Baby Eco-Boost or Should I Have a V8?

[clifhngr]

Originally Posted by 6CatDaddy

Have a 2016 F150 SCAB. 2.7, 6speed 3.31 axle...

Tow a 2109S Minilite with NO problems.

This truck is the closest thing to a street racing vehicle I have ever had.

That 2.7 is a smaller displacement than the engines I have had in the past in GM S10 pickups and outperforms them 10 fold...

Our F150 has never strained the terrains here in Pennsylvania, hills, mountains, turnpikes.

Gets up to turnpike speed towing with no strain and low rpm's compared to how a V-8 would need to be wound out...

Folks who shy away from turbos thinking the turbos are going to be the first thing to go, must not know about turbo'd engines.

Use the proper oil, change it often, air filters too, drive it right, run it hard to bend that intake air, but know what you are doing not to cook the turbos shutting it down smoking hot and you will not have any turbo or engine trouble with the Ecoboost engine.

Stock is plenty of power, but a tuned 2.7 and you better hope your drivetrain can handle the power this engine is capable of producing...

If I had to replace my truck I would not hesitate to get the Ecoboost again, maybe go up to the 3.5EB, but if the 2.7 is available with the 10 speed auto, I think that would be hard to beat seeing as how well it does with the 6 speed auto...

Thank you for the information. It is very useful. I have a CDL and have driven large diesel trucks. I very much like the low end torque they have. I also am not afraid of a turbo. As you pointed out, it is how you don't shut them down immediately after they have been driven hard and to keep them maintained (oil, filters, ect.) I did pull our 2109s through your Pennsylvaia hills this past spring and the Ram worked very hard.
I hate having to drive with the engine screaming. Because pickup tricks have gotten to be such cash cows for the manufacturers, I would like to pick one that has great reliability. Being retired, I don't want to put my all retirment funds into the TV.. We want to enjoy traveling and camping. Thanks again for your response...

[RamFam]

I looked long and hard at the F-150 w/ the 3.5L. Nice machine!

Now, I went with a new Ram for lots of reasons but avoiding a turbo motor was absolutely one of them. There’s a lot you can read about people who love the eco-boost motors and inevitably there’s a need to defend their reliability.

Fundamentally: More parts. More pressure. High rpm turbos.

I drove forced induction cars for years and years. I just don’t want that added maintenance and worry.

The hemi isn’t going to win any hp/tq wars in a magazine but you can’t kill the damn things. They will run forever. And Ram put their fancy 8-speed tranny behind the 5.7 and whoooo boy! Hit tow mode and set the cruise control and then just sit back and enjoy the best interior available on a half ton truck. I’ve pulled a few different TT’s between 5,500 and 6,500 pounds and never felt like I was underpowered or couldn’t pull a grade.

Oh yeah, flat ground unhitched I get 21.5mpg @ 75 mph.

And, yeah it sounds like dad’s truck and his dad’s before him... not a Camry with a fart pipe on the end. Good God, have you heard someone get on one of the new Raptors? I don’t care how many ponies are under the hood, a pickup just shouldn’t sound embarrassing like that.

Ok, I’m done. /opinions

[ronheater70]

Originally Posted by RamFam

I looked long and hard at the F-150 w/ the 3.5L. Nice machine!

Now, I went with a new Ram for lots of reasons but avoiding a turbo motor was absolutely one of them. There’s a lot you can read about people who love the eco-boost motors and inevitably there’s a need to defend their reliability.

And, yeah it sounds like dad’s truck and his dad’s before him... not a Camry with a fart pipe on the end. Good God, have you heard someone get on one of the new Raptors? I don’t care how many ponies are under the hood, a pickup just shouldn’t sound embarrassing like that.

Ok, I’m done. /opinions

I decided to stay away from Ram V8's after my personal experience with my 2016 6.4 Hemi. It Ticked and smoked, Often. I researched it and it seemed a fairly common complaint on truck specific forums. Then the 5.7 had the manifold bolt issues, which is not a cheap failure out of warranty and it was supposedly fixed on the 6.4's but now im reading some old friends are having the same issue with the 6.4 so maybe its not fixed yet. I really enjoyed my old ecoboost. And I Agree it did sound kinda wimply, sorta Fart like.. But you really only noticed it as it blew past you.

[6CatDaddy]

I am real surprised Ford doesn't Ecoboost one of their proven V-8's and offer that as an option in the F150 or better yet the F250's and all the way up the F series line up...

Twin turbo 5.0?

Yes please!!

