2015 Ford V-6 Ecoboost vs V8

I have scoured the internet reading ecoboost posts, and can confidently say that folks with problems are a minority. Folks with problems to the extent that Mike has had are 1% or less of thousands of posts I've read. I believe this is really saying something, as usually bad experiences flood forums.

Regarding longevity, search on auto trader and you will see a huge listing of over 100k mile ecoboosts.

2011 was first year of the Ecoboost engine in the F150. It had been in other Ford cars in earlier years.

This is all anecdotal but the impression I've gotten from reading F150 and Ecoboost boards is the 2011 had a few more recurring problems than later editions. I suppose this is to be expected. Usually, the first year of anything generally has more issues to iron out.

spoon059 wrote:

mhamershock wrote:

Well, I'll complain. I have a 2011 and tow pretty heavy (8500) regularly. I have Max Tow but not HD, and I am right on limits. I did go E rated, bags, better shocks which helped the experience, but RAWR is not really where I need it.

IMHO this little motor does not have the duty cycle to handle real work more than part time, especially if you do it in high ambient air temps. It can struggle to shed heat when the turbos are working hard.

Mike

Just curious, is the 2011 the first year for the Ecoboost engine? I'm not being a smart aleck... I just don't know. I haven't heard many people complain about those types of issues with the Ecoboost before. I was under the impression they were generally doing very well.

mhamershock wrote:

...
Well, I'll complain. I have a 2011 and tow pretty heavy (8500) regularly. I have Max Tow but not HD, and I am right on limits. I did go E rated, bags, better shocks which helped the experience, but RAWR is not really where I need it.

I've had cooling fans fail, both exhaust manifolds warp, coolant leak at turbo (requires trans drop to get to the fitting), throttle body fail, hard shifts, and a few other things. 82K miles and not the most reliable motor I've owned. Thank goodness for extended warranty.

IMHO this little motor does not have the duty cycle to handle real work more than part time, especially if you do it in high ambient air temps. It can struggle to shed heat when the turbos are working hard.

All that said I don't think there is a more capable 1/2 ton than the EB 3.5, and when I get rid of this at 100K miles I will look at a MAx Tow/HD Payload version. I will also look at a diesel including the new Nissan 5.0 Cummins.

Mike

Your config sounds just like ours. And we too have beefed up the suspension. But I've had zero problems with the truck and engine, despite towing more than 8K 60% of the time. Still, ours has only 55K miles on it, and we move with the seasons to avoid the extremely hot and cold places.

The Nissan Titan XD with the Cummins or the F150HD are also looking like possible replacements for us down the road.

I can point you to a guy that has 300k miles with no issues. Sorry you had problems. You're in the minority.

mhamershock wrote:

Well, I'll complain. I have a 2011 and tow pretty heavy (8500) regularly. I have Max Tow but not HD, and I am right on limits. I did go E rated, bags, better shocks which helped the experience, but RAWR is not really where I need it.

IMHO this little motor does not have the duty cycle to handle real work more than part time, especially if you do it in high ambient air temps. It can struggle to shed heat when the turbos are working hard.

Mike

Just curious, is the 2011 the first year for the Ecoboost engine? I'm not being a smart aleck... I just don't know. I haven't heard many people complain about those types of issues with the Ecoboost before. I was under the impression they were generally doing very well.

No complaints at all with my ECO! Smooth, quiet, powerful (fingers crossed) hoping for six more years of solid service from this truck!

mhamershock wrote:

spoon059 wrote:
Still waiting to see if/when Ford puts the Ecoboost into the 3/4 ton trucks. I wonder if Ford feels comfortable with the duty cycle required in a F250. Seems the engine is pretty nice and rarely do you hear an EB owner complaining about it. It would certainly open up options in the F-250. The EB upgrade is quite a bit cheaper than the diesel upgrade.

Well, I'll complain. I have a 2011 and tow pretty heavy (8500) regularly. I have Max Tow but not HD, and I am right on limits. I did go E rated, bags, better shocks which helped the experience, but RAWR is not really where I need it.

I've had cooling fans fail, both exhaust manifolds warp, coolant leak at turbo (requires trans drop to get to the fitting), throttle body fail, hard shifts, and a few other things. 82K miles and not the most reliable motor I've owned. Thank goodness for extended warranty.

IMHO this little motor does not have the duty cycle to handle real work more than part time, especially if you do it in high ambient air temps. It can struggle to shed heat when the turbos are working hard.

All that said I don't think there is a more capable 1/2 ton than the EB 3.5, and when I get rid of this at 100K miles I will look at a MAx Tow/HD Payload version. I will also look at a diesel including the new Nissan 5.0 Cummins.

Mike

In my opinion if you're towing a trailer like yours very much, especially in less than ideal conditions, it pays to step up to a heavier duty truck. They are really a big step up in capability and the comfort penalty is extremely minor, and they don't cost substantially more. I actually prefer the way an HD truck rides and handles compared to a half ton because it feels like a real truck rather than a crossover SUV.

I actually had some interest in that Nissan Cummins as well but I was leery of an all new engine and when I looked at the price point I doubt I would have been able to get one for any less than I paid for my Ram. It is an intriguing option, though.

spoon059 wrote:
Still waiting to see if/when Ford puts the Ecoboost into the 3/4 ton trucks. I wonder if Ford feels comfortable with the duty cycle required in a F250. Seems the engine is pretty nice and rarely do you hear an EB owner complaining about it. It would certainly open up options in the F-250. The EB upgrade is quite a bit cheaper than the diesel upgrade.

Well, I'll complain. I have a 2011 and tow pretty heavy (8500) regularly. I have Max Tow but not HD, and I am right on limits. I did go E rated, bags, better shocks which helped the experience, but RAWR is not really where I need it.

I've had cooling fans fail, both exhaust manifolds warp, coolant leak at turbo (requires trans drop to get to the fitting), throttle body fail, hard shifts, and a few other things. 82K miles and not the most reliable motor I've owned. Thank goodness for extended warranty.

IMHO this little motor does not have the duty cycle to handle real work more than part time, especially if you do it in high ambient air temps. It can struggle to shed heat when the turbos are working hard.

All that said I don't think there is a more capable 1/2 ton than the EB 3.5, and when I get rid of this at 100K miles I will look at a MAx Tow/HD Payload version. I will also look at a diesel including the new Nissan 5.0 Cummins.

Mike

No camper, TT, fiver, or any type of trailer should ever be pulled that fast. Anyone that does isn't just putting themselves at risk but others that are nearby. Just because my vehicle can do 120 mph doesn't mean I should drive that fast. I have never seen a camper manufacturer rate their product for such speeds. I might be wrong on that. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Rumtan wrote:
This forum has been very informative on most all topics, but this one has me the MOST intrigued. I have ordered a 3.5 EB with the tow package because I felt that my 5.3 GMC just did not have quite enough grunt, but I didn't want to go to a 2500. I have been reading the Ford forums and finally had to make up my own mind. I have a neighbour that bought his 3.5 EB last year and tows a similar TT, he loves the new truck. My truck (a Lariat) will be delivered late Sept or early Oct. I can only wait and read these posts till then.

I expect you are really going to like the EcoBoost. It should tow your trailer with ease and you will quickly get used to the quieter ride as you cruise down the road at 2k rpms.

Good luck to you,
Stu