Big Block to EcoBoost
I have had my new truck for awhile now, but waited to write this up until I had the opportunity to make the run from Portland to the Oregon Coast on Highway 6. This route provides a lot of turns and h...
Forum Discussion
Thanks for the friendly comments. I am grateful to many on this forum whose posts have been helpful to me.
In response to a few comments...
Yes, we sure have. If I were to choose the benefits in order of priority it would be as follows:
1) Improved braking which improves safety and stability
2) A transmission with 6 speeds which seems to always have the right gear for the hill and some built in "smarts" to provide engine braking
3) The EB engine which provides steady power at low RPM to accelerate up the hill as needed when towing and yields pretty good mpg on road trips unloaded
This is a good point. So far the engine braking with the tow / haul mode has done well. This being said I have not gone down Cabbage hill into Pendleton yet or south into Lewiston. For long slopes like this I expect to be in the right lane and will take it easy.
Wow, you have a nice truck. With the HD Payload the F150 ride is still stiff, but pretty comparable to the Suburban 2500. Not sure the ride would be much smoother and you would be giving up the strong diesel which is good both for pulling and for engine braking. HD Payloads are tough to come by on a lot but if you can find one I would give it a test drive on a road that had a few bumps and see how it compares to your current rig. As for price, I would try building one out on the Ford site and seeing what your combination comes to. I was able to get mine at about 15% off sticker through X-plan pricing which was available through work. With some negotiating between a couple dealers you may get a similar discount. If you want the HD payload package you need to select the limited slip axle and a truck with a 157" wheelbase (e.g. super cab with 8' box or crew cab with 6 1/2' box).
Good luck all,
Stu
In response to a few comments...
hone eagle wrote:
We have come a long way in 10 years. eh?
Yes, we sure have. If I were to choose the benefits in order of priority it would be as follows:
1) Improved braking which improves safety and stability
2) A transmission with 6 speeds which seems to always have the right gear for the hill and some built in "smarts" to provide engine braking
3) The EB engine which provides steady power at low RPM to accelerate up the hill as needed when towing and yields pretty good mpg on road trips unloaded
MOtrout wrote:
So far the only issue I have found on the EcoBoost over an eight cylinder engine is engine braking. It's fine if you pay attention to your descent but if you are not then you need good brakes. My truck is equipped with 3.55 gears but maybe the 3.73's would brake better. Maybe not. Either way it is something to consider.
This is a good point. So far the engine braking with the tow / haul mode has done well. This being said I have not gone down Cabbage hill into Pendleton yet or south into Lewiston. For long slopes like this I expect to be in the right lane and will take it easy.
mtofell1 wrote:
Great info on a truck that's caught my eye. I tow the exact weight TT over the exact same hills regularly - Portland area to the coast. I'm doing it in an 06 stock Duramax. For a little comparison my mpgs while towing over the coast range, running around a few miles at the coast and then back home are around 11-12. Empty I can get as high as 20 on a flat highway and usually get around 15 with my mix driving for my job which is about 60/40 leaning towards city driving.
Stability and power of the Duramax while towing is great and amazingly when I go through the scales I'm usually around 8700# total on both axles with the max rating being 9200#. Keeping in mind that's usually with firewood, kids, coolers and everything else I can think of. Packing light never crosses my mind :)
The ride of the 2500 is my main complaint and a reason I'd love to get back into a 1500. Also, my truck is 7 years old and has 130K and I've been nickeled & dimed (and dollared) on repairs over the last couple years. A new truck would be nice but a 50K new diesel surely isn't in the budget.
Can I touch one of these Ecoboost 4X4 for around 35K? or is it closer to 40 or more?
I love my diesel and know I have one of the good ones but I'm not blind. The Ecoboost looks like a really nice truck. Thanks for the report.
Wow, you have a nice truck. With the HD Payload the F150 ride is still stiff, but pretty comparable to the Suburban 2500. Not sure the ride would be much smoother and you would be giving up the strong diesel which is good both for pulling and for engine braking. HD Payloads are tough to come by on a lot but if you can find one I would give it a test drive on a road that had a few bumps and see how it compares to your current rig. As for price, I would try building one out on the Ford site and seeing what your combination comes to. I was able to get mine at about 15% off sticker through X-plan pricing which was available through work. With some negotiating between a couple dealers you may get a similar discount. If you want the HD payload package you need to select the limited slip axle and a truck with a 157" wheelbase (e.g. super cab with 8' box or crew cab with 6 1/2' box).
Good luck all,
Stu
