You had to know we weren't leaving this thing stock. The Bronco Raptor's 3.0L EcoBoost is the same basic architecture that has been responding well to tuning in the Explorer ST for years, so the question was never whether it would make more power. It was how much, and how easily.
Burger Motorsports' JB4 answers both. It is a piggyback controller that intercepts a couple of factory sensor signals, installs in about twenty minutes with hand tools, and gives you five power maps you can switch between from your phone. No flashing, no ECU unlock, nothing left behind when you pull it off.
We ran ours the same way we ran the JB4 on our 2.7L Sasquatch Bronco: install it, dyno every single map, then go find out what the numbers actually mean in the real world.
What the JB4 Actually Does
The JB4 sits between the factory MAP and TMAP sensors and the ECU. By adjusting what the computer sees, it raises boost targets and pulls more power out of the twin turbos without ever writing to the factory calibration.
That distinction matters for a few reasons. A piggyback leaves no flash counter and no modified calibration on the ECU, so the truck reads as stock. Ford's over-the-air updates don't fight it. And when you want the truck back to factory, you unplug two connectors.
The tradeoff is that a piggyback cannot touch transmission behavior, tire size, gear ratio, or auto start/stop. If you want those, you want a full flash calibration instead, and we cover that path in our Bronco tune and calibration guide.
Smartphone control and monitoring
Roughly 20 minute install
Leaves no trace when removed
Install Walkthrough
Plan on twenty to thirty minutes. Everything is accessible from the top of the engine bay and nothing needs to be cut except one grommet, and only if you want the OBD2 lead run cleanly.
What You Need
- The JB4 and any accessories you optioned
- Zip ties and a sharp knife
- Heavy duty double-sided adhesive tape, weather resistant
- 2.5mm Allen key, for the Wireless Connection Kit
- Small Phillips head screwdriver
- 7mm, 8mm, and 10mm sockets or wrenches
The Steps
- Disconnect the negative battery terminal.
- If you have the Wireless Connection Kit, use a 2.5mm Allen key to pull the JB4 cover so you can reach the Bluetooth adapter plug.
- Plug in the adapter and secure it with the supplied Phillips screws. Reinstall the cover and tighten the Allen bolts evenly so the seal seats properly.
- Decide how the OBD2 data wire will pass from interior to engine bay. There is a factory grommet you can slit just enough to pass the plug through, and it seals back around the wire. Leave plenty of slack.
- Using a 7mm and 8mm socket, loosen the clamp and bracket holding the intake tube at the top of the motor.
- With a 10mm socket, loosen the bracket covering the MAP sensor and move it aside. That is enough room to work.
- Unplug the MAP sensor harness, plug the JB4 harness into the sensor, then plug the other side of the JB4 harness into the factory harness.
- Reinstall the intake tube and bracket.
- Find the TMAP sensor, the inline sensor just ahead of the throttle body, and repeat the same process.
- Route the wiring somewhere safe and away from heat and moving parts.
- Pick your JB4 mounting spot and stick it down with the weather resistant double-sided tape.
- Mount the Bluetooth adapter with the same tape. Burger recommends not mounting it on metal.
- Plug the OBD2 harness into the matching connector on the JB4.
- Reconnect the negative battery terminal.
- Go for a rip.
Dyno Results, Map by Map
Day after the install we hit the dyno and ran every map the JB4 offers, starting with Map 0, which disables the device and effectively returns the truck to stock.
First thing worth saying out loud: drivetrain loss on this truck is brutal. Roughly 100 HP and 80 TQ disappear between Ford's crank rating and the rollers, which is not shocking on a nearly 6,000 lb four-wheel-drive truck wearing heavier wheels and tires than it left with. That loss is exactly why a device like this earns its keep.
| Map | Gain over previous | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Stock (Map 0) | 317 RWHP / 358 RWTQ baseline | Solid step up from the 2.3L and 2.7L Broncos |
| Map 1 | +15 RWHP / +50 RWTQ | How the device ships. Aggressive torque jump right off the line |
| Map 2 | +7 RWHP / +1 RWTQ | Modest, and IATs were climbing fast after the Map 1 pulls |
| Map 3 | +8 RWHP / +4 RWTQ | Let it cool first, still a small step |
| Map 4 | +16 RWHP / +15 RWTQ | Octane booster added to meet Burger's E30+ or race fuel requirement |
| Map 5 | +16 RWHP / +5 RWTQ | Another real jump, still at the push of a button |
| Total | +62 RWHP / +74 RWTQ | Stock to Map 5 |
62 RWHP and 74 RWTQ, from a device that installs in twenty minutes, gets controlled from your phone, and leaves nothing behind.
