Towing with Ecoboost

[atx111]

I want to hear from the Ecoboost owners out there what their impressions are while towing their boats. I just picked up a 2011 F150 Supercrew last week and havent had the chance to hook up the boat yet. This truck sure has much quicker acceleration and power than my 05 F150 with the 5.4. I'm just hoping that translates into better towing too. By the way, I'm towing a Cobalt 230, dry weight 4500#, trailer maybe 1200-1500#, plus at most 800# in fuel and gear.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

The v6 is the highest rated towing engine out of all the 1/2 tons for a reason...

Wasn't driving, but riding with a friend in his new ecoboost. Pulling probably about 6000 pounds and about 1000 in the bed, it handled it very, very nicely! The only part that i might question was the transmission, it seemed to prefer to keep the rpm's a little lower than I would have expected. There might be a tow mode of some sort that he wasn't using. (those little ecoboost turbos are TINY, so you don't need a whole lot of rpms, but the trans liked to keep it under 2k)

 

['78 Crusader]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

Since this is the first year of the ECO boost, I don't trust them.....will wait a few years before I get a V6 in a full sized truck just to make sure they work out all the bugs. The first year of anything that comes out is usually loaded with TSB's, recalls...etc.

Good luck with it and I hope it's trouble free for you.

 

[atx111]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

There is a tow haul mode for it, and you can select "M", which I guess is like shifting like a manual, there is a + and - button on the shift column. There's a way that you can lock out 5th and 6th gear too, I really havent messed around with it too much though.

I'm leery of buying the first year of a new engine too, the only other option was the 360 hp 5.0, which basically is a new engine too. I guess it doesnt have the added complexity of the twin turbos though. Hopefully I'll never need to use the warranty! There's always the 6.2, but you'd have to step up to at least a Platinum or Raptor I think.

I ran through the Ford F150 forum pretty extensively before I bought it and saw more praise than problems for that engine.

 

[kemer1]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

Let me clear up a few thing for you guys... The 3.5 V6 Ecoboost motor isn't new. This engine has been used in the Taurus SHO for the last few years, since the redisign. So they have have had a couple years to work the bugs out of it. They just re-tuned it and changed the ECU parameters to give it more low end torque so it fits more of the truck use. Same story with the 5.0. This is the same basic motor that was used in the 80s and up to 95 in the Mustangs. They have made some changes to update it and make it more modern for use in the new Mustang. This motor now brings the 0-60 and 1/4 mile times on par with BMW's M3, and they did the same thing with it as with the 3.5. Changed the torque curve and cooling to handle the higher demands in a truck. Either way you really can't go wrong.

The towing capacity of that F-150 with the ecoboost is something like 11,250 lbs. So you should have no issues what so ever with pulling your boat package. It's well below the capacities, and you should be able to keep this thing for many many years without too much extra maintenance. Congrats on the new rig.

 

[Alwhite00]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

Let me clear up a few thing for you guys... The 3.5 V6 Ecoboost motor isn't new. This engine has been used in the Taurus SHO for the last few years, since the redisign. So they have have had a couple years to work the bugs out of it. They just re-tuned it and changed the ECU parameters to give it more low end torque so it fits more of the truck use. Same story with the 5.0. This is the same basic motor that was used in the 80s and up to 95 in the Mustangs. They have made some changes to update it and make it more modern for use in the new Mustang. This motor now brings the 0-60 and 1/4 mile times on par with BMW's M3, and they did the same thing with it as with the 3.5. Changed the torque curve and cooling to handle the higher demands in a truck. Either way you really can't go wrong.

The towing capacity of that F-150 with the ecoboost is something like 11,250 lbs. So you should have no issues what so ever with pulling your boat package. It's well below the capacities, and you should be able to keep this thing for many many years without too much extra maintenance. Congrats on the new rig.

I don't think the new 302 has anything in common with the 80's 302 - Correct me if I am wrong but I believe it's all new. Otherwise they would have never got rid of it.

LK

 

[kemer1]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

Not 100% sure. I know the 5.0 was replaced by the 4.6 because it was more modern and provided the same hp. I think they updated the old block with an all aluminum block, twin over-head cams and totally remapped the ECU. I just know when I sold Nissans and the word came out that the 5.0 was gonna replace the 5.4 triton, and when the specs leaked on the 3.5 eco...we were seriously worried about our Titan product. In any case, those are the most innovative trucks on the market at the moment. Good choice.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

I don't think the new 302 has anything in common with the 80's 302 - Correct me if I am wrong but I believe it's all new. Otherwise they would have never got rid of it.

LK

other than displacement, they have almost NOTHING in common. I'd bet there isn't a single common part between them, probably not even a single bolt.

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

other than displacement, they have almost NOTHING in common. I'd bet there isn't a single common part between them, probably not even a single bolt.

+1 ^^^^

The modular based "Coyote" 5.0L has 0 in common with the old 5.0L Windsor.....

