EcoBoost - Long term?

[mike837go]

Hi All,

I started a realistic search for a new truck this past weekend....

Looking for an SUV on a 1/2 ton chassis. Tahoe or Suburban from Chevy; Expedition from Ford; Still have to look at what RAM is offering.

I was very impressed with the turbo-V6 that Ford calls EcoBoost.

I tried using the search function here and turned up a whole lot of folks saying generally positive things within the context of the threads.

My daily driver is Ford Explorer with the 4.0L V6. And my chore truck is an F-350 with the 5.4 V8. Neither has let me down yet. So I'm a bit prejudiced right now. However, the last time I bought a car based on a wonderful experience with that brand, it was a borderline lemon that got sold after only 2 years of ownership.

So, to all the EcoBoost owners, how has the power plant been long-term? Issues with turbo lag? Problems getting things fixed? Stuff inside the engine failing because of the turbo? Electronic issues? Thrashing the transmission?

[RPreeb]

My 2016 (XLT trim) only has 3600 miles, not even to the first oil change yet, so I can't really help you much for longevity. I really like the truck, and I suppose there probably is some turbo lag, but the engine has enough power without the turbo that I don't really notice when the turbo kicks in. All I know is that it has all the power I could ever want, but for my uses it doesn't have to work that hard most of the time.

I get about 18 mpg for my daily driving, and I haven't towed enough yet to have a feel for what I'll get pulling my Feather.

[Mustang65]

I can only speak for myself. We had to order our truck, as the HD Payload/MaxTow on a 157" Wheel base was not to be found in 5 southern states.

2012 Ford F150XLT,
Super Crew,
EcoBoost w/3.73,
157" Wheel base,
HD Payload/MaxTow,
Bucket Seats ( A MUST FOR COMFORT)

We now have 60K on it, I take it in to Ford for the oil changes every 5K miles an for($39) they change the oil, measure the brake pads/rotors, check the tire pressure (nitrogen), rotate the tires, load test the battery, update and software that needs to be updated and top off all the fluids. I would be crazy to do all that myself.

So what issues did I have.... When we first got the truck in June of 2012 there was an existing issue (very seldom happened) with the EcoBoost engines. In very humid climates the engine would flat line at 3000rpm. You had to remove your foot from the accelerator and then step on it again, was not very safe when we were passing up a truck in a tropical storm heading to Miami for the 500 mile engine break in. After staying on Fords tail about it they admitted that there was a defect in the after cooler design that pooled water and when you accelerated.. well you can guess where the pooled water went. The installed a redesigned after cooler and we have had no other problems since.

The key question would be "Would I buy another EcoBoost?", the answer is it is the only F150 I would buy. The test was in the Rocky Mtns, where going up hill (6 - 7% grades) we went flying past the diesel engine trucks towing trailers the same size as ours. The last one had the spot next to us at the CG and was laughing at how were blew his doors off. He said when he gets home he is heading over to Ford to check them out.

How does DW like it? She loves the turbos and the 3.73 rear when she accelerates from a stop light with a guy trying to beat her to the end of his lane. HER QUOTE "NEVER HAPPEN DUDE!!" and smokes the tires

But the final decision is yours, good luck

Don

[bansai]

My 2012 has needed nothing but tires and oil since I bought it.

I love the motor in this truck. Little to no lag - it's a twin turbo design.

I was thinking about selling it this year to get a 250 or 350, but instead I'm probably going to trade in my daily driver (Ford Focus) and just use the 150 for everything in and around town. I can't see myself getting rid of it for a long time. Especially since it will be paid off in a few months!

[spoon059]

Lots of info is out on them. Earlier models had an issue with the intercooler. Fuel mileage isn't as good as Ford claimed. Get a later model and don't expect unreasonable fuel mileage, it should last you a long time.

[mike837go]

Originally Posted by spoon059

Lots of info is out on them. Earlier models had an issue with the intercooler. Fuel mileage isn't as good as Ford claimed. Get a later model and don't expect unreasonable fuel mileage, it should last you a long time.

Thanks for all the feedback spoon059, bansai, Mustang65 and RPreeb!

Yes, I will be buying new if I decide to go with 100% factory.

What I really want in a new truck doesn't exist. So I would wind up spending the same amount to have something built from 2 trucks and a whole pile of parts.

There is much to be said for a 3yr/36,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warrantee and 100,000 miles for the emissions & driveline.

Still have lots of research to do. Worrying about a turbo 6 vs. 8 is not on the agenda any more. Thanks again.

[smurfs_of_war]

I think I read it while browsing one of my multiple truck mags, a long term report was just done on a 220,000 + mile ecoboost that was still as strong as ever with only routine servicing and the expected wear items like ball joints etc. It's amazing what regular service intervals can do and keeping on top of small issues before they become large issues. I am not a Ford guy, but if I was I would certainly gravitate to the ecoboost now that I am seeing more and more reports of great long term survivability.

Sent from my SM-G925W8 using Tapatalk

[homer1959]

I would buy the exact F150 truck that I bought in 2014. However dont look at it to save fuel its almost identical to the 5.0 v8, the only difference ? You have tons of power , this little truck is amazing.

