Which "FORD" engine.....

[Briorick]

...for longevity ( meaning, if you're not the individuals who trade up their "Ford Trucks" every 3-5 years ).

BIL has a 2014 F150 4WD 3.5L 6cyl EB and it is a pulling beast. I think his wife loves it more than he does when pulling. Although she does get worse gas mileage. She's not one for letting grass grow under her feet. He loves how it climbs the hills extremely well pulling their 6k lb camper. He cant say enough about the hp. Got me excited should I ever think about upgrading.

My curiosity has set in and I am trying to do some comparisons with a couple other motors. The 5.4L V8 Triton ( which they no longer make but are still out there ), and the 5.0L. which I understand is next in line to the 5.3L, performance wise, just not as "quick".

In my search quest I have been reading that for longevity purpose a 5.0L and 5.4L is supposedly a better engine, and the 5.3L lacks in longevity due to the work loads that are put on them because of the EB and them being the beast that they are. I'm not sure!

I see many here have the F150 3.5L EB 6cyl and I would like your input as to your longevity opinions.

I'm also assuming that the difference would be night and day if full-time towing vs. part-time towing. That's a no-brainer.

I really like the F150 3.5L EB 6cyl and just need some input. I am one of those who keeps their vehicles longer than most.

I have also been reading there are certain years to stay clear of. But that's really with any maker. You get some good with the bad. Okay, fire away!

[rockertom]

My 05 5.4L 3v has been trouble free for 165k miles. Pulls my 8k RV just fine. Does better after I changed from 3.73 to 4.10 gears. Handled the 6 or 7% grade up and down from Chattanooga to Louisville and back earlier this summer just fine. Temps never moved. Held 60mph going up with a little peddle left over. If you're not going over 10k in an RV, the little 5.4 does just fine. I'd have no problems towing with it anywhere. It's just not going to win any races. Use it for what it was intended for in a big truck.

[davel1971]

The answer is simple. 6.7 Powerstroke. There are plenty out there with over 1/2 a million miles on them. As good as the EcoBoosts are, you can't crank that much power out of such a small engine and expect it to last as long as any engine that is barely working.

[brian372lok]

I have a 6.7 Powerstroke but cost is there. I have drove some of the 2.7eb and they are quick, I haven’t drove the 3.5eb but if i didn’t have 14.5k camper I would consider the 3.5eb. Diesels are great and I originally bought it because i wanted it, and not I use it. But for the gasser ford have done a good job. The 5.4 has issues so i would stay away. If you go SD the 6.2l is a beast.

[DougW]

I had a 3.5 EB and pulled an 8,000 lb camper all over the place with it, Over that Blue ridge mountains, the Appalachian's, even pulled it From NY out to Yellowstoone, glacier, down to California, Vegas, over the Rockies to Colorado Springs and was never disappointed with the pulling ability. She would hold the speed limit on all but the worst climbs. Sure, she was in the gears so she could use the RPM's to get the job done but any gas engine is going to do that.

Look up the torque curves and HP ratings of the various engines and the EB does second only to the V10 in the gas engines Ford offers. The 5.4 is no slouch, but the newer 5.0 has more power than the 5.4 did.

[HangDiver]

Following...

[2Evil4U]

The 5.4 is a good motor. My first gen modular 5.4 in my 97 has almost 256k on it and all that's been done to it is three coils.(It does not have the VCT that can cause some high mileage issues, though.) It's getting tired but still runs great. I'd steer clear of the 04-05 versions with the spark plugs that break upon removal unless you are certain they have already been replaced with one piece plugs. Otherwise, I don't think they're terribly torquey, but certainly adequate and if maintained, can be very reliable.

[acadianbob]

I have 105K on my '12 Ecoboost. About 35% is towing a 8,500lb fifth wheel. It pulls hard, gets 10.5 mpg towing the 5er, smooth, quiet, uses zero oil, runs like a top. Unaffected by altitude. Pulled the 5er up Eisenhower easily. My summer mpg unloaded was 19.4. One small downfall; compression braking is not the best due to the small displacement. And there is the issue of payload depending on what you want to tow. It is a "1/2 ton" truck after all.

I wish they put this engine in the F250 Super Duty. Good for people like me. But the commercial market needs diesel availability and the super reliable 6.2 gasser.

[Briorick]

Originally Posted by DougW

I had a 3.5 EB and pulled an 8,000 lb camper all over the place with it, Over that Blue ridge mountains, the Appalachian's, even pulled it From NY out to Yellowstoone, glacier, down to California, Vegas, over the Rockies to Colorado Springs and was never disappointed with the pulling ability. She would hold the speed limit on all but the worst climbs. Sure, she was in the gears so she could use the RPM's to get the job done but any gas engine is going to do that.

Excellent review......how many miles did you have on it before upgrading to another TV?

