Eco-Boost opinions

[JasG]

Anyone have a F-150 with the eco-boost engine and if so what is your opinion of the engine?

 

[MossflowerWoods]

I have the Eco-Boost in our Flex limited. I love it.

My neighbor just left fo San Diego and deployent to Afghanistan but he bought a 4x4 F-150 eco-boost last spring and he LOVES it.

He tows a hardside dual axel trailer full of 2 Harleys, a quad, and 4 dirtbikes everywhere.

Good mileage, tons of power, smooth.

David

 

[Bob77064]

All the road tests that I have seen say good things about the ecoboost.

 

[s219]

I have been shopping for trucks and testing F-150s. It's definitely a powerful engine on par with a big V-8. But the gas mileage benefit is debatable. Based on what I am reading about the engine on Ford/F-150 forums, I think it performs like the typical turbo -- it will give you great gas mileage if you drive sensibly. But if you enjoy the power and have fun with the throttle, expect the gas mileage to really suffer (worse than a V-8). I have seen the same thing on several other turbo vehicles. You can take advantage of a turbo to either increase efficiency or increase power, all depending on driving style. This makes the engines a bit more bi-polar than a normally aspirated engine.

 

[deerefan]

Anyone have a F-150 with the eco-boost engine and if so what is your opinion of the engine?

If you search this forum, I posted some numbers towing between 9-10,500 lbs on a gooseneck trailer. Very strong for a V6.

 

[Diamondpilot]

My father has a Super Crew 4x4 Ecoboost with 3.73 gears. All I can say is wow. I have had 6 F-150's with the 5.4L, a 3/4 ton Dodge Hemi, and 4 diesels, 3 Ford and one GM. I currently have a 06 F-350 Diesel and a 08 Nissan Titan. While its no diesel its the closest thing I have seen.

Its the best thing I have driven since the Titan. I have only driven it once but been in it a few other times. The time I drove it my trip was 13 miles. It got about 18 mpg with stop and go and about 7 miles of 60 mph cruise set. During the 60 mpg portion it was doing 26 mpg. His average from since he bought it in May is right at 17.5 mpg and this truck has not been more than 60 miles from home.

I would have one today if I did not have my other two perfectly fine and capable trucks paid off. I did help him in ordering his with the options I wanted so maybe in a few years I can buy it off him when he is looking to trade.

By the way, I love the Twin Turbo V6. We also have a BMW 335I with the inline 6 cylinder 3.0L Twin Turbo. Look at the number for that car. Zero to 60 in 4 seconds, 1/4 mile in 12 seconds, and its averaging 25 mpg around town. Its a sleeper but a beast at the same time.

Chris

 

[deerefan]

My father has a Super Crew 4x4 Ecoboost with 3.73 gears. All I can say is wow. I have had 6 F-150's with the 5.4L, a 3/4 ton Dodge Hemi, and 4 diesels, 3 Ford and one GM. I currently have a 06 F-350 Diesel and a 08 Nissan Titan. While its no diesel its the closest thing I have seen.

Its the best thing I have driven since the Titan. I have only driven it once but been in it a few other times. The time I drove it my trip was 13 miles. It got about 18 mpg with stop and go and about 7 miles of 60 mph cruise set. During the 60 mpg portion it was doing 26 mpg. His average from since he bought it in May is right at 17.5 mpg and this truck has not been more than 60 miles from home.

I would have one today if I did not have my other two perfectly fine and capable trucks paid off. I did help him in ordering his with the options I wanted so maybe in a few years I can buy it off him when he is looking to trade.

By the way, I love the Twin Turbo V6. We also have a BMW 335I with the inline 6 cylinder 3.0L Twin Turbo. Look at the number for that car. Zero to 60 in 4 seconds, 1/4 mile in 12 seconds, and its averaging 25 mpg around town. Its a sleeper but a beast at the same time.

Chris

17.5 seems low for that truck. Is he doing some towing mixed in? I get 17.2 in my silverado 4x4 with 5.3, 3.42 gears.

 

[EddieWalker]

Seems like every time I read something negative about this engine, it's about how the mileage suffers under heavy loads or extreme conditions. I've also found this to be true with the big block gas engines and diesels, so I'm confused why it's brought up?

I'm also looking at this engine very seriously because of what it will be like to drive without a heavy load, and under normal, day to day conditions. Do the milage numbers add up under going to work, the store and running around type conditions? What is it like on a road trip?

