Towing with Ecoboost

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

How in heck can that be a negative?

Wondering about that my self.

Theres no law that says you need to fill your tank full every time you fill it. Put 20-25 gallons in, and call it a day. Enjoy your trucks extra fuel capacity when you go on a long trip.

 

[gtochris]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

I think it was a 26 Gallon tank up until this year.

Since the towing vs Non towing MPG is such a contrast with the ecoboost, I think it's Ford's way of ensuring it's owners dont get stranded in the middle of a desert. For the every day driving it's just alot of tank these days. I know 26 would more then do it for me.

Having flash backs to when Ford had 2 tanks on an F150. (pre 1996) Why did they do that rather one large one?

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

Having flash backs to when Ford had 2 tanks on an F150. (pre 1996) Why did they do that rather one large one?

Probably ran out of the space needed for 1 large tank? Unlikely.... but maybe a selling point that you have a reserve tank for your thirsty engine?

 

[sschefer]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

Probably ran out of the space needed for 1 large tank? Unlikely.... but maybe a selling point that you have a reserve tank for your thirsty engine?

My F350 short bed has about a 25 gal tank I think. The long beds have a bigger tank but the dual tanks are gone and I think a lot has to do with the hot CAT's and DPF being used today. I know on my 6.4L diesel I have to run vented exhaust tips or I risk burning the paint off the side of the truck when it goes into DPF cleaning mode.

Regarding the original subject, I backed off buying a new truck because of the new engine. I figured I'd be ready for another turck by the time they got some real street time. They may have been putting a similar engine in other vehicles but I want to see how they do in a truck for a while. Obviously I won't have a choice in the next truck I buy but hopefully they'll have it dialed in by then.

 

[QC]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

I went from a 32 gallon tank in a Suburban to 26 in Expedition and Sierra pickup. Major problem for me with a 280 mile tow and lots of desert in between . . . ; 32 was perfect.

 

[LMM1967]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

2011 F150 XLT xtra cab with ecoboost pulling Cobalt 210 on dual axle trailer ( 5000 - 5500 lbs.)

Truck seems to do a great job - mileage drop is dramatic when towing. I go from 20 - 21 down to 10 - 12 while towing. No problems with power, pulls boat up fairly steep ramps just fine, no wandering or moving around while towing at freeway speeds, even passing a semi.

So far very happy with the truck.

 

[jkust]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

It's funny after towing my 4000 lb boat with a 180hp worn out engine and realizing how little torque was really needed to get it out of the worst/steepest ramps, I'm not impressed. My paradigm shifted when I realized my perception of reality was based on commercials. I see the truck with the well used engine pulling logs, and the old me would have thought wow, but the more experienced me says not as big a deal as they'd have you believe. All that said, if I was a truck person, I would have one on my list to check out.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

It's funny after towing my 4000 lb boat with a 180hp worn out engine and realizing how little torque was really needed to get it out of the worst/steepest ramps, I'm not impressed.

Try towing it up a 7000ft pass with a 6% grade and 10 cars behind you pissed off becuase there is no passing lane or turnouts and I think your opinion might change.

I agree about what power you need on a ramp though. Not much power needed there.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

The real amazing part to me is the abuse that the turbos took, and apparently stood up to.

Anyone that knows anything about turbos, knows they don't like extended use.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

The real amazing part to me is the abuse that the turbos took, and apparently stood up to.

Anyone that knows anything about turbos, knows they don't like extended use.

I think most of the current gen turbos are built EXTREMELY well. I'm at 120k miles on the stock turbo in my car, pushing 18-20 psi depending on tune/fuel, and up to around 300/330 horsepower/torque or a little better. I've also done lots of towing where the boost rarely drops into vacuum, almost stays positive the entire time. Exhaust gas temp measured a couple inches from an exhaust valve is around 1650 for highway cruise. That would be enough to turn a previous generation turbo into a pile of molten scrapmetal.

Those ecoboost turbos' (GT15's) are tiny compared to what you would expect on a v6, but throwing 2 of them in parallel in there makes up for it. (rated for around 200hp each)

 

['78 Crusader]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

The tests shown might "Simulate" that many miles driven however we all know that real world driving is very different than what they try to simulate.

IMO, there are too many moving parts and oportunities for failure with the Eco boost setup. If I had my choice, I'd go with the 5.0L motor......

 

[jkust]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

Try towing it up a 7000ft pass with a 6% grade and 10 cars behind you pissed off becuase there is no passing lane or turnouts and I think your opinion might change.

I agree about what power you need on a ramp though. Not much power needed there.

