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Why not put turbos on 2500 gas trucks

evanrem
Explorer II
Explorer II
I hear all these great reviews on the Eco-Boost engine and all the power it creates. Somewhere I read a few years back it had more HP and torque then my 2500 HD gas. Why doesn't Ford or Chevy offer that engine on a 3/4 ton truck or put the twin turbo's on the V8 gas engines?
49 REPLIES 49

RinconVTR
Explorer
Explorer
Answer is the same as why Chevy's 6.2L is not found in HD trucks...

Just like the Chevy 6.2L, gas turbo engines are not yet considered strong and or reliable enough for HD trucks.

Consider that Ford is the ONLY manufacture even offering a gas turbo for towing AND the fact that not long before they came out with it, all previous decades of gas turbos were restricted from towing.

dockmasterdave
Explorer
Explorer
This is rumored to be available for the 2018 raptor and the shelby gt 500

http://horsepowerkings.com/ford-shelby-gt500-under-development/
2014 F 150 ecoboost
2008 Chrysler Aspen
09 Amerilite 21 (modified)
2013 Bendron 14' enclosed cargo
2011 4x8 open cargo

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
evanrem wrote:
I hear all these great reviews on the Eco-Boost engine and all the power it creates. Somewhere I read a few years back it had more HP and torque then my 2500 HD gas. Why doesn't Ford or Chevy offer that engine on a 3/4 ton truck or put the twin turbo's on the V8 gas engines?


Because you can get a diesel in a HD pickup that already has a turbo.....seriously.
Sure, go build a gasser that will pull with any of the big 3 diesels and get back to me on fuel mileage......after you get home from your second job to pay for the gas !
Haha

But to your point, Ford has capitalized so well on the Eco boost that I bet they could make money on a 5.0 Eco for the HDs.
Think about it though. As cool as the Eco is, after being out for what 7 years now, there is no talk of any other mfgs doing it.
Even Toyota who offers OE dealer add on blowers hasn't stuck one under the hood before the sale......because it's not efficient enough to the masses.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5โ€ turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

dockmasterdave
Explorer
Explorer
The ecoboost makes about 85% of it's torque at 1500 rpm.
There is no reason to ever have to rev it out.
It tows like a turbo diesel at low rpms.
Without the trailer, doing about 55 on state routes I can often get in the mid to high 20 mpg's, on some back roads at @ 40 mph it gets 30 plus. Towing it is about like everything else maybe 10 to as much as 13 mpg, depending on winds, hills in Central and north FL don't seem to change that at all.
We've taken ours from key west, to Asheville NC, to New Orleans. Never a hiccup.


3.5L EcoBoost F-150 Specs & Info

365 HP & 420 TQ (Raptpr's 3.5L - 450 HP & 510 TQ)
17 mpg city/ 23 mpg highway / 20 mpg combined
3,180 lbs Payload Rating / 12,200 lbs towing capacity
Direct Fuel Injection
Dual Over Head Camshafts
Maintains 90% peak torque from 1,700 RPM to 5,000 RPM
2014 F 150 ecoboost
2008 Chrysler Aspen
09 Amerilite 21 (modified)
2013 Bendron 14' enclosed cargo
2011 4x8 open cargo

goducks10
Explorer
Explorer
Chuck_thehammer wrote:
look at factory V6 turbo rpm's at said power
then at a standard V8 rpm..

people complain of a V8 at 4,000 rpm's..,now live with a V6 Turbo at 6,000s

fyi, a turbo diesel cooling system can easily handle a V8 Gas turbo.. but the crankshaft will not.

cast crankshaft vers forged.


That rpm level would be for a car not a truck. Look at the 3.5 EB HP/TQ rpms. Peak TQ is at 2250-3500 and HP at 5,000.
Never heard of an EB owner complain about his truck having to be wound out. Most say they love the low rpm TQ.

Chuck_thehammer
Explorer
Explorer
look at factory V6 turbo rpm's at said power
then at a standard V8 rpm..

people complain of a V8 at 4,000 rpm's..,now live with a V6 Turbo at 6,000s

fyi, a turbo diesel cooling system can easily handle a V8 Gas turbo.. but the crankshaft will not.

cast crankshaft vers forged.

Crabbypatty
Explorer
Explorer
I agree. They place twin turbos on the Ford Raptor. Essentially an off roaded f150. I have the 6.2l , 6 speed, 3.73 rear. While its good towing 8,000lbs, it does have slow down a bit in the hills. One nice thing is that the new v8's upped the power band and they power up into the 4,000r+ rpm range
John, Lisa & Tara:B:C:)
2015 F250 4x4 6.2L 6 spd 3.73s, CC Short Bed, Pullrite Slide 2700, 648 Wts Solar, 4 T-125s, 2000 Watt Xantrax Inverter, Trimetric 2030 Meter, LED Lights, Hawkings Smart Repeater, Wilson Extreme Cellular Repeater, Beer, Ribs, Smoker

blt2ski
Moderator
Moderator
For what I do, I even think the 300HP 4.3 V6 GM uses would work in a 2500 truck. Link a 4.10 RA, 6l90 trans.....It would pull my typically 6-8K equipment trailer, sometimes as high as 12K lbs. No it will not be as fast as a Diesel, or the 6.0 gas V8 or equal.......I would have the chassis to do what I want, for the now many miles empty I drive, good mileage, bad when I tow, tell me when one tows and gets great MPG's. I used to do what I do today with a 255HP vortec 350, with a 105hp 292I6, muncie 4 sp and 4.10 gears. Now that were slow!
I do think some of todays more potent smaller motors would be good options for many of us frankly!
92 Navistar dump truck, 7.3L 7 sp, 4.33 gears with a Detroit no spin
2014 Chevy 1500 Dual cab 4x4
92 Red-e-haul 12K equipment trailer

