longevity of the 3.5L ecoboost engine

[Melanie83103]

Hello everyone -

We were having such a hard time deciding on a new tow vehicle that we ended up renting a 2015 F-150 with the 3.5L ecoboost for a camping trip last week. So we got to try it actually towing our small camper (16 foot Amerilite). It did great!! It was such an amazing step up from our minivan. I had no idea that towing with a minivan was so different than towing with a truck.

So now we are seriously considering purchasing an F-150. We usually keep our cars for 8-9 years and put over 100,000 miles on them (my last Honda SUV had 140,000 miles on it when I finally sold it). I have been trying to find out how this twin turbo would do over that many miles. Anyone have input? I know it has not been out that long, so I'm not sure if we know yet how long this engine will last....

Thanks!

Melanie

[Shadow_Grey]

Yea, we like the quiet sound of the engine especially while towing long distances...hear the radio or phone much easier...

[Tystevens]

tragusa3 wrote:
I used to love my V8 sound, no doubt. But when my EB is doing the job, well, at such low rpm's, there's a much bigger smile on my face.

Yep, the sound is something you get used to in a hurry. Or the lack thereof, since my EB tows at under 2000 rpm 98% of the time. While I love the sound of a big V8, I have learned to appreciate other sounds as well. Like the sounds of a Porsche flathead 6, a big turbo diesel, or a screaming 4 cylinder motorcycle. All music to my ears when doing what they were made to do, and doing it well.

[jerem0621]

Curious,

OP...how did the shopping go?

Thanks!

Jeremiah

[brulaz]

BillyW wrote:

Bionic Man wrote:
I thought the EB had the V8 engine note pumped in through the radio??

I've heard that mentioned here before, not so sure it's accurate. I know that the Mustang does it.

It's real. 2015 models, higher trims I think.

[TurnThePage]

Bionic Man wrote:
I thought the EB had the V8 engine note pumped in through the radio??

I've heard that mentioned here before, not so sure it's accurate. I know that the Mustang does it.

[Atlee]

While you are looking for a Max Tow truck, you may also want to ask if the dealer happened to have any trucks with Heavy Duty package on the lot, or if he could find one.

A truck with the HD pkg will max out the amount of cargo capacity.

[Bionic_Man]

I thought the EB had the V8 engine note pumped in through the radio??

[tragusa3]

I used to love my V8 sound, no doubt. But when my EB is doing the job, well, at such low rpm's, there's a much bigger smile on my face.

[Hannibal]

Lessmore wrote:
I prefer the sound of a V8...such as the 5 liter...to a boosted V6.
That's just me and I know my love for the sound of a healthy V8 is in the minority.

Nope. I get all tingly when I hear my own 5.4L V8 fire up cold with it's throaty V8 exhaust note. But I'm thoroughly impressed by the 3.5L Ecoboost.

[Tystevens]

Turtle n Peeps wrote:
There is a couple of big elephants in the room on this one.

#1. Timing chain stretch.

#2. Valve carbon issues.

The second issue is a tough nut to crack because it's a design problem with DI induction. This is a cumulative issue and will happen over time. The longer you keep you truck the more of a chance of encountering this issue.

The timing chain stretch can be fixed with a better superseded part. The first issue is a problem.

I would just note that these videos are just made by some random Ford tech on the internet that a lot of equally knowledgeable people disagree with. Such is the fun of Youtube -- anyone can make a video and become an 'expert' on the situation!

I follow a lot of Ford forums, and I don't see a lot of issues re: timing chain problems. A few, yes, but it seems to me that the consensus is that it isn't a 'common issue' at this point.

Carbon issues seem a bit more prevalent, however.

[MFL]

Max tow gives you more what you need for towing, for a good price. It will have better cooling, more GVWR, tow mirrors, integrated brake control, and other items necessary to tow.

Jerry

[Melanie83103]

Ok I'm going to look into the Max Tow Package now.... not even sure what that is at this point. I feel pretty confident that we are not upgrading our camper anytime soon.... it fits us perfectly. But I know my husband has been eyeing a new boat so that is definitely a possibility!

Thanks!

Melanie

[OH48Lt]

Actually, the 3.5 EB has been out 6 years now. It was first an option for the Flex beginning in March 2009. Ford put it in the F150 in 2010 for the 2011 model.

So far, with 61K+ on the odometer, mine has been doing OK, except for one of the coil packs going weak and causing misfires under heavy acceleration. If you didn't put the pedal all the way to the floor, you'd never know it. Changing a coil pack is quick, easy, and cheap (part is $80). The difficulty is figuring out which one is bad. The dealer I bought the truck from wanted $150 just to hook up the computer to the OBD II port to tell me, I told him no way. Went to another friendlier dealer, he checked it for free, and he got the job to fix it and replace all the spark plugs while they were right there. Less than $300 for all parts and labor.

BTW, the coil packs are not covered under the 5yr/60K warranty. Ford considers them a wear item and they are not covered. That's crap. They did that to me with my former F250 6.0 PowerStroke when the FICM (Fuel Injection Control Module) went bad but was still under the 5yr/100K warranty. Cost me $1100 to replace that electronic part. I'm no longer a fan of Ford's warranty.

Other than that, so far, so good.

[AlmostAnOldGuy]

Melanie,

I have had a 2012 F150 with the EcoBoost and if I knew then what I know now I would choose the same truck with the same engine.

Turtle noted two issues that folks have experienced. Direct Injection is increasingly common with the new gas engines and is not unique to the EcoBoost. I would expect to, somewhere down the line, to pay for a valve cleaning (not the chemical kind). I don't consider this to be a big deal, but it is something that you would not have to deal with using Ford's 5.0 V8. If the timing chain ever gets sloppy I will have it replaced. Maintenance is part of the cost of ownership and it varies between engines and trucks. Yours is a good question and it is best to be aware of these costs up front.

On this forum my observation has been that the owners of the EcoBoost have been happy with the performance. It tows my trailer easily and I like that it pulls at low rpms. The cab is quiet and it makes the tow more enjoyable.

Jeremiah did bring up a good point, think about a Max Tow to give you some extra room in the future.

Good luck to you,
Stu