Ford Ecoboost gas mileage and reliability???

Buck50HD wrote:

Mike, your math is correct but you missed something. There is an 11% reduction in HP/wt of the base vehicle but it will be used for towing.

If you consider my GCW was 15,500 with the F150HD, my heavier 6.2 will push that to 16650. Given those totals, here are some comparisons of the eco, 5.0 and 6.2 super duty.

365HP eco -> 385HP F250 = 1.8% lower HP/wt
360HP 5.0 -> 385HP F250 = 0.4% lower HP/wt
420TQ eco -> 405TQ F250 = 10.2% lower TQ/wt
380TQ 5.0 -> 405TQ F250 = 0.8% lower TQ/wt

So, you can see that even towing, there is a noticeable difference between the eco and 6.2 (particularly TQ) but I've basically stepped back to the equivalent of a 5.0. If you consider the torque curve of the 6.2, it's going to feel better than a 5.0 pulling the same weight.

Now I'll know what your setup feels like compared to an eco:)

Not sure how you figured out your numbers because none make sense to me.

BUT as I stated, the "TORQUE" to weight issue is the one I was looking at, not HP.

The dealer loaded XLT F250 6.2L Screw had the 3.73 open differential, chrome package and everything my loaded XLT has. The F250 added telescoping mirrors and tailgate step.

The F250's GVWR is 10,000 lbs, and it's Yellow Tread Act Tire Loading sticker stated the payload was 2833 lbs. So to get the real weight of the actual truck, subtract that 2833 lbs payload from it's 10,000 lbs GVWR. You then have a truck that weighs 7,167 lbs.

My truck in the signature weighs 5768 lbs. My GVWR is 7350 lbs and my Yellow Tread Act Tire Loading sticker states my payload is 1582 lbs. So 7350 lbs - 1582 lbs is 5768 lbs

So the F250 is 7,167 lbs and my F150 is 5768 lbs.

Now the Torque for the F250 is 405 lbs at 4500 rpms. Using 7167 lbs / 405 ft lbs = 17.696

Now that we have the torque to weight factor, we can use that against my truck by taking it's weight of 5768 lbs and dividing by the same factor. 5768/17.696 = 326 ft lbs.

So with the same torque to weight factor as the F250 6.2L, my truck would only have 326 ft lbs at a more lofty 4500 lbs. My 5.0L offers 380 ft lbs at 4250 rpms.

So you can see that the F250 has significantly less torque than my truck, to pull a heavy trailer. And on top of that, that torque peak is at an even higher rpm.

In fact the torque factor of 17.696 is even lower than what my Sport Trac V8 had. It's 4.6L offered 300 ft lbs at 4000 rpms. Without it's factory hard tonneau cover, it weighed 4,992 lbs. 4,992 lbs/ 17.696 would be only 282 ft lbs at a much loftier 4500 rpms.

As you can see, even my Sport Trac had more torque at 500 rpms lower than the F250.

Now, I'm not saying that the motor is bad because I like it. I'm just saying that I wouldn't want to pull more than 9000 lbs with it.

I've towed a 5000 lbs loaded Jayco Jay Flight 19BH with the Sport Trac and it towed it extremely easy. The F150 tows the 6500 lbs loaded Jayco Jay Flight 26BH even easier. So both trucks have a lot of reserve power that's not used.

I feel the F250 6.2L could pull a 9,000 lbs Loaded Jayco Jay Flight trailer, but it would be right at it's limits of offering a stress free tow.

I see your 5th wheel is right about 9000 lbs so it's obviously working out for you, no big deal. I'm just saying I wouldn't want to tow a heavier trailer without upgrading to more power, that being the 6.7L Diesel.

I loved the F250's stability and ride quality, and especially it's very high 2833 lbs payload for such a loaded truck.

I would buy it without reservation to tow if I need the extra capabilities of the Super Duty chassis.

For pulling a camper that's 9000 lbs and the need for high payload, I'd order a 5.0L Screw 4WD Heavy Duty Payload option truck. I looked and none were available so I'd have to order. I don't have the luxury of ordering and waiting around. I actually didn't need the extra payload as it turns out and don't plan on ever getting a bigger or heavier trailer. If anything, a smaller one. ;) So I lucked out in my truck working out good for me.

I'd still like a F250, but for $10,000 dollars more including my X-plan and rebates, it just wasn't worth it for 'me'.

I'm glad you like your truck and it's working out good for you.

Mike Up wrote:

Buck50HD wrote:

More capacity. Certainly not more performance because that has been a downgrade. I was at the rear axle and GVW rating and barely had anything loaded in the trailer. Doable but had to be careful. Also wanted to start towing a boat behind the 5th and putting some stuff in the truck bed(generator, spare battery, boat motor). Miss the eco... it was a towing machine, especially paired with the HD payload package.