0-60 Testing
Dyno numbers are a controlled comparison. What most owners actually feel is the launch, so we took the truck to a closed course and ran it.
Stock, the best we could manage was 6.25 seconds. For a 6,000 lb truck on larger wheels and tires, that is respectable and about what we expected. We also knew it had more in it.
| Setting | Best 0-60 |
|---|---|
| Stock | 6.25 sec |
| Map 1 | 6.17 sec |
| Map 2 | 6.10 sec |
| Map 3 | 6.09 sec |
| Map 5 | 5.80 sec, three consistent runs |
| Map 4 | 5.72 sec, confirmed with a 5.78 backup run |
Map 4 beat Map 5 in the real world, which lines up with what the dyno sheet was telling us. Our read is that the factory computer is cutting timing and limiting torque on the most aggressive map during a launch, where Map 4 stays inside what the ECU will tolerate.
Either way, over half a second off the 0-60 from a bolt-on piggyback is a serious result.
0-60 Testing Notes
- For the stock runs we tried several drive modes and found Sport with traction control off produced the best times.
- Octane booster was added for the JB4 runs to support fuel quality on Maps 4 and 5.
- Runs were essentially back to back with no cool-down, so heat soak is in these numbers.
Which Map Should You Run?
- Map 1, pump gas, daily driving. This is where the device ships and where most owners should live. You get the single biggest torque jump of any map, +50 RWTQ, on fuel you can buy anywhere.
- Maps 2 and 3, pump gas, want a little more. Real but small gains. Watch your intake air temps, because they climb quickly on this truck.
- Map 4, E30 or better. Our best performing map in every real world test. If you are running proper fuel, start here.
- Map 5, E30 or better, dyno and top end. Makes the most peak power but did not launch as well as Map 4.
Where to Go From Here
The JB4 is limited by two things on this truck: heat and fuel. Intake air temps climbed fast enough during our testing to visibly flatten the gains between maps, which points straight at the intercooler as the next upgrade. Airflow is the other easy win.
Holds power across repeat pulls
Also available in semi-gloss black
Roughly 99% filtration efficiency
Removes the restrictive factory baffles
The tuning and the heat fix together
One part number, one shipment
If a full flash calibration is more your speed, Whipple's is worth a read. It changes transmission behavior, tire size, and gear ratio on top of engine power. We tested that one too, in our Whipple calibration for the Bronco Raptor write-up.
Keep Reading
Frequently Asked Questions
How much horsepower does a JB4 add to a Bronco Raptor?
On our own truck, 62 RWHP and 74 RWTQ from stock to Map 5. Map 1, the map it ships on, was worth 15 RWHP and roughly 50 RWTQ on pump gas.
Does the JB4 require a tune or a flash?
No. The JB4 is a piggyback that plugs into two factory sensors. Nothing is written to the ECU, so there is no flash counter and no modified calibration.
Is the JB4 detectable?
It leaves no flash record on the ECU and unplugs in minutes. That said, we are not your dealer and we are not going to make promises about what a technician can or cannot find.
Do I need E85 or race fuel for the JB4?
Only for Maps 4 and 5, where Burger requires E30 or higher or race fuel. Maps 1 through 3 run on pump gas.
How long does the JB4 take to install on a Bronco Raptor?
Ours took about twenty minutes with basic hand tools: 7mm, 8mm, and 10mm sockets, plus a small Phillips screwdriver and a 2.5mm Allen key if you have the wireless kit.
Which JB4 map is best for the Bronco Raptor?
Map 4 was our best real world performer, quicker to 60 than Map 5 despite making slightly less peak power. It requires E30 or better. On pump gas, Map 1 gives you the biggest torque gain of the pump-safe maps.
Will the JB4 work with Ford's over-the-air updates?
Because the JB4 does not modify the factory calibration, OTA updates do not overwrite it the way they can affect a flash tune.
Does the JB4 change transmission shifting or tire size settings?
No. A piggyback only affects engine parameters. For transmission behavior, tire size, gear ratio, or disabling auto start/stop you need a full flash calibration.
62 RWHP in Twenty Minutes
Five maps, phone control, and nothing left behind when you take it off. The JB4 is the easiest real power the Bronco Raptor 3.0L will ever see.
