BRaptor Gets More BOOOOOOST!!!! | JB4 Device Install at 5 Star Tuning
BRaptor Gets More BOOOOOOST!!!! | JB4 Device Install at 5 Star Tuning
Let’s face it, we all knew this day had to be coming soon. In the true SVTP fashion we had to add more boost. The BRaptor had driven from MI to SC and now had about 1,200 miles on the odo. Truth be known, we had been planning this install with the guys at 5 Star Tuning for months. However, we didn’t know if this device was going to be compatible with the Bronco Raptor’s 3.0L EcoBoost engine.
The JB4 has a vert nice weather-sealed billet aluminum case and well sorted wiring. The install is very incognito.
Like many new Fords, the Bronco’s ECU is locked from the factory. That means outside of a few exceptions, custom tuning is not yet available. However, that hasn’t stopped the aftermarket from finding ways to increase performance. The 5 Star Tuning Crew crew have been installing Burger Tuning JB4 Devices, with great success, for quite some time now. So naturally we had to try out the JB4 on the BRaptor, and it worked perfectly.
This is basically the definition of ‘Boost in a Box.”
This install would have been a lot easier if all the surfaces weren’t at full operation temperature.
This is how the bluetooth antenna attaches. If you buy your JB4 from 5 Star Tuning you can skip this step, they take care of it for you.
The device itself is a simple plug-and-play piggyback device that just takes a couple minutes to install. Then we just had to download the app to control the device via bluetooth from a phone. The JB4 comes loaded with a plethora of different maps, which manipulates boost levels in a variety of ways, and allows you to take advantage of higher octane fuels. It also gives you the option to create your own custom map.
Changing the map is beyond simple.
So with the American made billet aluminum cased JB4 device installed, it was dyno time. All runs were made in 5th gear, to avoid hitting the relatively low speed limiter, and with a 10% load on the eddy brake. That would help the turbos build boost in a manner similar to being on the street. The tank was filled with 93 Octane pump gas, and we made 3 pulls with each map. We started in the basement with Map 0, which is completely stock, in order to get a baseline. It ended up making 362.6 HP and 399.6 lb-ft.
That was just the beginning. Just a few clicks on the phone had us into Map 1, which gives a mild increase in boost but a significant increase in performance. The result is 372.5 HP and 437.1 lb-ft.
Moving on down the line, it was time to move over to Map 2. Horsepower stayed basically the same as Map 1, but torque saw a nice bump. The result is 377.3 HP and 445.6 lb-ft.
Moving on up to Map 3, we had come to the tippy-top of what pump 93 and the factory intercooler could support. The result is 394.0 HP and 447.1 lb-ft.
We made a couple pulls with the JB4 set to Map 4, but didn’t see any significant increase in power. We had reached the point of diminishing returns based on the current setup. However, we aren’t finished yet. In the not-to-distant future we will be installing a prototype Whipple Intercooler. It represents a massive increase in both flow and heat rejection over the small’ish factory unit. Be on the lookout for that.
I know there aren’t a ton of Bronco Raptors out in the wild yet, but there are several standard Broncos here on SVTP. If you guys are interested in making some noticeable gains right now, give 5 Star Tuning a call. They have 4 or 5 Broncos as shop vehicles, and have a solid list of mods that really improve the performance drivability of these rigs.