[bansai]

Related, due to the turbos in the truck, I fully recommend a high quality full synthetic oil. I know oil can be controversial in some forums, but with those turbos you want all the protection you can get and the full syn oils are just better. I seem to lose about a half quart between 6000 mile oil changes. No drips, it just eats it. Mobile 1 for me, but there are obviously other good ones.

Being at altitude, I never get the MPG on the sticker, I think I get about 17 in the city last time I checked. Not great for a V6, but really good for the V8 it out performs.

[homer1959]

I decided to go by the OLM , but only after 2 engine oil analysis. Both time the oil was still suitable for service even with a margin on TBN and TAN, since that time I get the oil change when I get the first warning from the OLM IIRC its around 10%

Originally Posted by bansai

Related, due to the turbos in the truck, I fully recommend a high quality full synthetic oil. I know oil can be controversial in some forums, but with those turbos you want all the protection you can get and the full syn oils are just better. I seem to lose about a half quart between 6000 mile oil changes. No drips, it just eats it. Mobile 1 for me, but there are obviously other good ones.

Being at altitude, I never get the MPG on the sticker, I think I get about 17 in the city last time I checked. Not great for a V6, but really good for the V8 it out performs.

[Mustang65]

Originally Posted by Mustang65

..... After staying on Fords tail about it they admitted that there was a defect in the after cooler design that pooled water and when you accelerated.. well you can guess where the pooled water went. The installed a redesigned after cooler and we have had no other problems since.

Ok, so after rereading my post I have one important change to make.. I said after cooler, I meant intercooler.. I was thinking of the Brandy Manhattan on the rocks that I am ready to have as the after cooler.

One additional point, I know that I do not get the best MPG anymore and I have narrowed it down to a physiological problem caused by the teenager hiding in me that loves to wind the engine up and listen to the turbos, where as I used to work the accelerator to move the trans to the next gear to get the most gas mileage... the current way is A LOT MORE FUN!

As for turbo lag, non existent. The 3.73 axle ratio helps that and a little brake torque at the line assists from a dead start. I wonder how it would work with a line-lock installed?

Don

[motorbreath]

The gen2 Ecoboost has both port and direct injection, this solves the carbon buildup issue that most DI engines have. Definitely consider the 2017 model year.

Originally Posted by mike837go

Hi All,

I started a realistic search for a new truck this past weekend....

Looking for an SUV on a 1/2 ton chassis. Tahoe or Suburban from Chevy; Expedition from Ford; Still have to look at what RAM is offering.

I was very impressed with the turbo-V6 that Ford calls EcoBoost.

I tried using the search function here and turned up a whole lot of folks saying generally positive things within the context of the threads.

My daily driver is Ford Explorer with the 4.0L V6. And my chore truck is an F-350 with the 5.4 V8. Neither has let me down yet. So I'm a bit prejudiced right now. However, the last time I bought a car based on a wonderful experience with that brand, it was a borderline lemon that got sold after only 2 years of ownership.

So, to all the EcoBoost owners, how has the power plant been long-term? Issues with turbo lag? Problems getting things fixed? Stuff inside the engine failing because of the turbo? Electronic issues? Thrashing the transmission?

[Sundancer330]

The 2017 models have the 2nd gen 3.5 EcoBoost with more hp and torque and 10 speed trans. Test drove the 16 and 17 models, didn't notice much difference in power but the new trans was real smooth. The 16 models have year end discounts up to $16,000 off MSRP and are going fast.

[Marcm157]

I was dead set against an Ecoboost for all the common reasons, more moving parts = more breakdowns,Turbo issues etc. This is my 4th F150 and they've all been 8 Cylinders before this one.

I am so impressed by the performance of this engine and echo all other comments regarding gas mileage, POWER, torque etc. I too was looking to upgrade to an F250 but will not give up this engine. By far the best truck I've ever owned.

Like Bansai, I change my oil every 6k regardless of what the computer says and I use only Full Synthetic Mobil 1 and Motorcraft Filters.

[seadeals]

I have 63k on my 2011 eco (first release in the 150). I had ZERO problems whatsoever until 60,000. I occasionally push it very hard (hammer down) to help with any of the carbon build-up... well that's a good excuse but it primarily puts a big grin on my face. At 60k, one of these exercises (an uphill on-ramp stomp) resulted in a misfire where it stumbles (I was first worried about transmission). The check engine flashes and goes away with no code. I could repeat it under high boost/load/fuel flow conditions.

After research, changing plugs solved the problem and helped performance. The eco plugs don't always last as long as the manual suggests. Earlier ones like mine can have carbon tracking issues and they now suggest tighter gap settings Han when they were built.

I have no mods to the intercooler (which really just worked too well on the first models allowing water condensation to be ingested-extinguishing combustion). To help carbon build-up going forward, I installed a dual valve catch can. We just did a 1000 mile round trip with the Jayco and it kept nearly 16 ounces (coke bottle) of milky oily crud out of the engine air passages.

