How Fast Is a Tuned 2026 F-150 3.5 EcoBoost on E50? Joe Went From 12.96 to 11.51
Joe S.'s 2026 F-150 XL 3.5 EcoBoost from Martinsburg, West Virginia.
Customer story · 2024-2026 F-150 3.5L EcoBoost
Joe's 2026 F-150 XL 3.5 EcoBoost ran a 12.96 quarter mile stock. He told us he wanted an 11-second truck, and I told him that would be a stretch on the stock intercooler. He ran 11.98 the first weekend on our E50 PR-X, and he's been chipping away at it ever since.
The short version
- The truck: 2026 F-150 XL with the 3.5L twin-turbo EcoBoost and 10-speed, factory turbos
- The tune: MPT E50 PR-X, loaded with his SCT BDX
- Stock best: 12.96 in the quarter mile
- Track best: 11.600 at 115.08 mph on a timeslip, factory intercooler
- Best Dragy pass: 11.51 at 116.63 mph after adding a CVF intercooler
- 0-60: 3.45 seconds on that same pass
- Gain: 1.45 seconds quicker than stock in the quarter mile
- In his words: “Brother, you got good sauce.”
Watch Joe's 11.51 pass
Joe's 2026 F-150 3.5 on the MPT E50 PR-X: 11.51 at 116.63 mph on Dragy.
Can a 2026 F-150 3.5 run 11s on the stock turbos?
Joe ordered one tune for his 2026 XL: our E50 PR-X. On his tune form he listed a stock truck with stock tires and gears, a 36-gallon extended-range tank, and one request: turn off auto start-stop. Then he called and told us what he was really after. He wanted an 11-second quarter mile.
I'll be honest, I didn't think it was going to happen. The 2026 3.5 has smaller turbos than some earlier trucks, and the factory intercooler heat-soaks fast. When I sent his file, I told him:
“If this truck still has the stock intercooler, it is going to struggle big time to make power. 11 seconds on the 26 with the smaller turbos is going to be a stretch.”
Mike Thornhill, MPT
He wrote back that the truck was bone stock. His best before the tune was a 12.96. Boy, did he prove me wrong.
How did the first weekend go?
Joe loaded the E50 PR-X that same evening, and his first runs weren't exactly lab conditions. The truck was heat-soaked from the drive home from dinner, his 150-pound son was riding along, and the bed still had the family's beach gear in it.
“I forgot, wife got wagons, tents we had for the beach, chairs, car seat in. Easy 100 pounds. Brother, you got good sauce.”
Joe S., Martinsburg, West Virginia
I've been called a lot of things. “Good sauce” is a new one. I'll take it.
Three days later he sent a 12.04, then an 11.98, then an 11.91 with a 3.60-second 0-60. That last one was on the E50 PR-X base tune, before a single revision.
“Congrats on getting that 11. Guess it was easier than I thought.”
Mike Thornhill, MPT
“Truck feels awesome... trans feels great... it got way more 60 ft.”
Joe S.
How did Joe keep getting faster?
This is where the 90 days of data log support comes in. Joe sent logs, and I made small changes based on what the truck was actually doing. Each revision was a tweak, not a rewrite.
The v2 file changed the wide-open-throttle shifts. A newer data logging setup gave us more detail to work with. A later revision brought the 1-2 shift a few hundred rpm earlier and made the rest of the shifts a little quicker.
“Shifts feel really good... she makes steam. I'm happy.”
Joe S.
The one thing holding it back was heat. In his early logs, intake air temps climbed to 150°F on the factory intercooler, and that's power left on the table. He's also launching on the street with only around 5 psi of boost, because anything more and the tires just spin.
Joe's quarter-mile times, run by run
| When | Setup | 1/4 mile (sec) | MPH | 60 ft | 0-60 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock | Joe's best before tuning | 12.96 | |||
| Sep 21 | E50 PR-X base tune (Dragy) | 11.91 | 113.29 | 1.76 | 3.60 |
| Sep 24 | E50 PR-X v2 (Dragy) | 11.82 | 113.92 | 1.72 | 3.50 |
| Oct 8 | E50 PR-X v2 (Dragy) | 11.68 | 113.20 | 1.72 | 3.52 |
| Oct 23 | E50 PR-X v3, drag strip timeslip, factory intercooler | 11.600 | 115.08 | 1.623 | — |
| Nov | E50 PR-X v3 + CVF intercooler (Dragy) | 11.51 | 116.63 | 1.69 | 3.45 |
Dragy is a GPS timer, so treat those runs as close estimates. The 11.600 is from a real drag strip timeslip. Weather matters too: the 11.51 came on a 43°F morning, and cold air helps any turbo truck.
Tap any screenshot to see it bigger.
What did it run at the drag strip?
On October 23rd Joe took the truck to the track, and the timeslip says 11.600 at 115.08 mph with a 1.623 sixty-foot. He told us the truck weighed in at 5,110 pounds with him in it. He took the win light that round too.
A 5,110-pound pickup running 11.6 at the track. A few years ago, that would have started some arguments.
What changed with the CVF intercooler?
That 11.600 was Joe's best on the factory intercooler. Next he added a CVF Titan v2 intercooler from CV Fabrication and kept everything else the same: same E50 PR-X file, same setup. On a 43°F morning he ran 11.51 at 116.63 mph, with a 1.69 sixty-foot and a 3.45-second 0-60.
Joe doesn't think he's done, either. He figures the same tune and setup can beat the 11.51 once he gets better air, meaning a lower density altitude.