[clifhngr]

Originally Posted by RamFam

I looked long and hard at the F-150 w/ the 3.5L. Nice machine!

Now, I went with a new Ram for lots of reasons but avoiding a turbo motor was absolutely one of them. There’s a lot you can read about people who love the eco-boost motors and inevitably there’s a need to defend their reliability.

Fundamentally: More parts. More pressure. High rpm turbos.

I drove forced induction cars for years and years. I just don’t want that added maintenance and worry.

The hemi isn’t going to win any hp/tq wars in a magazine but you can’t kill the damn things. They will run forever. And Ram put their fancy 8-speed tranny behind the 5.7 and whoooo boy! Hit tow mode and set the cruise control and then just sit back and enjoy the best interior available on a half ton truck. I’ve pulled a few different TT’s between 5,500 and 6,500 pounds and never felt like I was underpowered or couldn’t pull a grade.

Oh yeah, flat ground unhitched I get 21.5mpg @ 75 mph.

And, yeah it sounds like dad’s truck and his dad’s before him... not a Camry with a fart pipe on the end. Good God, have you heard someone get on one of the new Raptors? I don’t care how many ponies are under the hood, a pickup just shouldn’t sound embarrassing like that.

Ok, I’m done. /opinions

Yeah, I have to admit that I like the sound of a v8 that is coupled to a nice balanced exhaust.
I've spent a good deal of time on Ram forums and it sounds like the 8-speed is a really good transmission. I really like how the e-torque is engineered to work. Now if they could only get it to be reliable...
Do you have the 3.92 gears?
Not passing everone in the hills is not a concern for me. But I would like a comfortable ride for traveling long distances.

[RamFam]

I went down the exact same path. Initially I wanted the 3.92 gears and eTorque but far too much research taught me two things. 1) it was impossible to find the configuration I wanted with 3.92 anywhere. (Bench seat, leather, no sun roof, no eTorque blah blah) 2) I couldn’t find any reports of people who use their rig with the 3.21’s being underpowered, lugging etc. 3.92 helps with startup from a dead stop but that tranny helps so much.

I took the leap and the 3.21’s have been great with various TT’s and moving trailers attached.

I was worried about the coil rear suspension but the air bags are cheap and incredibly effective. Plus when not towing you get to deflate and enjoy a much more friendly ride than the other half tons.

Yes. I LOVE my Ram!

[DavidBo]

Originally Posted by 6CatDaddy

I am real surprised Ford doesn't Ecoboost one of their proven V-8's and offer that as an option in the F150 or better yet the F250's and all the way up the F series line up...

Twin turbo 5.0?

Yes please!!

Oh I am more than certain that Ford's R&D department already has a few Turbo Coyote prototypes strapped to the dynos in Dearborn. My money is on a non-diesel option for future F-250s and up, makes sense to me.

[mjbenedict]

Originally Posted by clifhngr

Yeah, I have to admit that I like the sound of a v8 that is coupled to a nice balanced exhaust.

I've spent a good deal of time on Ram forums and it sounds like the 8-speed is a really good transmission. I really like how the e-torque is engineered to work. Now if they could only get it to be reliable...

Do you have the 3.92 gears?

Not passing everone in the hills is not a concern for me. But I would like a comfortable ride for traveling long distances.

My eco boost fakes sound through the stereo speakers, I miss my Ram...

[clifhngr]

Originally Posted by RamFam

I went down the exact same path. Initially I wanted the 3.92 gears and eTorque but far too much research taught me two things. 1) it was impossible to find the configuration I wanted with 3.92 anywhere. (Bench seat, leather, no sun roof, no eTorque blah blah) 2) I couldn’t find any reports of people who use their rig with the 3.21’s being underpowered, lugging etc. 3.92 helps with startup from a dead stop but that tranny helps so much.

I took the leap and the 3.21’s have been great with various TT’s and moving trailers attached.

I was worried about the coil rear suspension but the air bags are cheap and incredibly effective. Plus when not towing you get to deflate and enjoy a much more friendly ride than the other half tons.

Yes. I LOVE my Ram!

I like the idea of the air suspension, but I've read it can be problematic in
cold climates as we have here in Vermont. I don't plan of it being a daily drive as I am now retired. I once owned a Mazda van with air suspension and really liked it. Blew and air bag while on a family vacation in Utah one summer. Other than that no problems...
What do you not like about etorque? If it actually works as intended, it sounds great. I read that it is not very reliable... Hopefully that will change.
Good to hear about the 3.21's. I've been looking for a used for 3.92 as they are sure hard to find as you say.. Nice to hear the 3.21's tow well...