 

[Davis 103]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

My company has purchased 4 of the F 150 "Eco Boost" Fords. we dont tow boats but we do tow 16' dual axle trailers with a max load of 8,500 lb and max weight at the hitch is 800 lb's. we have about 30 k miles on these trucks so far. for the most part thay have preformed fair, we work in the hills on TN and KY, the engine does have an issue with keeping the RPM's up unless we leave them in "tow/haul mode". the fuel milage has been ok at around 15-18 MPG. I drive a 2011 Ram 1500 with a 5.7 hemi, it will out tow and get better fuel milage while towing as well as the acerlation is much better with the dodge. with all that being said the Ford with the Eco Boost is a good performing engine with little to no issues at 30k miles. I believe you will be happy with the truck, we have one that is 4 wheel drive that seems to out perform the others due to the lower gear.

 

[642mx]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

+1 ^^^^

The modular based "Coyote" 5.0L has 0 in common with the old 5.0L Windsor.....

+2... I've got a 2011 GT with the 5.0L. The only thing it has in common with the old 5.0L is they are both Fords. FWIW, I love my 5.0 and even tho its a first year engine, Ford seemed to get it right. They also left a lot of power to be found. An intake, exhaust and tuner make a world of difference!!

 

[642mx]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

I don't own an ecoboost, but I read (on another boating forum) that it pulls like a diesel. The only downside to the eco was the 10 mpg the guy was getting pulling a 20 foot bowrider. Of course the truck was brand new and not broken in yet, but I expected a little better from it.

Congrats on the new ride!!

 

[phenrichs]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

I can tell you that in reading posts on another forum where a guy went into great detail that folks are loving them. This guy had the max tow package and was pulling a 32' travel trailer that was swinging in at around 9000lbs. He said the mileage sucked at first but got better as the year went on. His previous truck was an 06 with the HD tow package and he said the ecoboost kills it all day long. It sounds like they hit a homerun in creating a truck that was between the half tons we are used to and the HD diesel trucks that most of us see as overkill. I too am a little hesitant, not in the engine because it has been proven in the Taurus and Edge but in the pairing with the trans and 4x4. But 2 years time will tell for sure.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

One engine, tortured. I'm impressed. Might have to buy one, if they ever put one in a Ranger, as long as you don't have to remove the engine to change out a plug.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSLBBzJS388 dyno torture




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0yTTvh_Ikg&feature=related pulling 6000# dead weight



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxN3JnQ47b0&feature=relmfu 1600 miles towing 11,300# at WOT




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-W_bbzRLdDM&feature=relmfu Head to head up hill towing and acceleration


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4Pi00oBv3Q&feature=relmfu Performance at Baja 1000



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lToZuwbQhLk&feature=relmfu Engine dyno and teard own

 

[atx111]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

I don't own an ecoboost, but I read (on another boating forum) that it pulls like a diesel. The only downside to the eco was the 10 mpg the guy was getting pulling a 20 foot bowrider. Of course the truck was brand new and not broken in yet, but I expected a little better from it.

Congrats on the new ride!!

Thanks! In the week I've owned it, I've been getting right around 20mpg on the highway empty. That alone beats the heck out of the 13-14mpg I was getting with my 5.4L. Towing I was maybe getting 8-9mpg the couple of times that I had a strong enough stomach to calculate it, so even 10mpg would be good considering the 6-7mpg improvement I already have empty.

 

[gtochris]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

I drive a 2011 Ram 1500 with a 5.7 hemi, it will out tow and get better fuel milage while towing as well as the acerlation is much better with the dodge. with all that being said the Ford with the Eco Boost is a good performing engine with little to no issues at 30k miles. I believe you will be happy with the truck, we have one that is 4 wheel drive that seems to out perform the others due to the lower gear.

So the Hemi still has the upper hand against the Ecoboost?

To the OP, congratulations on the purchase! Beautiful truck! I'm assuming you have an XLT?

My only gripe is I noticed Ford recently added a 36 gallon tank to Ecoboost equiped trucks... That is a heck of a lot of fuel to be lugging around! ($100+ fillups)!

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

One engine, tortured. I'm impressed. Might have to buy one, if they ever put one in a Ranger, as long as you don't have to remove the engine to change out a plug.

Saw these a while back. They had uploaded the real-time tear down of the engine as each piece was taken off and measured. Took about an hour to watch, but was interesting.

Unfortunately this engine will never make it to the Ranger, as the Ranger is supposedly gone after this MY.

 

[phenrichs]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

So the Hemi still has the upper hand against the Ecoboost?

To the OP, congratulations on the purchase! Beautiful truck! I'm assuming you have an XLT?

My only gripe is I noticed Ford recently added a 36 gallon tank to Ecoboost equiped trucks... That is a heck of a lot of fuel to be lugging around! ($100+ fillups)!

A friend's father bought one and was PO'd the first time he went to get gas because the pump shut off at $100 and his tank wasn't full yet.

 

[642mx]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

A friend's father bought one and was PO'd the first time he went to get gas because the pump shut off at $100 and his tank wasn't full yet.

Pumps shut off at $75 around here. Nothing like swiping your card 3 times to fill the boat up...

 

[QC]

Re: Towing with Ecoboost

My only gripe is I noticed Ford recently added a 36 gallon tank to Ecoboost equiped trucks... That is a heck of a lot of fuel to be lugging around! ($100+ fillups)!

How in heck can that be a negative?