Here's a thread I made at F150forum about my test drive in a 2014 F250 with 6.2L and 3.73 gears. Engine had less performance than my 2008 Sport Trac with a 4.6L 3V engine. Why, the very poor power to weight ratio. The F250 felt very under-powered with the 6.2L as it's torque to weight ratio would equate to only 325 lbs of torque at 4500 rpms in my 5768 lbs F150. Would had equated to 286 lbs at 4500 rpm in the Sport Trac compared to it's 4.6L's 300 lbs at 4000 rpms. The F250 weighed 7167 lbs from the factory. 10,000 lbs GVWR - 2833 lbs Tread Act Payload rating = 7167 lbs.

Truck was very very nice in stability and ride but for heavy trailers, you really do need the 6.7L Diesel if you don't want to struggle.

The other option is to either get a 5.0L or Ecoboost HEAVY DUTY SUSPENSION Package which will net in the low 2000 lbs of payload with a 8200 lbs GVWR and 4800 lbs rear axle. I prefer the 5.0L over the Ecoboost but couldn't find a 5.0L Heavy 1/2 anywhere within a 200 mile radius. Alright because my truck came with a pretty decent 1582 lbs payload plus I got to get a locking axle, chrome package, larger tires and other options not available on the heavy half.

I'd consider the 5.0L as well. Its a great tow vehicle despite ecoboost owner's negative comments.

The F250 was featured exactly like my truck in the signature except the lack of a locking axle, it had the tailgate step, and had telescoping trailer mirrors.

I was really expecting better performance but never did the math to realize I shouldn't had expected much.

Mike, your math is correct but you missed something. There is an 11% reduction in HP/wt of the base vehicle but it will be used for towing.

If you consider my GCW was 15,500 with the F150HD, my heavier 6.2 will push that to 16650. Given those totals, here are some comparisons of the eco, 5.0 and 6.2 super duty.

365HP eco -> 385HP F250 = 1.8% lower HP/wt
360HP 5.0 -> 385HP F250 = 0.4% lower HP/wt
420TQ eco -> 405TQ F250 = 10.2% lower TQ/wt
380TQ 5.0 -> 405TQ F250 = 0.8% lower TQ/wt

So, you can see that even towing, there is a noticeable difference between the eco and 6.2 (particularly TQ) but I've basically stepped back to the equivalent of a 5.0. If you consider the torque curve of the 6.2, it's going to feel better than a 5.0 pulling the same weight.

Now I'll know what your setup feels like compared to an eco:)

fx2tom wrote:

my rear turn signal bulb went out last week.

Darned unreliable Ecoboost trucks!:(

A V12 based on a 2x ECOboost common block, 4 heads, etc would be a nice pickup engine... :C

ib516, I don't have an eco boost and have never driven one, but I did have a 98 Taurus w/24 valve double overhead cam. That thing was almost scary. I can only imagine what the modern engine would do.

Tystevens wrote:

ib516 wrote:
We have 3 of them in Police vehicles, one F150, two Taurus cars. None have had issues related to the engine. You can imagine their duty cycle. They have about 45,000 miles on so far.

Interesting. I've been noticing lots of police F150s around here w/ Ecoboost door plaques since I bought mine (funny the things you notice once you buy a different vehicle).

On the police vehicles, is the tuning tweaked in any way from the standard consumer tune?

I don't think so. They do come with heavy duty cooling, high output alternator, stuff like that, but no more performance that I know of. I tell you though, that EcoBoost Taurus AWD scoots!

ib516 wrote:
We have 3 of them in Police vehicles, one F150, two Taurus cars. None have had issues related to the engine. You can imagine their duty cycle. They have about 45,000 miles on so far.

Interesting. I've been noticing lots of police F150s around here w/ Ecoboost door plaques since I bought mine (funny the things you notice once you buy a different vehicle).

On the police vehicles, is the tuning tweaked in any way from the standard consumer tune?

My 2012 EB has 23,000 miles on it, 6,800 of which are towing. My 2 trips with my TT (about 8,300 lbs loaded) I am averaging 10.5 MPG. Around town I average about 15 MPG but not towing on the freeway I average about 21 MPG.

I have had, literally, zero problems with mine until my rear turn signal bulb went out last week.

We have 3 of them in Police vehicles, one F150, two Taurus cars. None have had issues related to the engine. You can imagine their duty cycle. They have about 45,000 miles on so far.

parkersdad wrote:
It needs to be cast iron before they consider the F250 I would think. Also that truck is heavier so it would probably bring the tow rating way down. I think in heavy-duty trucks the old saying of there's no replacement for displacement holds true.

It is available in the new T350 vans. They aren't even offering a non-turbo motor in the jumbo roof vans. It's your choice of of turbo gas or turbo diesel.

They did have to detune it to 300 HP to meet the MDT test cycle (which they also had to to the 6.7L in the 450+ trucks).