LIKE2BUILD
Explorer
Explorer
blt2ski wrote:
I'd take one of the 3.5 eco boosts in a 25 series truck! ......A properly setup motor, trans, axel ratio to tire diam, and one can get 20+ mpg even in a 25 series reg cab rig in the 5000 lb tare range, run down the road at 10K max gvw, maybe 12-15K gcw doing local delivery etc.......styling!

Yep. Those 3.5L ecoboost engines look like very capable power plants. They make 425+ ft lbs of torque at fairly low RPM and I think they're in the 400HP range. That's plenty for a gas powered 2500 truck. I too have wondered why that's not an option in the F250.

It might also be buyer apathy. I had a friend that bought an F150 with the 5.0L V8. The TT be bought was too big and I tried to convince him he would have been better off with the 3.5L. 'Nope, I had to have a V8 to get the most power'. There was no convincing him that the 3.5L was more towing capable.

Could it still be there is a significant demographic that just can't believe that a V6 makes enough power to pull heavy loads? I dunno. When I bought my RAM I strongly considered either an F150 with 3.5L or a RAM 1500 with EcoDiesel. Ultimately I decided I wanted a good sized 5er so I went bigger with a Cummins. But....had I decided to stay with a smaller 5er or TT then either of those 1/2 ton trucks would have been perfect choices.

KJ
'14 Ram 2500|Crew Cab Long Bed|4X4|Cummins
Curt Q20 with Ram 5th Wheel Prep
2000 Crownline 205BR
1997 Ranger Comanche 461VS
'01 Polaris Virage TX PWC
'94 Polaris SLT750 PWC
3 Wonderful Sons (21, 15, & 13)
1 forgiving wife!!!

blt2ski
Moderator
Moderator
I'd take one of the 3.5 eco boosts in a 25 series truck! NOT ALL of us need or want a 400+hp motor in the rig. We may only be literally running down the road at gvwr! or towing a less than 5K trailer at max gvw including HW. A properly setup motor, trans, axel ratio to tire diam, and one can get 20+ mpg even in a 25 series reg cab rig in the 5000 lb tare range, run down the road at 10K max gvw, maybe 12-15K gcw doing local delivery etc.......styling!
92 Navistar dump truck, 7.3L 7 sp, 4.33 gears with a Detroit no spin
2014 Chevy 1500 Dual cab 4x4
92 Red-e-haul 12K equipment trailer

wowens79
Explorer III
Explorer III
I was just talking about this at work today. I think a small V-8 wit ha turbo would be ideal. Maybe a 4.7 or 5.0 with 400-450hp, and 450ftlb or torque would be a great motor when you don't want to go all the way to a diesel.

It's proven in the 3.5 Eco-boost to be reliable, powerful, and economical. You get the fuel economy of a 3.5 when unloaded, but you've got the power when needed.

Honda did the same on the CR-V we bought my wife. Went from a 2.4 to a 1.5 turbo, and increased power and fuel economy.
2022 Ford F-350 7.3l
2002 Chevy Silverado 1500HD 6.0l 268k miles (retired)
2016 Heritage Glen 29BH
2003 Flagstaff 228D Pop Up

time2roll
Nomad
Nomad
Turbo would just be a patch before the electric hybrid power comes.

rhagfo
Explorer III
Explorer III
Fuel mileage is a big reason, na gas engines pulling a load get about 8 to 10 mpg, if you put a turbo on it likely drop to about 5 to 8 mpg.
Russ & Paula the Beagle Belle.
2016 Ram Laramie 3500 Aisin DRW 4X4 Long bed.
2005 Copper Canyon 293 FWSLS, 32' GVWR 12,360#

"Visit and Enjoy Oregon State Parks"

theoldwizard1
Explorer
Explorer
My gut says COST ! 3/4 and up are sold more to construction companies and farmers/ranchers. These folks are very cost conscious. Turbos get you power, but at a cost. Also, many people still question the reliability of both the turbo unit and the boosted engine.

PDX_Zs
Explorer
Explorer
Chainwright wrote:
PDX.Zs wrote:
Aftermarket superchargers are available for most all the gas engines.

I highly recommend. 500rwhp is at your beck and call. Write the check.

๐Ÿ™‚


Would he running a risk of Voiding any warranty?


THAT goes without saying...

And... modern gas motors and trans have proven VERY amendable to power adders without any ill effects. I know the Gen IV and V Chev motors have proven VERY reliable with superchargers.

Your point is well taken however. Buyer beware. Risk and reward.

๐Ÿ™‚