Community Forums

tuffr2 · 04-12-2018, 01:37 AM

The Ford 3.5 Eco-Boost has been out since 2011. Is this a reliable engine in real life? I have seen the original torture test but realized they do not market the failures.

zebrex · 04-12-2018, 06:34 AM

I have heard nothing but great reviews about the 3.5 eco boost.

However my way of thinking tells me that a small engine that is spinning its guts out and using boost to achieve what a bigger engine can do in relaxed mode wont last as long as the engine that is working at a more relaxed state.

point 2 The fuel mileage that they market for the Eco Boost is at a cruising speed with no load on it. The turbos are spooled down because of the lack of load and lack of need to accelerate. When you are towing the turbos are spooled up forcing air and fuel into the combustion chamber to make power. It is forcing fuel in at a faster rate/ higher volume than a larger naturally aspirated engine would. The Eco Boost gets worse fuel mileage than a similarly loaded v8 naturally aspirated truck.

tuffr2 · 04-12-2018, 07:05 AM

I am willing to take a risk on an engine if I can understand if the risk is small enough. How many trouble free miles do people have?

Did anyone buy a Eco-Boost in 2011 and still have it? Did anyone buy a used Eco-Boost? How many miles?

bfisher003 · 04-12-2018, 07:29 AM

I have a ‘13 Ecoboost with Max Tow and 3.73 rear with just over 73,000 miles on it. The throttle body had to be replaced at 33,000 miles, but no problems since then. About half the miles were towing around 6,500-7,000 lbs of travel trailer all over out west (mountains) and up to Alaska and back. The average mpg for the 13,000 mile Alaska trip and the 7,000 mile trip to AZ and UT we just returned from is just under 10 mpg. As I understand, the Ecoboost develops most of its 420 lb ft of torque around 2,500 rpms, so it’s hardly screaming its guts out. Even on 11% grades I’ve rarely seen rpms of over 3,000-3,500. Of course I am not trying to do 70 mph up those grades when towing.

Normal_Dave · 04-12-2018, 07:32 AM

SmokeyWren to the courtesy desk please...

"He's your huckleberry..." 2012 EB Supercrew.
http://www.irv2.com/forums/members/s...ren-66346.html

Edit: New EB SuperCrew 4WD, max tow package, 3.55, 36 gallon tank. ~ $ 44K down at Mullinax, New Smyrna Beach.
http://www.windowsticker.forddirect....EW1EG3JKC98274

If this is a duplicate, apologies in advance, I remembered seeing it and liked it. They stuck Guy Harvey stickers on it...I suppose that could be removed.

tuffr2 · 04-12-2018, 08:18 AM

It is interesting to me that the gasoline power Eco-Boost 3.5 does not scream when towing like other gasoline powered engines. That is great to know.

I saw the video that was posted where 8 out of 10 Ford technicians would choose the 5.0 Coyote Engine and only 2 would pick the eco-boost. I just wonder why?

**Spdracr39** · 04-12-2018, 08:53 AM

I had a buddy that had one and he loved it. He had no issues from towing a pretty heavy boat every weekend. I personally am old school and to me high rpms are the devil. I know that isn't the way things work anymore but my brain still says nothing can replace cubic inches.

bfisher003 · 04-12-2018, 08:58 AM

I’ve heard of that 8/10 thing, but do not recall when it came out. Maybe they were worried about unproven new technologies at the time. Also keep in mind a couple of things. The later 3.5 EB has had some redesign done to make the engine more reliable and more powerful. Also, from most of the threads I’ve read where people are having problems many have modified their trucks with tuners and other performance products and many tend to hit rod them, thus more problems. Mine is totally stock and I do not hot rod it. There was a thread a while back where a guy had just turned over 300,000 miles on his EB without any significant problems as I recall.

bfisher003 · 04-12-2018, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spdracr39

I had a buddy that had one and he loved it. He had no issues from towing a pretty heavy boat every weekend. I personally am old school and to me high rpms are the devil. I know that isn't the way things work anymore but my brain still says nothing can replace cubic inches.

