Explorer ST Adapt-X Tune (OEM Octane Learning and drivability)

monstertuned · Oct 6, 2022

On 87 octane you'll be 10-15 hp over stock, but nothing crazy as you're limited by fuel quality. 10-15 hp will be hard to feel in a 4,700 lbs suv

Boss240 · Oct 6, 2022

Thanks for the quick response. Yeah I couldn't feel any difference between 87 and 93. I switched over to 87 and abandoned the idea of tuning after the gas skyrocketed lol. Gas has come down a bit and was thinking of tuning again. Do you only offer the autox tune or a dedicated 93 tune too? If you offer a 93 tune would you say the dedicated 93 tune provides more power over the adjustable one?

monstertuned · Oct 6, 2022

Boss240 said:

Only Adapt-X, there is nothing to gain with a straight 93 tune, our Adapt-X gets the most power the fuel is capable of. The OEM difference between 87-93 is about 35 hp because ford limits the power which is why tuning increases power, and additionally it takes 2 tanks to get the 87 out so it probably blended to like 90 octane, and even then the octane adjustment takes time it's not immediate.

Bosh · Oct 6, 2022

I assume even though you state it is not immediate, it is quite quick at adjusting and it is still immediately safe to hammer on if you want to because it's always adjusting as knock is sensed?

Do you have any dyno results for this tune? Just curious. Does it flatten the curves at all, and is the HP gain decently significant across the entire curve?

Thanks! I'm getting more and more curious and interested in this tune.

monstertuned · Oct 6, 2022

Bosh said:

If you're going from 93 to 87, I wouldn't just hammer it, that's not even our tune, oem is the same, it takes 15 minutes of driving for fuel to mix and then maybe another 10 minutes for octane to fully adjust.

I don't have any dyno results for sharing, testing was done on a mainline hub dynometer for development but we don't usually post graphs because a dyno is a tool to measure from a baseline number so comparing numbers isn't usually accurate unless you baselined before you changed anything and are using weather correction (SAE), most dyno operators don't turn on SAE and use the STD which isn't correcting for conditions. This is why are numbers or quoted in crank hp.

Bosh · Oct 19, 2022

I believe I saw some other tuners can also make it so you can always see which gear your vehicle is in within the gauge cluster area. Do you have the ability to do things like that as well in tandem with your adapt-x tune?

I just recently got my Explorer ST and winter is coming up quickly so I will keep you in mind come spring when I am sure I will be excited to pick a tune. Thanks!

monstertuned · Oct 19, 2022

Bosh said:

It really depends, you're talking about the firmware of the rom, the actual source code that makes up the software on the ecu. You are essentially taking a rom designed for a certain trim/package and then flashing that to a vehicle that to a vehicle that didn't have that same rom.

If one trim package offers it and the other doesn't, that's a "strategy code" change and an entirely different rom file. I typically like to keep the same rom the ecu came with and then apply our changes that make up the tune. This is why mustang owners lose their drive modes with some tuners because some tuners rather send out 1 file for all ecu's vs. having a patch file for each rom individually.

TLDR, if your current rom doesn't have it then you won't have it with Adapt-X, I like to be as least invasive as possible. The goal of Adapt-X is too keep as many tables factory as possible, less is more. I only touch what I need to touch to increase power.

Bosh · Nov 17, 2022

Hi again!

I was curious if you heard about the Ford Performance Tune and what you think the benefits of your tune are over that one? You may need more time to see what the FP tune really has to offer in real-world data so no rush but would love to hear your thoughts.

monstertuned · Nov 17, 2022

Bosh said:

There isn't really any comparison to be honest. The FRPP tune advertises a 30 HP gain at the crank, while the Adapt-X on 93 octane is around 110 HP at the crank. This equates to roughly 5-7 mph trap speed gain in the 1/4 mile over stock depending on conditions.

monstertuned · Nov 20, 2022

Code: blackfriday will save 25% off the purchase of an Adapt-X tune

https://monstertuned.com/

This code only applies to tunes, not device bundles.

BLucas86 · Jan 24, 2023

monstertuned said:

I myself, like many other users quietly lurking this thread, NEED more than you are giving us.

Saying dynos are not accurate and then only giving us 2 anecdotal cases of “it’s good, I like it” doesn’t really cut it for the price you are asking. Your competitors all provide dyno evidence and/or dradgy evidence.

I love the idea of this and I’m very intrigued but I need more before I pull the trigger. I would highly recommend on some kind of evidence to showcase your claims. Please and thank you in advance.

monstertuned · Jan 24, 2023

BLucas86 said:

I'm sorry man. My development car was an AWD model and the dyno we use is RWD only.

There were dragy's from one of our customers, but the car was never unloaded and he always had roughly 100-200lbs of tools/equipment.

93 octane + intercooler/downpipes picks up roughly 7 mph in trap speed over stock
e50 with those same mods picks up around 12 mph trap speed over stock.

Baseline trap speed 99 mph with 200lbs weight + driver

If there's an Explorer ST that's RWD in the San Antonio area with an SCT device I will pay for the dyno session and provide our tunes free of charge.

bigcat1185 · Jan 24, 2023

monstertuned said:

Wow!! Someone take up this killer offer.

AtlasBlue2022 · Jan 25, 2023

Sometimes it not all about numbers. Sure, the numbers would show how much of an improvement in power your vehicle gained & that you did gain something for your money, but most ppl drive these vehicles daily and a lot of project vehicles that are making gobs of power are no longer daily driving friendly. What I like behind the idea of this tune is when scurrying around town you maintain the stock factory feel and it’s not until you go WOT that you’ll feel it. How much time do most of us,

, actually spend at WOT anyways? This tune isn’t for every1. If maximum power output is what you value over daily driving comfort there are other options out there.
That being said, some1 please take these guys up on their offer of free dyno runs and free tunes so we can see what kind of numbers to expect.

Liver · May 1, 2023

{Bump} was following the thread and just like others it peaked my interest. Anyone in the community whom opted to go with Monster tune can provide further insight and/or feedback?

Flyman · May 2, 2023

I didn't even know this was an option. Thanks for the bump.
Would love to hear more opinions from the EXST wise men, as I am going to choose a tune soon.
Thanks to all who contribute. I've learned so much just reading threads.

MadMTNBikerNC · May 10, 2023

I installed the Monster 93 octane tune last year, it works very well and was easy to install. Since then, I haven't had any problems with it at all, unfortunately I don't have any data from a draggy or a track to show how well it works. I would take Monster up on the testing offer but San Antonio is a little too far for me to go.

monstertuned · 2026-04-22T11:34:04-0500

Hey Guys,

I haven't logged in here in years, I'm super sorry.

I just wanted to update that I've been redoing the explorer st tunes with my new 2025 tuning strategy and its been paying off.

Here's we're shaving a full second off 60-100 with no mods done to explorer st at all and 93 pump gas. Its really making all it can. Explorer is 100% stock tune only. One of my customers from the fiesta days bought an explorer st and is helping me refresh the old tunes.
Runs are 12 minutes apart, same road, same direction.

Kom = 1.00 for both runs, I created a stock file for him to run that auto defaulted to best learned octane value for apples to apples dragy runs.

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Explorer ST Adapt-X Tune (OEM Octane Learning and drivability)

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