The biggest concern for me is timing chain rattle. It has only happened 5 times and only when I haven't driven it for a few days and it is 20-30 degrees outside. There is an admitted design flaw with the four phasers and a TSB (16-0027) that changes them and the timing chain. It will be big money for me (out of warranty) if I have to do it. Engine timing becomes more and more off until it finally throws and engine code.

This is the worst of the worst from all I have learned with my 150 and the 2017s have fixed/tweaked ALL of these issues. That said, I would still ABSOLUTELY buy my same truck over again. The 6-speed trans is great. I have received advice to avoid he initial release of the upcoming 10 speed until bugs are worked out in the first year or two. Just when they start to get things dialed in they innovate from ground zero all over again. Regardless the net effects benefit performance and efficiency overall, so I can live with the occasional side effects.

[mike837go]

Going nutz here!


So, Ford's EcoBoost is a solid performer. Pulling my 19RD+50 gallons of water with a properly equipped 2017 Ford Excursion is very realistic.


But the absolute massiveness of a Suburban is intriguing....


I still have visit RAM, Toyota and Nissan dealers.

[schrederman]

My '11 F-150 with 5.0 V-8 was a good truck... mostly... but I was sure it wouldn't tow my planned (now done) TT upgrade, so I traded it off ahead of getting the bigger trailer. I've been a Ford guy since '98 and have had really good service out of all the Fords I've owned and driven for the company I worked for. But the F-150 had a transmission (6-spd) problem that Ford couldn't identify or fix. So I traded it before the warranty expired. Maybe they found that problem in later ones, but I didn't hear about it. Wow... a 10-spd automatic... Probably will be able to keep the Eco right in it's best torque range and be really good for towing. The only question there is will it hold up? As to the Eco itself, I believe Ford knocked that one out of the park. I didn't have much confidence that they would hold up over the long run but I guess they learned some things from their 6.0 diesel debacle and put them into the EB. If I had it to do over, knowing what I know now, I'd probably be driving an F-250 diesel instead of the Ram I have now. Good luck!

[bdreinv]

Originally Posted by mike837go

Hi All,

I started a realistic search for a new truck this past weekend....

Looking for an SUV on a 1/2 ton chassis. Tahoe or Suburban from Chevy; Expedition from Ford; Still have to look at what RAM is offering.

I was very impressed with the turbo-V6 that Ford calls EcoBoost.

I tried using the search function here and turned up a whole lot of folks saying generally positive things within the context of the threads.

My daily driver is Ford Explorer with the 4.0L V6. And my chore truck is an F-350 with the 5.4 V8. Neither has let me down yet. So I'm a bit prejudiced right now. However, the last time I bought a car based on a wonderful experience with that brand, it was a borderline lemon that got sold after only 2 years of ownership.

So, to all the EcoBoost owners, how has the power plant been long-term? Issues with turbo lag? Problems getting things fixed? Stuff inside the engine failing because of the turbo? Electronic issues? Thrashing the transmission?

Had a buddy who bought one new and pretty much was towing max for vehicle.Tranny over heats in slow traffic,engine over heats in the mountain grades.Two years later and 40000 miles sold it went back to diesel!Happy Trails

[Mustang65]

Originally Posted by bdreinv

Had a buddy who bought one new and pretty much was towing max for vehicle.Tranny over heats in slow traffic,engine over heats in the mountain grades.Two years later and 40000 miles sold it went back to diesel!Happy Trails

Could you fill us in with a few more details regarding the EcoBoost your buddy had?

What were the options?
YEAR?
Model XL?, XLT?, Lariat?, King Ranch?, Platinum?, Limited?
Regular Cab? Super Cab Super Crew?
4WD?
6 speed auto trans? Manual trans?
Rear axle ratio.. 3.15?, 3.31?, 3.53?, 3.73?, 4.11?
157" Wheel base?

HD Payload?
MaxTow? (or both?)

Thanks,

Don

[RPreeb]

Originally Posted by Mustang65

Could you fill us in with a few more details regarding the EcoBoost your buddy had?

What were the options?
YEAR?
Model XL?, XLT?, Lariat?, King Ranch?, Platinum?, Limited?
Regular Cab? Super Cab Super Crew?
4WD?
6 speed auto trans? Manual trans?
Rear axle ratio.. 3.15?, 3.31?, 3.53?, 3.73?, 4.11?
157" Wheel base?

HD Payload?
MaxTow? (or both?)

Thanks,

Don

I think it says a lot that his buddy was towing at the vehicle's max tow rating. That means he was probably overloaded on tongue weight, and maybe overloaded period. That was just looking for trouble, regardless of the vehicle specs. Tranny and engine both overheating, and despite that, he still drove it 40,000 miles apparently without any actual breakdown mentioned.

What that tells me is that if you want to risk it, the F-150 package will take abuse beyond what it's rated for and still survive. For me, that just adds to the potential upside.

On any given summer weekend I can drive up I-70 west from Denver and see MH's or TT/TV's pulled over with their hoods up, trying to cool off the drive train. No way to tell if those folks are overloaded, underequipped, or just unlucky, but it happens to all makes, and the odds are good that something was neglected in selecting a proper TV or the vehicle was overloaded beyond it's capabilities. There is a big difference between towing in the flatlands and towing in the mountains.