• Sign Up! To view all forums and unlock additional cool features

    Welcome to the #1 Explorer ST Forum and Explorer ST community dedicated to Explorer ST owners and enthusiasts. Register for an account, it's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the Explorer ST Forum today!


Best tune for 2020 Ford Explorer ST

Eric_Tilton

New Member
U.S. Army Veteran
Messages
5
Reactions
3
Points
2
Location
Louisville, KY, USA
Vehicle
202 Explorer ST
Thanks so much for the info, I reached out to Adam today and he got back to me in about 2 minutes and answered a ton more questions I had. I'm thinking of getting the Borla exhaust, Whipple IC and SPD downpipes along with the e50 and 93 tunes. Should give me around 475 HP.
More like 475hp to the wheels. Should be about 550-580hp to the crank with E50/E85. Even Livernois has a vid up of theirs on E40 and stock intercooler pulling off around 560hp to the crank.
 

LokiWolf

Active Member
Messages
580
Reactions
315
Points
182
Location
Henrico, VA
More like 475hp to the wheels. Should be about 550-580hp to the crank with E50/E85. Even Livernois has a vid up of theirs on E40 and stock intercooler pulling off around 560hp to the crank.
Like I have said before...Dyno data is useless except as a diagnostic. Proof is in the numbers on the street. ZFG 93 is capable of a faster 0-60 than a E30 LMS tune. Peak Dyno numbers don’t always equal the best time on the street...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 

Eric_Tilton

New Member
U.S. Army Veteran
Messages
5
Reactions
3
Points
2
Location
Louisville, KY, USA
Vehicle
202 Explorer ST
I can tell y’all without a shadow of a doubt...you need the Whipple intercooler if you wanna go fast. The stock one is a joke. View attachment 2140
Agreed on the intercooler! I’m on ZFG’s E50 with the Whipple intercooler and it made a huge difference. Power was dropping off before the intercooler.
 

Eric_Tilton

New Member
U.S. Army Veteran
Messages
5
Reactions
3
Points
2
Location
Louisville, KY, USA
Vehicle
202 Explorer ST
Like I have said before...Dyno data is useless except as a diagnostic. Proof is in the numbers on the street. ZFG 93 is capable of a faster 0-60 than a E30 LMS tune. Peak Dyno numbers don’t always equal the best time on the street...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
I’m on a ZFG E50 myself. Best 0-60 I’ve hit so far is 3.8, but a friend has hit 3.66. I only referenced the Livernois dyno run because it’s WELL above the 475hp mark. Agree 100% on the street/track times. Just as many factors change those street/track times also. My buddy running that 3.6 has the launch down to a science.
 

LokiWolf

Active Member
Messages
580
Reactions
315
Points
182
Location
Henrico, VA
I’m on a ZFG E50 myself. Best 0-60 I’ve hit so far is 3.8, but a friend has hit 3.66. I only referenced the Livernois dyno run because it’s WELL above the 475hp mark. Agree 100% on the street/track times. Just as many factors change those street/track times also. My buddy running that 3.6 has the launch down to a science.
That friend live in KC? I was the first to get below 3.8 on a Stock E50 Tune only ST, my best is 3.72. Still stock. Not sure if anybody has done better than that on a Stock ST.

#TeamZFG


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 

Messages
13
Reactions
2
Points
2
Location
Dallas, Texas, USA
Hey I'm new here...just picked up my ST 5 days ago...have about 175 miles on it. Even before I got it I was looking into possible tunes but haven't really found any information to help me decide which company to go with. Livernois, 5 Star, Palm Beach...how to decide?

Regarding the warranty conversation...couldn't you just put the stock tune back on before bringing in?
Too Tall,
Im not an expert but i can tell you that my sled "Blakout" is a beast. Its on an E50 Tune and we break hearts and crush dreams all over NTexas.
 

Messages
13
Reactions
2
Points
2
Location
Dallas, Texas, USA
Too Tall,
Im not an expert but i can tell you that my sled "Blakout" is a beast. Its on an E50 Tune and we break hearts and crush dreams all over NTexas.
You can but the jury is out on whether or not it leaves "footprints"
 

Messages
277
Reactions
444
Points
67
Location
Marinette, WI, USA
You can but the jury is out on whether or not it leaves "footprints"
Hp tuners does not leave a foot print, but it does reset the key Cycles since last start. That's what ford looks for.

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk
 

Messages
92
Reactions
49
Points
17
Location
NJ
Hp tuners does not leave a foot print, but it does reset the key Cycles since last start. That's what ford looks for.

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk
So if someone were to do a tune very early in the vehicle's lifespan, say 300 miles, and it resets the key cycles, if you bring the vehicle in for service at 10,000 miles without reverting to stock, would they be able to tell?
 

dvrmstrng

New Member
Messages
4
Reactions
3
Points
2
Location
Newark, DE, USA
So if someone were to do a tune very early in the vehicle's lifespan, say 300 miles, and it resets the key cycles, if you bring the vehicle in for service at 10,000 miles without reverting to stock, would they be able to tell?
Depends. If an experienced tech, who has driven 100 Explorer ST's, all of a sudden drives yours (theoretical) and it's making almost 500 wheel HP/TQ, they may do some further digging. I think most people would say try to revert to stock and cycle the ignition as much as possible before bringing it in. Although I am not sure how reasonable it is to start you car 500 times before taking it in for warranty work.
 

Cdubya

1000 Post Club
Messages
1,442
Reactions
699
Points
262
Location
NE Ohio
Vehicle
2020 Explorer ST
I don't think for regular servicing, that anyone cares if you have a tune. However, when your powertrain has a problem and you are looking for warranty coverage, you are SOL because they will certainly be able to tell if the calibration is not stock. Most will revert to stock calibration but then the key cycles will be abnormally low.
 

dvrmstrng

New Member
Messages
4
Reactions
3
Points
2
Location
Newark, DE, USA
I don't think for regular servicing, that anyone cares if you have a tune. However, when your powertrain has a problem and you are looking for warranty coverage, you are SOL because they will certainly be able to tell if the calibration is not stock. Most will revert to stock calibration but then the key cycles will be abnormally low.
So wouldn't someone in theory just; 1. Tow the car to their house assuming total engine or trans failure. 2. Flash the stock tune. 3. Do several hundred key cycles before having it towed to the dealer?
 

Jshaffer3819

Member
U.S. Army Veteran
Messages
471
Reactions
260
Points
37
Location
Kaiserslautern, Germany
So wouldn't someone in theory just; 1. Tow the car to their house assuming total engine or trans failure. 2. Flash the stock tune. 3. Do several hundred key cycles before having it towed to the dealer?
Great idea. That’s my plan.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

Messages
122
Reactions
94
Points
27
Location
Toronto, ON, Canada
The dealer probably isn’t the biggest problem. Ford has regional guys that look into warrantee claims he’s the guy that will be the issue. Then Ford will probably want the motor/trans sent to them to have a look. The have tabby problems so that may be easier to pull off. Haven’t seen a lot of motor failures yet my guess is they will want to look into that one You may be better beating the oil pan with a concrete black and telling your insurance company you ran over something lol.
 



Top