My biggest concern is that it's a new engine, and how well it will hold up. I'm not one to spend thousands of dollars more for an engine to only get a couple mpg's more out of it's published ratings. And for $50 I can get a 40 foot tractor trailer to deliver what I buy at the lumber yard that will unload it and stack it with a forklift, so towing and load capicity isn't that big of a deal for me.

Eddie

 

[Diamondpilot]

17.5 seems low for that truck. Is he doing some towing mixed in? I get 17.2 in my silverado 4x4 with 5.3, 3.42 gears.

You have to remember that his average trip there and back is 4-5 miles. It also has 3.73 gears.

Set the cruise its right at 26 mpg.

Yes, some light towing. 7,000# and lower. Nothing for this rig rated at 11,300#

Chris

 

[hizoot]

My youngest brother just bought one...with every option available. List was over 50000.00. I believe he paid around 43000.00 He only has 1500 miles on it,so not broke in yet, but he is only getting around 15 mpg, but this in Dallas traffic

 

[deerefan]

You have to remember that his average trip there and back is 4-5 miles. It also has 3.73 gears.

Set the cruise its right at 26 mpg.

Yes, some light towing. 7,000# and lower. Nothing for this rig rated at 11,300#

Chris

I see. Stop and go stuff. I like the 26 mpg.

 

[schoolsout]

$43k for a gas pickup truck makes me giggle just a tad bit.

 

[deerefan]

$43k for a gas pickup truck makes me giggle just a tad bit.

Yea that is steep for a pickup.

 

[roamerr]

Here's real world Ecoboost Mileage --

Winston-Salem NC to Moab Colorado and back -- 4600 miles 12.1mpg towing a 1500 lb 7' x 16' trailer with 2 ATV's (total tow weight 3000 lbs).

Triad Trailblazers ATV and SxS Club of North Carolina - Big Trip MPG....

My 2008 Ram 1500 with Hemi did approx 10mpg the previous year towing a 7x 20 trailer with 3 ATV's.

 

[schoolsout]

Here's real world Ecoboost Mileage --

Winston-Salem NC to Moab Colorado and back -- 4600 miles 12.1mpg towing a 1500 lb 7' x 16' trailer with 2 ATV's (total tow weight 3000 lbs).

Triad Trailblazers ATV and SxS Club of North Carolina - Big Trip MPG....

My 2008 Ram 1500 with Hemi did approx 10mpg the previous year towing a 7x 20 trailer with 3 ATV's.

Doesn't seem all that great to me. I think my '03 Tahoe would get 14 pulling a 15' Boston Whaler. I live in a flat area, though.

 

[Diamondpilot]

$43k for a gas pickup truck makes me giggle just a tad bit.

Thats what they are. A new Diesel is about $60,000.

Chris

 

[Patches]

Here's real world Ecoboost Mileage --

Winston-Salem NC to Moab Colorado and back -- 4600 miles 12.1mpg towing a 1500 lb 7' x 16' trailer with 2 ATV's (total tow weight 3000 lbs).

Triad Trailblazers ATV and SxS Club of North Carolina - Big Trip MPG....

My 2008 Ram 1500 with Hemi did approx 10mpg the previous year towing a 7x 20 trailer with 3 ATV's.

Is that an open or box trailer?

 

[schoolsout]

Thats what they are. A new Diesel is about $60,000.

Chris

I understand that...just insane to me, really.

 

[roamerr]

That was an open trailer. For comparison her are the trucks that made the trip with mpg. No doubt the 5.9L Cummins did great. The #4 has 265,000 miles.

1. 2004 Cummins Dodge 3500 4x4 Dually pulling Loaded Enclosed 8x24 Trailer (7000 lbs) 10.9 mpg

or

2. new Ford EcoBoost F150 Lariat Crew towing an 7 x 16 open trailer with 2 Full Size ATV's (3000 lbs) 12.1mpg

or

3. 2005 2500 4x4 SRW Duramax Diesel with open trailer and 2 lighter ATV's (2000 lbs). 15.5mpg

or

4. Chevy 1500 4x4 5.3L 2004 Truck with ATV in back pulling a light trailer (1400 lbs).... 13.3 mpg

or

5. 2005? F250 4x4 SRW V10 with 7 x 16 Enclosed Trailer and 2 ATV's (4500 lbs) 6.9mpg

 

[hrcarver]

Ugh, #5 made me shudder. I get 6.2 mpg pulling 80,000 lbs. I'm sure not gonna win any big rig drag races with that volvo though.