Hello everyone! Today we will be going over why remote tuning is the best option when it comes to PCM tuning. Enjoy!
Different Types of PCM Tuning
Piggyback Tuner
Currently the only option to tune the 2025 Explorer ST until custom tuning is unlocked, is a piggyback tuner in the form of the JB4 piggyback tuner. A piggyback tuner intercepts sensor signals and modifies them before sending the signal to the ECU, which can result in more power. Unlike a full ECU remap, piggyback tuning does not alter the ECU’s original programming, and therefore does not reprogram the stock transmission’s weird shifting. I don’t recommend the a piggyback tuner, it doesn’t have big gains and doesn’t change transmission behavior.
Canned Tunes
Canned tunes are a pre-programmed generic file made for the vehicle, and tend to be very conservative. The Ford Performance tune is an example of a canned tune. Not a good option at all, as the tune is not tailored to your vehicle, and the tuning won’t make a huge difference as a canned tune will tend to be very conservative to have a safety zone due to it not being unique to each vehicle.
Dyno Tuning
Probably the most well known form of tuning, is dyno tuning. Dyno tuning is when the tuner is physically with the vehicle (usually at least), and the car is on a dynometer. The tuner will go through the tuning process, tuning the vehicle with the data the dyno provides. While it is a decent choice if the shop deals with these cars often, most times the local shops aren’t very experienced in tuning the ExST, so their results won’t compare to those by the tuners that deal with these cars often. Also, most people may not have a dynometer near them.
A dyno tune can also be done remotely by one of the experienced tuners, where you’re datalogging on the dyno, and the tuner remotely tunes the vehicle. It is a great choice, but not as good as datalogging on the street and having your tuner tune off of that.
Custom Remote Tuning
And here we come to remote tuning, the best option to tune modern vehicles. Remote tuning is when the tuner is not physically with the vehicle, and has gained momentum as vehicles have gotten more technologically advanced. Tuners are able to see exact numbers for a wide variety of the vehicles information thanks to widebands, knock sensors, and quite a bit more sensors. The process for remote tuning usually goes as follows:
- Tuner sends a base file, you flash it on your vehicle via the tuning device
- You drive your vehicle around, collecting datalogs with tuning device connected
- You send those datalogs back to the tuner
- Tuner sends back updated tunes based on those datalogs
- Flash the new revised tune to the car
- Steps 2, 3, 4, and 5 repeat until the tuner is happy with the way the car is running
Why Custom Tuning is the Best
So while it may seem beneficial to have the tuner physically with the vehicle to tune it, this has not became true as of recently. Custom remote tuners like ZFG Racing, TunePlus INC., Goosetuned, and others are so good that the local tuners would not be comparable to anything that those tuners churn out. The remote tuners know these vehicles inside and out, have tuned hundreds of other ExST’s, and their reputation precedes them. There is no doubt whether they are a good tuner or not. Be sure to checkout our article on custom tuning, it gives the whole breakdown of the subject.
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Explorer ST Enthusiasts 