reasonable distance then you can really do almost anything and get adequate support through dyno tunes.  For me personally I like the SCT software as it gives me more options for tunes and tuners.  I am perfectly happy with my tuner and feel no need to go else where but its cool that its still an option.  You don't need to strap down on a dyno for a bada$$ custom tune.  You don't need to travel anywhere other than your hometown and roads youre familiar with.  I feel like theres more freedom with that type of tuning software and its by no means less potent. 

 

[Sublime_shooter]

Welcome aboard Sublime_shooter!  I think that ultimately whoever you choose will definitely wake your vehicle up.  Depending on your goals for the future.  I think propriety tunes are great and if you live within a reasonable distance then you can really do almost anything and get adequate support through dyno tunes.  For me personally I like the SCT software as it gives me more options for tunes and tuners.  I am perfectly happy with my tuner and feel no need to go else where but its cool that its still an option.  You don't need to strap down on a dyno for a bada$$ custom tune.  You don't need to travel anywhere other than your hometown and roads youre familiar with.  I feel like theres more freedom with that type of tuning software and its by no means less potent.

My goals aren't all that lofty for this ride, Just waking it up and hopefully getting rid of some factory settings I'm not all that fond of. I agree with you on the SCT software, I've used it and I'm familiar with it. And... I'm pretty sure if I go SCT, I wont even try a canned tune. It'll be straight to a custom tune.


I've been looking and haven't found anything one way or the other about being able to change the mode switches (mud/sand/snow) to say a track preference or, if tuning eliminates these modes. 

 

[802SHO]

I went straight for a custom tune also.  I don't know about changing drive modes on your transmission to a track version.  That would be cool and I could see why you would want to modify it if you could.  Ask AJPTurbo if he's familiar with that type of change being doable or not.  He may be able to assist you with that or answer some questions.

 

[autobahn terror]

A friend of mine had the best results with "sand mode". This is still not a true 50/50 power bias, but it limits the traction control nagging to a high degree... Sorry for the anecdotal info, but I am pessimistic about the prospect of it providing any performance benefit other than that...

 

[PDSHO]

Welcome, enjoy your time here.

Greg

 

[ZSHO]

Welcome aboard the E.B.P.F Sublime shooter! Due Post Some PICS Of Your Newly Acquired X-SPORT @ your earliest convenience and Glad to have you on board.  Z

 

[Sublime_shooter]

Welcome aboard the E.B.P.F Sublime shooter! Due Post Some PICS Of Your Newly Acquired X-SPORT @ your earliest convenience and Glad to have you on board.  Z

Thank you, and I'll have to take some. In the meantime if you want to visualize it, It's silver with Nitto 420 rubber.

 

[ajpturbo]

Welcome aboard Sublime_shooter!  I think that ultimately whoever you choose will definitely wake your vehicle up.  Depending on your goals for the future.  I think propriety tunes are great and if you live within a reasonable distance then you can really do almost anything and get adequate support through dyno tunes.  For me personally I like the SCT software as it gives me more options for tunes and tuners.  I am perfectly happy with my tuner and feel no need to go else where but its cool that its still an option.  You don't need to strap down on a dyno for a bada$$ custom tune.  You don't need to travel anywhere other than your hometown and roads youre familiar with.  I feel like theres more freedom with that type of tuning software and its by no means less potent.

My goals aren't all that lofty for this ride, Just waking it up and hopefully getting rid of some factory settings I'm not all that fond of. I agree with you on the SCT software, I've used it and I'm familiar with it. And... I'm pretty sure if I go SCT, I wont even try a canned tune. It'll be straight to a custom tune.


I've been looking and haven't found anything one way or the other about being able to change the mode switches (mud/sand/snow) to say a track preference or, if tuning eliminates these modes.

Welcome Sublime!. I will say this, I can see the canned tune that SCT uses for the ecoboost and they are very incomplete and crude in my opinion and somethings just don't make sense to me. I would not waste your time flashing one to your car. I'd run stock or a custom tune.

The explorer has more drive modes so it is possible to do more with them but I would have to look at your specific strategy to see what could be done. But in theory you could set it to make one of the drive modes more aggressive among other things.

 

[Sublime_shooter]

Welcome aboard Sublime_shooter!  I think that ultimately whoever you choose will definitely wake your vehicle up.  Depending on your goals for the future.  I think propriety tunes are great and if you live within a reasonable distance then you can really do almost anything and get adequate support through dyno tunes.  For me personally I like the SCT software as it gives me more options for tunes and tuners.  I am perfectly happy with my tuner and feel no need to go else where but its cool that its still an option.  You don't need to strap down on a dyno for a bada$$ custom tune.  You don't need to travel anywhere other than your hometown and roads youre familiar with.  I feel like theres more freedom with that type of tuning software and its by no means less potent.

My goals aren't all that lofty for this ride, Just waking it up and hopefully getting rid of some factory settings I'm not all that fond of. I agree with you on the SCT software, I've used it and I'm familiar with it. And... I'm pretty sure if I go SCT, I wont even try a canned tune. It'll be straight to a custom tune.


