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SCT X4 Tuning!
- Thread starter Medotechinc
- Start date
try and find a reputable race shop in your area. look for places that do aftermarket work on GT-Rs, Subarus, BMWs, or anything with a big tuner community behind it. More and more people are using HPTuners. HPTuners can even recommend shops. the process for installing a tune is pretty much the same no matter the vehicle. if you find a reputable shop, just give them your device and have them show you how to do it. its literally a 15 minute job with a computer. Adam (ZFG) does all the hard work. All they need to do is load the tune to the vehicle and his instructions will tell them everything they need to do that is Explorer specific.
you should first read the instructions about how to do it. its way easier than you might think and pretty hard to screw up. you can't really "brick" your car unless you yank the device out of the OBDII port during the middle of a write and even then i think it might just revert to the stock written file.
you should first read the instructions about how to do it. its way easier than you might think and pretty hard to screw up. you can't really "brick" your car unless you yank the device out of the OBDII port during the middle of a write and even then i think it might just revert to the stock written file.
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Installed the SPD down pipes today...........
Yep! Well there goes my relationship with my neighborhood lol.
Sound level has increased substantially on cold start and WOT.
Sounds like the rear windshield is rattling for goodness sake.
It's raining hard so I cant really test out the power increase today.
I don't think this is manageable over the winter months when we hit -25 to -30 C up here in Canada.
A guy I met said to install a valve management system which you can control via remote control.
Anyone heard or used one on the ST before by chance?
He put one on his 2015 Mustang GT. With the valves closed the exhaust is quiet but opened its crazy loud.
So if anyone is wondering, I have Borla Atak with custom X-pipe which replaced the mid resonator and now SPD down pipes and on a day the temperature says approx 10 degrees Celsius, the ST is almost unbearable. Still love it though lol.
Yep! Well there goes my relationship with my neighborhood lol.
Sound level has increased substantially on cold start and WOT.
Sounds like the rear windshield is rattling for goodness sake.
It's raining hard so I cant really test out the power increase today.
I don't think this is manageable over the winter months when we hit -25 to -30 C up here in Canada.
A guy I met said to install a valve management system which you can control via remote control.
Anyone heard or used one on the ST before by chance?
He put one on his 2015 Mustang GT. With the valves closed the exhaust is quiet but opened its crazy loud.
So if anyone is wondering, I have Borla Atak with custom X-pipe which replaced the mid resonator and now SPD down pipes and on a day the temperature says approx 10 degrees Celsius, the ST is almost unbearable. Still love it though lol.
Well I knew by the feedback throughout the forum that the sound would increase but it didn't seem like the increase would be as drastic as it actually is...maybe I just assumed the increase in exhuast level would be a bit less than it is. If I were to scale it from 0 - 10 (10 being the loudest) I'd say its a 9 - 10 now. Before I'd say it was a 7.
The valves being opened as I mentioned make the car louder yes but when closed it's much more tolerable. opened its a 10 out of 10, closed its a 5 out of 10 at least on his setup.
I guess Ford didn't bother with this system because the ST doesn't come with a loud exhaust to begin with so there was no need for one. I'm hoping a local shop can help me out and fit one in for me at least over the winter months so the cold start isn't as bad because right now its insanely loud. The exhaust tone does sound absolutely amazing though I will say that.
Tks.
The valves being opened as I mentioned make the car louder yes but when closed it's much more tolerable. opened its a 10 out of 10, closed its a 5 out of 10 at least on his setup.
I guess Ford didn't bother with this system because the ST doesn't come with a loud exhaust to begin with so there was no need for one. I'm hoping a local shop can help me out and fit one in for me at least over the winter months so the cold start isn't as bad because right now its insanely loud. The exhaust tone does sound absolutely amazing though I will say that.
Tks.
You are either going to need to remove the x-pipe and reinstall a resonator (or two), or just dump the Borla all together and get a different exhaust. For the downpipes, you *may* be able to absorb some of the vibration by installing rubber bushings between the downpipe bracket and the OEM bracket. Not sure how effective it would be, but could help a little.