Good point on the grade. I have a decent v8 now, my second since the above example and so have lived the differences. They are relatively dramatic but yes I'd have never thought it took so little to pull out so much if I lived in a box and my knowledge came from truck commercials. To really impress me it'd take a lot more dramatic example. At the end of the day however, it is amazing the abuse modern machinery can endure and keep functioning as intended. I've owned one supercharged car up until about 2008 and the extra torque over the non-supercharged was phenominal. I suppose it takes actually driving and using one of these eco boosts to truly feel its potential.

Also, I suppose on second thought here, these heavy logs have no wheels and are dead weight. Maybe a little more impressed.

 

[gtochris]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

They are relatively dramatic but yes I'd have never thought it took so little to pull out so much if I lived in a box and my knowledge came from truck commercials. To really impress me it'd take a lot more dramatic example. At the end of the day however, it is amazing the abuse modern machinery can endure and keep functioning as intended. I've owned one supercharged car up until about 2008 and the extra torque over the non-supercharged was phenominal. I suppose it takes actually driving and using one of these eco boosts to truly feel its potential.
QUOTE]

Did you have a Grand Prix GTP or something like that?

IMO, from towing, the most engine stressed time is trying to merge onto the highway or get up a steep mountain while maintaining speed.

I want to watch this Ecoboost for a bit, I think it's a great engine! I've just been let down by the 4.6L and 5.4L with blown out/ breaking spark plugs and head gaskets, something that only happens with time rather a simulation test.

 

[jkust]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

QUOTE]

Did you have a Grand Prix GTP or something like that?

It was a Bonneville SSEi. Sold it at 99k miles. I've seen first hand what a boosted v6 and an old school design at that can do.

 

[QC]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

The real amazing part to me is the abuse that the turbos took, and apparently stood up to.

Anyone that knows anything about turbos, knows they don't like extended use.

Hmmm . . . when you consider every heavy duty truck made over the last 30+ years is turbocharged I wonder why anyone would think that

 

[roscoe]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

I thought the 24 hours on the race track was pretty extreme, running at full throttle and 100% turbo boost, while pulling 11,000 #. And this is in an f150, not a heavy duty, and not a diesel.

This engine seems to get most all of its power from the turbo, and doesn't have the benefit of a 9 or 13 speed trans, or 7 or 12 liters of displacement.

My old '66 Rambler had more cubic inches.

 

[Bamaman1]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

I read a road test recently pitting the Ecoboost to the Coyote 5.0 V8. Apparently the Ecoboost had a wider torque curve, with power coming in at around 1700 rpm's, and pulled trailers very well. Both ran very well, however the 6 cylinder engine didn't have the satisfying sound of the V8.

As far as gas mileage, they both got about the same in real world situations. There again, the Coyote engine is $750 less--which would buy you 4000 miles in gasoline.

My question is would the Ecoboost resale value be returned when you traded it--over the Coyote V8?

My other question is what kind of real fuel mileage does the 6.2 engine get in a SuperDuty? Empty and towing? Sometimes stepping up to a gas powered 3/4 ton is just not that much $ over a 1/2 ton--and you get so much more truck. I see some company trucks (Comcast) switched over to gas from diesel.

Last time I looked, the new Ford diesels (vs. gas) were something like $7,800 extra. Initial cost of the diesel is high, but they sell like hotcakes at high prices on the used market--even with 200,000 miles. They're a great value if you can cash flow them, and have a real life span of 400-500K miles if maintained properly @ 18-20 mpg.

I just wonder what the long term cost of ownership would be on the 6.2 engine 3/4 ton vs. a comparable F150 Ecoboost--including initial cost, cost of fuel, cost of upkeep and resale?

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

Everything I hear about those motors is impressive. Only thing I'm waiting for is to see what the longevity of the turbos is. Big difference between a turbo on a diesel and turbo on a gas motor, and it is pretty hard to get gas turbos to live a long time in cold climates unless you are really anal about warmup procedures.

 

[gtochris]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

Everything I hear about those motors is impressive. Only thing I'm waiting for is to see what the longevity of the turbos is. Big difference between a turbo on a diesel and turbo on a gas motor, and it is pretty hard to get gas turbos to live a long time in cold climates unless you are really anal about warmup procedures.

Could you elaborate? I've never heard that (Gas turbo vs diesel turbo) but I'm interested. Is it that diesel owners tend to warm up their engines giving them the longevity advantage?

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

Could you elaborate? I've never heard that (Gas turbo vs diesel turbo) but I'm interested. Is it that diesel owners tend to warm up their engines giving them the longevity advantage?

Couple big reasons are
Exhaust temp is a lot higher on a gas motor and the exhaust is much more corrosive
Diesels run much thicker oil
In cold climates you really have to either use an engine block heater or really warm up the motor - gas motor is just click and go.