Why does everyone rant and rave about the EcoBoost?

[EddieWalker]

it is possible to get to some pretty good results if you stay in the 60-65 mph range. But once you hit the freeway and join the rest of the crowd running 75 mph mileage becomes the same as the rest of the half ton V-8s.

Around here, 75 is the posted limit on most highways with a few a little bit higher. The flow is always about 5mph higher then the limit with a few out there that don't get it and go even faster.

 

[TheGoose]

Raves: great low end and high end power. Fair gas mileage at low speeds.

Rants: $1700+ repair on a defective electric steering rack at 65,000 miles. Water in the intercooler, causing loss of power at highway speeds. A constant miss or rough idle condition. A drivers seat torn at 55k miles. Poor overall mileage 15-16 mpg.

 

[3930dave]

Good to know. My F150 with the 5 L is on a two year lease, which is up next October. When I get a new one, I want an Eco-boost, not only for the gas mileage, but also just for the sheer fun of it. I will only go for a two year lease again, so it is good to know that I don't have to worry about those higher milesge problems.

Apple stuffs a lot of technology into their phones, and has convinced many consumers to turn over their ownership quickly.

Other companies have taken note of Apple's financial performance.

Looking at expensive bills to de-carbonize DI motors can be a big incentive to move on to your next iTruck....



Rgds, D.

 

[turbo36]

2015 EB Super Crew with 3.55 - last run was 130 miles with the cruise set at 82 mph , the lie-o-meter hit 17.0 just as I hit the off ramp.

 

[HHR]

This summer I test drove a '12 ECSB 4x4 EB with 3:55 gears. The truck had 184K highway miles and the prior owner claimed to never drive the truck over 65 mph. Lifetime mileage according to the dash was 19.6 mpg. I reset it and drove it real easy on rural roads and some city traffic and it settled at 18.3 mpg.

 

[Cord]

So what is so great about a 3.5Ecoboost over a 5.0L Engine... From what i can see the ecoboost only has a couple advantages...
1 mpg better than the 5.0l
33 more pound feet of torque (at a lower rpm)
The 5.0l has
20 more horsepower,
and you can burn corn through it...
2016 Ford F-150 Full Size Pickup Truck | Engine Specifications | Ford.com

Neither will get over 15mpg, so don't concern yourself with mileage. If you drove 55 you'd hit 22. The big difference with EB is the midrange torque. It's just awesome. This really shows up when you are towing down the highway or want to try and pass.

 

[deerefan]

The limited experiences I have with the motor have been positive, but none of them hit the claimed mpg. The best iirc was 17mpg avg. Good power, very quiet. I pulled right at 11k lbs with one and averaged 9mpg. There is a competitive drag racer in our town that runs in a class limited to 302ci or less. He put a EB in his 91 Mustang, made some mods and runs high 9 sec in the 1/4 mile. My wife and I are looking at the Expedition EL with the EB and the Suburban, will probably purchase one in the next 6 months or so.

 

[LA Confederate]

Just over a year ago I was in the market for a new truck. I had carte Blanche to buy what I wanted and have never been overly brand rabid. I looked at them all and settled on the F150 with the EcoBoost. It was the most comfortable and roomier of the others and also had much more power. Also, as someone who has owned , driven, and modified diesels for the last 10 years the technology of the Boost didn't concern me at all. I've got to say that the Boost is about as close as you can come to a gasoline powered diesel as you can get. It tows every bit as good as my lightly modified diesels.

I'm not na?e enough to believe MPG claims. In my experience and based on my tracking spreadsheet, my average over the last 30k miles is around 16. Towing is generally around 8-12 depending on what I'm hauling and how fast I'm going. Unloaded I get about 17 running 75-80. With that said, I took the family on a road trip this summer from the Gulf Coast to Yellowstone and back. 5000 miles in 12 days. The best mileage was in WY where I was getting 22 hand calculated averaging 70 and even got 20 between Cheyenne and Casper running 85. Truck bed was fully loaded with gear and I do have a Bakflip tonneau cover. This was with me running 87 octane the entire trip.

Some mentioned condensation in the intercooler. It is a known problem in high humidity areas but there are some simple solutions. The easiest is to drill a small weep hole in the lowest point. Have had zero problems to date with the truck other than the soft and crappy Goodyear highway tires the truck came with.