The intercooler helped even on a cool 43°F morning, but where it really shines is hot weather. It keeps intake temps under control, and as heat goes up, power goes down.
A big thank-you to the crew at CV Fabrication (CVF) for the Titan v2 and for helping push Joe even faster. Their intercooler plus the same MPT E50 PR-X file put an 11.51 ET quarter mile on the board.
Same file, cooler air going in. That's the whole recipe.
What does a 2026 F-150 3.5 make on E50?
Joe strapped the truck to a Dynojet with the E50 PR-X loaded. His two pulls showed 535.67 and 538.66 horsepower, with 580.11 and 601.23 lb-ft of torque. He didn't dyno it stock, but compared to roughly 380 hp for a stock 2026 3.5, that's about 158 more. For reference, our dyno-tested 2024-2026 3.5 calibrations add over 100 horsepower and over 100 lb-ft on 93 octane, and ethanol makes more.
What Joe says about MPT
Joe's had more than one vehicle tuned by us, so he isn't new to this. Here's the review he left after that first 11:
“MPT is hands down the best company I know for tuning... I have had several vehicles tuned by MPT and the drivability is so refined, from shifting to acceleration and deceleration, and a smooth idle is key. And their tech support is always on point if there's any troubleshooting. From sales to tech to the calibration, they're hands down a 5-star company. First tune, no revision yet, 11.91 speaks for itself. Tune only, E50 PR-X. Stock best 12.96 before tuning.”
Joe S., 5-star review
What other 2024-2026 F-150 3.5 owners say
Joe's not the only one timing his truck. These came from other 2024-2026 3.5 owners.
“I got another Dragy time, and I'm running 11.91 and 3.7 0-60. I'm more than happy with it!... You guys did a great job.”
Matthew O. from Port St. Lucie, Florida · 2025 F-150 3.5 EcoBoost
“I'm very happy with how the truck feels. Power levels seem to be up, and it's running two tenths quicker in the quarter mile!”
Kevin G. from Oxford, New Jersey · 2026 F-150 3.5 EcoBoost
“This is my second truck I have had tuned with MPT. I have used other tuners, and hands down MPT is superior to them all and the only one I trust with my trucks. Instant gratification as soon as your foot hits the pedal, and it makes it impossible to want to drive anything stock after. Awesome work, guys!”
Brad B. from Aurora, Colorado · 2025 F-150 3.5 EcoBoost
Shop this combo
Here's what Joe runs from us.
MPT Tune
MPT Custom Tune, 24-26 F-150 3.5L EcoBoost
Custom files for the 2024-2026 3.5, with no PCM swap or unlock. Joe runs the E50 PR-X, and his file has been revised from his logs along the way.
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Tuner
Joe already had one. It loads his files, records the logs we review, and can take the truck back to stock any time.
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Service
Rush My Tunes (24-Hour Turnaround)
Moves your build to the front of the line, with files in 24 hours or less on business days. Joe added it and had his file the same day.
Shop it2026 F-150 3.5 EcoBoost E50 tune questions
How fast can a tuned 2026 F-150 3.5 EcoBoost run the quarter mile?
A tuned 2026 F-150 3.5 EcoBoost can run in the 11s. Joe S. from Martinsburg, West Virginia ran 11.600 at 115.08 mph at the drag strip on our E50 PR-X with the factory intercooler, then 11.51 at 116.63 mph on Dragy after adding a CV Fabrication intercooler. His best stock time was 12.96.
What is the MPT E50 PR-X tune?
The MPT E50 PR-X is our performance file built for a blend of about 50 percent ethanol. The ethanol in your tank needs to match what the file was built for.
What dyno numbers did Joe's 2026 F-150 make on E50?
Joe's 2026 F-150 made 535.67 and 538.66 horsepower, with 580.11 and 601.23 lb-ft of torque, on two Dynojet pulls with the E50 PR-X loaded. He didn't dyno it stock, but compared to roughly 380 hp for a stock 2026 3.5, that's about 158 more horsepower.
Does the stock intercooler hold back a tuned 2026 F-150 3.5?
The stock intercooler does hold back a tuned 2026 F-150 3.5 once it heat-soaks. In Joe's early logs, intake air temps reached 150°F, which pulls power. His best on the factory intercooler was an 11.600 timeslip, and after adding a CV Fabrication intercooler he ran 11.51 on the same E50 PR-X file.
Do I need to send data logs after installing an MPT tune?
You don't need to send data logs, but they're how we fine-tune your file. Every MPT tune includes 90 days of data log support and revisions. Joe sent logs after each change, and on the factory intercooler his Dragy times dropped from 11.91 to 11.68.
Can MPT turn off auto start-stop on a 2026 F-150?
MPT can turn off auto start-stop on a 2026 F-150. Joe asked for it on his tune form, and it's one of the options on our 2024-2026 3.5 tune.
Do I need a PCM swap or unlock to tune a 2026 F-150 3.5?
You don't need a PCM swap or unlock to tune a 2024-2026 F-150 3.5 with MPT. The tune loads through the OBD2 port with a supported tuner, like the SCT BDX Joe uses.
Want to see what your 3.5 can run?
Tell us how you drive and what fuel you can get, and we'll build around it the way we did for Joe. Questions first? Call 407-636-7077 or email us.
Shop the 24-26 F-150 3.5 EcoBoost tuneDownload the PDF: Joe's 2026 F-150 3.5 story
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