I've been looking and haven't found anything one way or the other about being able to change the mode switches (mud/sand/snow) to say a track preference or, if tuning eliminates these modes.

Welcome Sublime!. I will say this, I can see the canned tune that SCT uses for the ecoboost and they are very incomplete and crude in my opinion and somethings just don't make sense to me. I would not waste your time flashing one to your car. I'd run stock or a custom tune.

The explorer has more drive modes so it is possible to do more with them but I would have to look at your specific strategy to see what could be done. But in theory you could set it to make one of the drive modes more aggressive among other things.

I'm going to make a final decision by the end of the week, but I'm leaning heavily towards the SCT. Summit Racing is a short trip away to buy one, but being an Authorized retailer and one of, if not THE go to tuner, would you be interested in quoting me a package deal?

 

[ZSHO]

Welcome aboard Sublime_shooter!  I think that ultimately whoever you choose will definitely wake your vehicle up.  Depending on your goals for the future.  I think propriety tunes are great and if you live within a reasonable distance then you can really do almost anything and get adequate support through dyno tunes.  For me personally I like the SCT software as it gives me more options for tunes and tuners.  I am perfectly happy with my tuner and feel no need to go else where but its cool that its still an option.  You don't need to strap down on a dyno for a bada$$ custom tune.  You don't need to travel anywhere other than your hometown and roads youre familiar with.  I feel like theres more freedom with that type of tuning software and its by no means less potent.

My goals aren't all that lofty for this ride, Just waking it up and hopefully getting rid of some factory settings I'm not all that fond of. I agree with you on the SCT software, I've used it and I'm familiar with it. And... I'm pretty sure if I go SCT, I wont even try a canned tune. It'll be straight to a custom tune.


I've been looking and haven't found anything one way or the other about being able to change the mode switches (mud/sand/snow) to say a track preference or, if tuning eliminates these modes.

Welcome Sublime!. I will say this, I can see the canned tune that SCT uses for the ecoboost and they are very incomplete and crude in my opinion and somethings just don't make sense to me. I would not waste your time flashing one to your car. I'd run stock or a custom tune.

The explorer has more drive modes so it is possible to do more with them but I would have to look at your specific strategy to see what could be done. But in theory you could set it to make one of the drive modes more aggressive among other things.

I'm going to make a final decision by the end of the week, but I'm leaning heavily towards the SCT. Summit Racing is a short trip away to buy one, but being an Authorized retailer and one of, if not THE go to tuner, would you be interested in quoting me a package deal?

Shoot him a Pm! Z 

 

[Sublime_shooter]

Welcome aboard Sublime_shooter!  I think that ultimately whoever you choose will definitely wake your vehicle up.  Depending on your goals for the future.  I think propriety tunes are great and if you live within a reasonable distance then you can really do almost anything and get adequate support through dyno tunes.  For me personally I like the SCT software as it gives me more options for tunes and tuners.  I am perfectly happy with my tuner and feel no need to go else where but its cool that its still an option.  You don't need to strap down on a dyno for a bada$$ custom tune.  You don't need to travel anywhere other than your hometown and roads youre familiar with.  I feel like theres more freedom with that type of tuning software and its by no means less potent.

My goals aren't all that lofty for this ride, Just waking it up and hopefully getting rid of some factory settings I'm not all that fond of. I agree with you on the SCT software, I've used it and I'm familiar with it. And... I'm pretty sure if I go SCT, I wont even try a canned tune. It'll be straight to a custom tune.


I've been looking and haven't found anything one way or the other about being able to change the mode switches (mud/sand/snow) to say a track preference or, if tuning eliminates these modes.

Welcome Sublime!. I will say this, I can see the canned tune that SCT uses for the ecoboost and they are very incomplete and crude in my opinion and somethings just don't make sense to me. I would not waste your time flashing one to your car. I'd run stock or a custom tune.

The explorer has more drive modes so it is possible to do more with them but I would have to look at your specific strategy to see what could be done. But in theory you could set it to make one of the drive modes more aggressive among other things.

I'm going to make a final decision by the end of the week, but I'm leaning heavily towards the SCT. Summit Racing is a short trip away to buy one, but being an Authorized retailer and one of, if not THE go to tuner, would you be interested in quoting me a package deal?

Shoot him a Pm! Z 

We are in communication, I'll be changing my sig line very soon.

 

[glock-coma]

 

[Sublime_shooter]

It was an experience, but I have a tuned explorer now. Just a heads up, don't get over  excited and use wifi to download a tune in a parking lot hours from home. The tune may not program correctly and then wont return to stock leaving your car immobilized with a no start because of an ECM communication error.

Then, being a weekend... you're stuck with SCT's email only support (which I promise you don't ever want to experience) only to find out hours and hours later over two days through 20 emails, 30 minutes to over an hour apart, (all the while being at your vehicle for all this in 20 degrees weather) that they wont do anything until you can call them during regular hours M-F. Now M-F 9-3 est. it's just a matter of having wifi, your tuner, and a laptop connected, so they can remote in and force a stock file download.