Originally Posted by 2Evil4U

The 5.4 is a good motor. My first gen modular 5.4 in my 97 has almost 256k on it and all that's been done to it is three coils.(It does not have the VCT that can cause some high mileage issues, though.) It's getting tired but still runs great. I'd steer clear of the 04-05 versions with the spark plugs that break upon removal unless you are certain they have already been replaced with one piece plugs.

FIL had the 5.4L ( don't remember the year now ) had high miles before trading for the 3.5L. That 5.4 was a work horse. Although his 3.5L was just as good. Yeah, the issues with the 04-05 plugs breaking I recall reading about this in the Ford Forums. They did say once they were replaced, they were good. But a PITA.

Originally Posted by acadianbob

I wish they put this engine in the F250 Super Duty. Good for people like me. But the commercial market needs diesel availability and the super reliable 6.2 gasser.

Would be the perfect combo. I'm sure it would come at a high price, but wouldn't hurt the pocket as much between fill-ups.

[KMP44]

I put 125K on my 5.4L. That was a good engine, but I ran into some trouble with the timing system. There is a TSB out recommending synthetic oil due to some issues with oil pressure affecting the timing. The Ford forums would give you plenty of reading. The issue doesn't affect all of them, but it does creep up for some.


The 5.0 is probably going to be your most reliable. Everybody I know that has one really likes it and its relatively simple compared to an EB or a diesel. The EB is a great option for towing, but turbos and direct injection create opportunities for maintenance issues, just like modern diesels with all new emissions equipment. That doesn't mean, most won't run for a long time without issues, but increasing complexity just creates opportunities for maintenance issues.

[Wheels Down]

I went with the F250 6.2L for pulling about 7400 lbs (loaded), a Flagfstaff 27 BEWS TT.
Someone once told me "you want to have more truck than trailer", that helped me make my mind up to go with the 3/4 ton.
Yes it likes fuel when towing, but that's a given when you buy any RV.
I will say, based on your towing needs a diesel may serve you well.
If you are considering full time living (towing) or lots of miles all around the country the diesel is your best bet.
For me I only tow on the ground in the south US (mostly flat in comparison to CO ect..) maybe 6 trips a year and there are not too many "steep" grades. So the gasser is good for me.
Also the 3/4 ton leaves you some flexibility if you decide to go with a 5er.
RMc

[DNA Dan]

I have a 2012 EB 3.5L with 3.73 gears as well. Since the truck relies so much on the gearing, I could not imagine pulling with anything less than the 3.73 ratio. I bought mine used earlier this year and used it all last season. I pull a 7500 lb trailer.

If you are interested in the older ones, you need to drill the CAC or upgrade the intercooler. This gets rid of or alleviates the moisture issue in the intake - which will blow your plugs, leading to cracked insulators and blown coils. This is a CEL and makes towing vitually impossible. The weep hole in the CAC allows the moisture to exit the air intake. The second thing is the engine benefits greatly from a catch can. These engines being turbocharged have a fair amount of "blow-by" on the pistons which can dilute the oil with fuel/water condensate. The PVC system is inadequate to deal with this issue. So a catch can will trap all this instead of putting it through the motor. There is a lot of debate out there whether this will help longevity, IE reduce coking of the valves on DI engines, at a minimum, it keeps the garbage from going through the motor as designed. Both of these things are certainly not CARB legal and may be illegal in "smog certified" states.

It's my understanding that FORD moved to a combination of DI and NA for the newer generation of the EB. This is supposed to reduce coking of the valves by periodically washing the valve backside with gas.

My experience with this motor has been overall good. It does suffer from "Heat soak" if you are pulling hard grades, heavy loads on 100+ days. There are aftermarket radiators and CACs you can purchase to alleviate this issue (Not Cheap). That is probably going to be my next upgrade on this truck. I average about 8.5-10 MPG depending upon speed/terrain. I think one HUGE downside is if the truck does throw a CEL, It goes into a "limp mode" which is a reduced power mode. This makes towing very difficult or impossible if you're in the mountains. For this reason I would look for a 5.0 or 5.4 for towing. Gas mileage while NOT towing is better with an EB, but while towing it's the same as a NA v8. So don't believe the hype about the motor being "better". For towing it's not any better. If you consider the caveat of the "limp mode" in some respects its actually worse.

[dbt1980]

Watch the mike Rowe ecoboost torture test videos. Pretty cool stuff everyone says they won’t last but no evidence of that yet. If you look online there’s plenty of people that have 200k plus miles with very few problems, I don’t think with proper maintenance there will be any issues.

[phillyg]

I had a 2004, 5.4, 3.73, max tow, and didn't have any difficulty pulliing an 8300lb FW. Sold it at 165,000 miles only because I needed an F350 diesel to pull a bigger FW. Still, the newer ecoboost F150s seem like the best solution for 1/2t pulling. The 5.4 motor is old school LOL.

[BigH]

Originally Posted by dbt1980

Watch the mike Rowe ecoboost torture test videos. Pretty cool stuff everyone says they won’t last but no evidence of that yet. If you look online there’s plenty of people that have 200k plus miles with very few problems, I don’t think with proper maintenance there will be any issues.

a few people with high miles only means its possible. Kinda like talking about my grandma smoking two packs a day and lived to be 84 (true story).