Oh and it's a crew cab 5.5' bed 4x4 XLT with 3.55 gears.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Just over a year ago I was in the market for a new truck. I had carte Blanche to buy what I wanted and have never been overly brand rabid. I looked at them all and settled on the F150 with the EcoBoost. It was the most comfortable and roomier of the others and also had much more power. Also, as someone who has owned , driven, and modified diesels for the last 10 years the technology of the Boost didn't concern me at all. I've got to say that the Boost is about as close as you can come to a gasoline powered diesel as you can get. It tows every bit as good as my lightly modified diesels. I'm not na?e enough to believe MPG claims. In my experience and based on my tracking spreadsheet, my average over the last 30k miles is around 16. Towing is generally around 8-12 depending on what I'm hauling and how fast I'm going. Unloaded I get about 17 running 75-80. With that said, I took the family on a road trip this summer from the Gulf Coast to Yellowstone and back. 5000 miles in 12 days. The best mileage was in WY where I was getting 22 hand calculated averaging 70 and even got 20 between Cheyenne and Casper running 85. Truck bed was fully loaded with gear and I do have a Bakflip tonneau cover. This was with me running 87 octane the entire trip. Some mentioned condensation in the intercooler. It is a known problem in high humidity areas but there are some simple solutions. The easiest is to drill a small weep hole in the lowest point. Have had zero problems to date with the truck other than the soft and crappy Goodyear highway tires the truck came with. Oh and it's a crew cab 5.5' bed 4x4 XLT with 3.55 gears.

Your numbers are just about identical to mine.

Chris

 

[ultrarunner]

Wouldn't drilling a small weep hole open the door to emission tampering or warranty nullification?

 

[prs]

There is a teenager inside us all. ;-) Do not pull along side an eco-boost with your stock 5.0 at a stop light and challenge. You will lose.

If I tootle about and don't get stopped by too many long traffic lights, I get abut 24mph on normal 2 lane roads. My combined fluctuates between upper 17.? and lower 18.? MPG in mixed use where the interstate and other faster roads kill the fuel economy (above about 60mph it sucks). When towing it drops to range between upper single digits and lower double digits depending upon load and grade.

So what we need is an eco-boost V8 in the 351CID class ----------------- , maybe a retro single cab, short wheel base step side --- oh, oh, oh, OH, ooooo!

prs

 

[LA Confederate]

There is a teenager inside us all. ;-) Do not pull along side an eco-boost with your stock 5.0 at a stop light and challenge. You will lose. If I tootle about and don't get stopped by too many long traffic lights, I get abut 24mph on normal 2 lane roads. My combined fluctuates between upper 17.? and lower 18.? MPG in mixed use where the interstate and other faster roads kill the fuel economy (above about 60mph it sucks). When towing it drops to range between upper single digits and lower double digits depending upon load and grade. So what we need is an eco-boost V8 in the 351CID class ----------------- , maybe a retro single cab, short wheel base step side --- oh, oh, oh, OH, ooooo! prs

There's speculation of a V8 ecoBoost in the works. I'd definitely own one.

 

[LA Confederate]

Wouldn't drilling a small weep hole open the door to emission tampering or warranty nullification?

How? The intercooler is not part of the emissions system. The weep hole at one time was a recommended fix for the condensation issue from what I've read and it works and has zero chance of causing a failure as it is never under a vacuum at idle and pressurized at boost.

 

[crashz]

In July I switched moved to a new job and was given a 2014 F150 for a work truck. It is a 4x4, extended cab XLT with the 3.7 liter V6. Loaded with hand tools averaging 50/50 mix of city and highway driving in the Boston metro area, I constantly get 19.7 mpg, on the dash and verified by hand on occasion.

I'm genuinely surprised that the 3.5L Ecoboost does not trounce the 3.7 in mileage.

For what its worth, I really like the F150. Its a good truck, but the motor is pathetically weak. With the EB or 5.0, I bet this would be a great truck.

 

[ultrarunner]

How? The intercooler is not part of the emissions system. The weep hole at one time was a recommended fix for the condensation issue from what I've read and it works and has zero chance of causing a failure as it is never under a vacuum at idle and pressurized at boost.

Sounds like a simple fix... wonder why Ford has not implemented if this is a known issue?

 

[LA Confederate]

Good question. They have had several fixes over the years with varying degrees of success. The 2 most successful aftermarket solutions are a catch can, which is basically a separator for air and vapors, and the weep hole. I have a weep hole on mine which has been there since the week I got it home. There's definitely a residue below the location but I haven't experienced any issues as it blows any crud out the hole.

 

[charles todd]

View attachment 445900

Around here, 75 is the posted limit on most highways with a few a little bit higher. The flow is always about 5mph higher then the limit with a few out there that don't get it and go even faster.

Eddie,

Texas has better roads and high speed limits. I absolutely love driving in Texas. It just sucks crossing back into Louisiana and having to go from 75-80 mph to 55 mph.

I've heard some of I-20 west of Dallas is now 85 mph.

CT

 

[C4Ranch]

Anyone else seen a puff of black smoke come out of the ecoboost when they downshift? I've seen a couple do this when getting on the freeway.

 

[farm boy00]

Eddie,

Texas has better roads and high speed limits. I absolutely love driving in Texas. It just sucks crossing back into Louisiana and having to go from 75-80 mph to 55 mph.

I've heard some of I-20 west of Dallas is now 85 mph.

CT

Michigan highways are 70mph and beck l back roads 55mph

 

[HHR]

Anyone else seen a puff of black smoke come out of the ecoboost when they downshift? I've seen a couple do this when getting on the freeway.

Yes. And every one I have seen parked has had a sooty tailpipe. They run rich.