Please explain EcoBoost

[LandCruiser]

I had been raised that if you want horsepower at high RRMs you get a turbo, if you want torque at low RPMs, you get a supercharger, or hell, just a bigger engine. Furthermore, at the engine speeds and job requirements of trucks (towing, hauling) you want lots of torque at low RPM and turbocharging doesn't really help unless it's a diesel, but that's another story.

So, then, why is Ford with the help of Firefighter Tommy Gavin telling us that turbocharged V6 gasoline pickups perform as well, if not better, than NA gas V8 pickups in terms of towing and gas mileage, even invoking the torque demon "it's what gets the CAP of yer BEER!"

Has Ford figured something out about turbocharging gas engines to get over the RPM and torque issue, or are they just trying to get around CAFE standards and BSing customers into buying V6 trucks?

 

[ryan87]

with 2 small turbos you can move a large volume of air with little exhaust(turbos are exhaust driven) with such small turbos you can get them spooling with low rpm forcing more air into the engine creating power

 

[bofa]

Better low end torque and minimal lag. I'm not convinced Ford has managed to master this yet. BMW, maybe.

 

[RandyDaytona]

Don't know how it works, but my work truck is an F-150 Ecoboost. It replaced an earlier model F-150 with the V8.

It accelerates much faster and gets better gas mileage than its predecessor.

I can't speak to towing, because I only tow a small boat or a single-place ATV/snowmobile trailer, neither of which really puts a strain on a vehicle, anyway.

 

[LandCruiser]

Better low end torque and minimal lag. I'm not convinced Ford has managed to master this yet. BMW, maybe.

I was shocked how well the twin turbo 5 series behave at low RPMs. But that's a car, I'm still on the fence if it can work in a truck.

 

[ryan87]

Turbo charging is awesome. I just got out of a turbocharged Silverado. Lots of sizing involved with compressor and impellor wheels and intake and exhaust housings all decide where your power will come on in the rpm and how far you can go before it become inefficient

 

[KCcarguy]

Ecoboost=marketing. Nothing new here

 

[mikebontoft]

There's no replacement for displacement... until you get boost. Small turbo will spool quickly creating torque and the larger one keeps it going.

I hate the commercials though. To me, they say "hey dum-dum buy our twuck cause we mentioned beer."

It works well though. I also recall a Chevy commercial that says something like "...this isn't the ecoboost you want in a truck. it's a V8" lol.

 

[shadow247]

Disclaimer - I work at a Ford dealership.

Ecoboost is a pretty great idea, it's nothing really new. Toyota did it on the Supra Twin Turbo. It works pretty well for what it is, but it's just more stuff to break long term.

 

[chmura]

Turbos can be very reliable. Turbo engines have been out for a very long time, nothing new here.

My buddy has an old subaru with a turbo and still running like a champ at 180k miles. Original turbo.

 

[blue dog]

At this point I've got over 250,000 miles on my stock turbo on my Cummins pushing 500hp with no problems. It gets used to pull a 10,000# trailer routinely and even light the tires rolling hooked just for fun at times. I do keep a close eye on EGT's though and check the lines to ensure it never gets starved for oil every couple years.

Yep. My 01 24 valve did an average of 535 hp over 1000 ft lbs of torque with 3 runs on the dyno. Big injectors, edge ceramic ball bearing turbo and comp box with race tune, 6 speed. Truck has 265,000 hard miles, and runs like a raped ape. all after market parts were installed when the truck had about 110,000 miles. Here is the cream of this story, that truck will click 22-23 miles per gallon on the highway as long as you keep the mph below 67. 8,000 lb truck with 37" tires and 4.10 gears. Moral of this story, turbo's rule.
The white one was set up the same except with a built auto trans and 35" tires

 

[blue dog]

Turbo power is free, Supercharger taxes the engine to make more horsepower. Just saying.

 

[KidVermicious]

I know several guys who bought Ecoboost Fords to replace their oilburners, and claim they pull just like a big diesel. These guys are only hauling crawlers and boats and camp trailers and such, but I would definitely consider the new Ford motor for light/medium towing.

 

[Swimmerboy2112]

I used to work for Ford and when the EcoBoost motor came out there were a lot of issues that came out along with it.

I have absolutely no experience towing with one but a buddy of mine bought one to tow his car trailer and a few other large items, boat, etc. He ended up returning it for a V8 F-150. He said the power wasn't "right there" when he needed it most.

 

[Jeff Kleb]

EcoBoost


The "EcoBoost" name is just something used exclusively by Ford - like GM has a trademark on the "EcoTech" engine; or whatever they call it. The EcoBoost engine refers to the optional twin-turbo V6 offered by Ford in the F-Series half-ton truck AND the Ford Taurus SHO sedan.

One of our big-wigs at work has a company-provided 2012 F-150 Platinum with the EcoBoost. He says it is much "stronger" than the older style, V8 F-Series truck that he had prior to this one. It also gets better fuel economy......but he doesn't use it for towing at all.

If I purchased a new F-Series, I would probably opt for the normally-aspirated 5.0L V8 (based on the same block as what goes into the Mustang GT). I am "old school" and know that a non-turbo engine has less stuff to break, is easier to maintain and is going to probably cost less over the long haul. That being said, V8 power with a much smaller V6 is not too shabby.

The new 2014 Silverado commercial compares a V8 (the smaller one, not the 5.3L) Silverado to a V6 EcoBoost F-150 and it probably gets one mile per gallon more on the highway or something like that. In truth, you don't buy a full-size pickup truck PRIMARILY for fuel economy. Get a freaking Prius for that.
:flypig:

Ford also offers the EcoBoost V6 (3.5L with 365hp, I think) as an option for the new Taurus sedan, but I think it only comes in the expensive SHO trim level -- or in the new Police Interceptor package (which offers a base 280hp V6 that is normally aspirated as standard equipment). Our county police department just put a whole bunch of new "Interceptor" Taurus sedans into service, but they have the regular V6 under the hood and have all-wheel-drive. Even with "just" 280hp vs the EcoBoost's 365hp, the new Taurus beats the old Crown Vic in power - as it had only 250 ponies on tap.

Ford has gotten good reviews on this engine - but the new Silverado is really, really a great truck. Too bad GM decided that Mexico was a better place to build them than the USA, though. ARGH!
ainkiller::smash:

 

[txbonds]

My co car, a 2013 fusion has an ecoboost 1.6 engine. It's a power house. LOL

seriously when you really get on it you can feel when the turbo spools up and kicks in, but it doesn't help a whole bunch at 1.6L