I had a 16 with 3.73 gears and the 5.0. A friend has a 2015, 3.5 with the same gears. He gets better mileage empty and I got better mileage towing even with a heavier trailer. I really liked the motor and transmission but there were other problems with my F150.

My buddy mentioned above was pulling a trailer on the freeway about a month ago with his 3.5 when it just shut off. No power brakes or steering at 70mph! Very scary! He got to the side of the road ok and it started back up. It happened a few more times trying to get it to the dealership. He took the truck to the dealer and they knew exactly what the issue was. The 'events' scared him. The fact the dealer has seen this issue enough to diagnose from verbal description makes it even more concerning. I forget what they replaced.

[Briorick]

Originally Posted by BigH

a few people with high miles only means its possible. Kinda like talking about my grandma smoking two packs a day and lived to be 84 (true story).

I had a 16 with 3.73 gears and the 5.0. A friend has a 2015, 3.5 with the same gears. He gets better mileage empty and I got better mileage towing even with a heavier trailer. I really liked the motor and transmission but there were other problems with my F150.

BIL and I were doing a bit of comparison between our 2 TV's now that we are towing. His 2014 F150 EB 4x4 3:73, and my 2004 Sierra 2500HD 4x4 4:10. Being we have basically the same camper, different models, but same length, weight, layout, and dinette slide-out, it was an interesting discussion.

He was asking how my mpg was when I was towing. They had just purchased their camper and was taking it our for its maiden voyage and was curious as to what to expect. The "ole mpg curiosity" we gassers dread! Not that it made much difference, but still interested.

Pulling his camper he gets about 9-10 mpg. Without he can get up to 20's. Pulling my camper I get 9 mpg. And without, lucky to get 13. But mine wasn't bought for mpg. Bought for towing.

BIL and I have concluded that both TV's are towing beasts themselves, albeit the different engine / gear ratio, but was an interesting assessment knowing we average the same WHEN towing. Although, I do wish I got his mpg even when not pulling. C'est La Vie!

[BigH]

Originally Posted by Briorick

BIL and I were doing a bit of comparison between our 2 TV's now that we are towing. His 2014 F150 EB 4x4 3:73, and my 2004 Sierra 2500HD 4x4 4:10. Being we have basically the same camper, different models, but same length, weight, layout, and dinette slide-out, it was an interesting discussion.

He was asking how my mpg was when I was towing. They had just purchased their camper and was taking it our for its maiden voyage and was curious as to what to expect. The "ole mpg curiosity" we gassers dread! Not that it made much difference, but still interested.

Pulling his camper he gets about 9-10 mpg. Without he can get up to 20's. Pulling my camper I get 9 mpg. And without, lucky to get 13. But mine wasn't bought for mpg. Bought for towing.

BIL and I have concluded that both TV's are towing beasts themselves, albeit the different engine / gear ratio, but was an interesting assessment knowing we average the same WHEN towing. Although, I do wish I got his mpg even when not pulling. C'est La Vie!

I don't use the truck in my signature for commuting duty unless there's enough snow that I choose too but with the little bit of running around empty that I've done it looks like 13 to 14 is about what I'd get. The wife somehow managed to get 18.5 according the DIC for one of her empty truck needed missions...maybe I should let her drive.

(the funny is not meant to be sexist, she is a good driver but the look on her face when I asked if she pull the camper is and ''only if I had too'')

[Skyliner]

A new, not used, Ecoboost truck would be a good option for 1/2 ton capability. Newer EB engines have duel fuel injection-multiport and direct injection which means the issue of intake valve buildup should be a thing of the past. I think the EB is overbuilt and should last a very long time.

As for diesel, good luck. I have a F350 with the 6.7L and at 18k miles it has been in shop 4 times for mostly emissions stuff. Any modern diesel is a nightmare waiting to happen and a full delete is the only way logical way to own a "modern' diesel. I've known too many people, including myself, have their only summer vacation ruined because of DPF or DEF issues.

[Briorick]

Originally Posted by BigH

I don't use the truck in my signature for commuting duty unless there's enough snow that I choose too but with the little bit of running around empty that I've done it looks like 13 to 14 is about what I'd get. The wife somehow managed to get 18.5 according the DIC for one of her empty truck needed missions...maybe I should let her drive.

(the funny is not meant to be sexist, she is a good driver but the look on her face when I asked if she pull the camper is and ''only if I had too'')

I, too, have gotten the same LOOK when I asked the better half to "back in" ours. The camper comes to a immediate halt....and we change seating places.

I keep saying, "Some Day"!

[ronheater70]

Originally Posted by BigH

a few people with high miles only means its possible. Kinda like talking about my grandma smoking two packs a day and lived to be 84 (true story).
.

Kinda like a few people that might have an issue with their truck shutting down on the highway,only means its possible.