While I am not arguing for or against the Ecoboost I do own one and have 73,000 miles of experience with it so far. As I said earlier, as I understand that it the 3.5 Ecoboost is designed to develop its max torque somewhere around the 2,500 rpm range, so you really don’t need to wind it up to high rpm levels for max power when towing. I’ve towed up some pretty long steep (8-11%) grades and never got above 3,000 rpms, but then I don’t try to go up those steep grades maintaining 65-70 mph.

Previous to my Ecoboost I towed a smaller, lighter trailer with a 5.7 Hemi. The first time I pulled out west and went up some 6% grades that bigger block engine was at 4,000 and higher rpms in third gear and struggled to maintain 45 mph. I’ve been up similar 6% grades towing a longer, heavier trailer with my Ecoboost and never shifted lower than fifth gear or saw rpms above 2,500-3,000 at 55-60 mph. You also have to remember that turbo engines do not lose nearly as much power at altitude as non-turbo engines.

bneukam · 04-12-2018, 09:21 AM

Spinning its guts out is referencing its turbos not RPM’s. Because of that you have a much higher compression that is occurring within the cylinder walls. The faster the turbos spin, the higher the compression. I think the jury is still out on the eco boost. I prefer a V8, but I am old school.

SmokeyWren · 04-12-2018, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tuffr2

The Ford 3.5 Eco-Boost has been out since 2011. Is this a reliable engine in real life? I have seen the original torture test but realized they do not market the failures.

Mine has been very reliable. 2012 F-150 3.5L EcoBoost SuperCrew Lariat 4x2 with 3.15 axle ratio. 63,500 miles so far using routine maintenance, replacing only normal wear items such as tires and shocks. Most of those miles were dragging a 5k TT or 7k enclosed cargo trailer all over the USA, including southern Canada to Lake Huron near Detroit, across the "mountains" back east as well as the Rockies out west.

I expected a reliable engine because of my over 10 years experience with a previous Ford turbo engine. But since the USA-based auto manufacturers have a lousy history with new products, I waited a full year after the introduction of the EcoBoost engine before I ordered one.

My pickup at that time was an inherited 2003 F-150 SuperCrew with 4.6L 2V engine, which was inadequate for dragging even an empty cargo trailer from Phoenix across New Mexico and home to Midland. The EcoBoost was a welcome increase in towing power compared to that V8.

For newbees, back then "EcoBoost engine" meant the 3.5L towing monster, not the dinky little 2.7L grocery getter that came along a few years later.

My only complaint with mine is I expected better MPG. I have seen over 20 MPG, but life is too short for me to poke along trying to get better MPG, so I mash on it and go. I average about 16 MPG unloaded and cruising at the ticket limit of 79 MPH. When towing I get about 10 MPG towing my 5k TT or 7k cargo trailer @ 65 to 70 MPH. But one trip when severely overloaded towing a 22k gooseneck trailer loaded with a big backhoe across the Texas Hill Country, MPG dropped to about 6 MPG. The F-150 didn't complain and nothing overheated, just buckled down and pulled! When those twin turbos open up, the power comes on, but gasoline flows. About the same MPG (but a lot more power/torque) as a 5.0L V8 under similar conditions, but I had hoped for better.

tuffr2 · 04-12-2018, 11:21 AM

Thanks so far I will not exclude a F-150 because of the 3.5 Eco-Boost engine. That, that engine has been reliable. I have not heard anyone say that the turbo's needed rebuilt. Or the turbo's went out.

Again the original Eco-Boost torture test was impressive.

These are not 1980's turbo's with 1980's material that never lasted more than 75,000 miles.

Oh, I will keep any engine factory stock. It will not be tuned.

2012TxSilvy · 04-12-2018, 12:19 PM

Mine pulls great! 3.5 2nd gen with 10 speed with the crappy 3.15 gears. Night and day difference! Towed 6700-7000lbs in 8th gear at 1900 or so RPMs. I usually opt for 7th gear just to stay in the 2000 rpm range. Quiet with a ton of power!