Ya thanks for the advise. I recall seeing this posted somewhere else regarding the rubber bushings. I do hear a lot of vibration now which seems to be more from the rear windshield.
I guess going back to the mid Borla resonator is the cheapest and quickest fix for now.
Just dont want to because I spent around 450 for that X pipe lol.
I wouldn't mind a valve management system though. I think it would be good to have to avoid the bolt on/offs of resonator and such.
Thanks for the suggestion though
I guess going back to the mid Borla resonator is the cheapest and quickest fix for now.
Just dont want to because I spent around 450 for that X pipe lol.
I wouldn't mind a valve management system though. I think it would be good to have to avoid the bolt on/offs of resonator and such.
Thanks for the suggestion though
Honestly I would not mess with a "valve management system". It's just a butterfly valve, likely electronically operated, that is installed in the exhaust pipes. It will be a big restriction in your exhaust. Your best solution, and probably the cheapest, would be to install a muffler in lieu of the x-pipe. Don't get hung up on "I've already spent this money and want to salvage it". This thinking often leads to even worse decisions down the road. Fixing it the right way is the only way.
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As I interpret your post it seems you are thinking about the dump valve backward. The electronic valve essentially dumps exhaust (bypassing some or all of the internals of the muffler/s) when open. When it's closed it simply lets the exhaust run through the muffler/s. Where did you think the exhaust is going to go if you run a valve closed as in your description? In essence, you are running the valve closed without it ever being installed.
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No "dump" valve is going to help you out. If it's now too loud, keep your downpipes and reinstall the factory exhaust! Seriously, you wanted it louder, now it's too loud. I've posted again and again, adding any of these custom exhausts is not going to significantly affect horsepower at 500 or so. They just make more noise. What works for an N/A motor doesn't always work for a turbo engine despite all the advertisements to sell exhausts.
Well the valve system the guy has is more so for the cold starts. I want to mitigate the noise on the cold start. He has a remote control where he holds a button and it opens the valve inside the exhaust pipe.
This is just like the Ford Mustang GT 500 system! Same thing. When its closed his car idles really quietly but opened it gets louder obviously.
He can control how much the valve opens on the exhaust as well by pressing and holding the open/close button. So the more its opened the more noise it makes.
Are we all familiar with the Ford GT 500 "valve management system"? Maybe its the terminology here. I had an old Acura with a loud exhaust and I put a "silencer" on it and it was much quieter.
Instead of a silencer, they have these little plates that open and close inside the exhaust piping which impact the noise level from the exhaust.
It's almost like the little flaps work on a pulley system. You can control them via remote or via a button on the dash.
I will try and find a video of this for an example.
This is just like the Ford Mustang GT 500 system! Same thing. When its closed his car idles really quietly but opened it gets louder obviously.
He can control how much the valve opens on the exhaust as well by pressing and holding the open/close button. So the more its opened the more noise it makes.
Are we all familiar with the Ford GT 500 "valve management system"? Maybe its the terminology here. I had an old Acura with a loud exhaust and I put a "silencer" on it and it was much quieter.
Instead of a silencer, they have these little plates that open and close inside the exhaust piping which impact the noise level from the exhaust.
It's almost like the little flaps work on a pulley system. You can control them via remote or via a button on the dash.
I will try and find a video of this for an example.
We know how it works @Ford Guy . You're not understanding. You have installed a loud exhaust. The only possibility of a valve managed system would be to route the exhaust to a quieter system. You don't have a quieter pathway. Unless routing the exhaust through a single side would somehow acoustically quiet the racket.
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Yes butterfly valve is what I was aiming for sorry guys for the confusions. I just want something that will quiet the cold start and maybe lower the decibal level a bit while driving (valve opened half way) without reverting back to stock or anything else along those lines. I paid to have all of this so I want to keep it but make it more reasonable. Anyone try that before on their ST..probably not lol.
