Ford F-150 Ecoboost 2.7L vs 3.5L - Real world? - Fiberglass RV
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Old 05-13-2016, 03:28 PM   #1
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Ford F-150 Ecoboost 2.7L vs 3.5L - Real world?

We are planning ahead for the possibility of a new tug for pulling a 4,000 lb (loaded), 2 axle fiberglass camper. We just test-drove a new 2016 aluminum body Ford F-150 and liked it a lot, and we like the idea of the Ecoboost V6 over the standard 5.0L V8 engine, but which Ecoboost engine is engine enough? The 3.5L has more horsepower (365 vs. 325) and more torque (420 vs. 375), but it costs about $1,800 more, and you drop about 2 miles per gallon (EPA estimate 17/24/20 combined vs. 19/26/22 combined). Is the extra hill-climbing power (we envision trips to/through the Appalachians and Rockies) of the larger 3.5L Ecoboost engine worth the extra up-front cost and estimated drop in MPG for the life of the truck (10-15 years?)? Any real world experiences and insight of current 2.7L and/or 3.5L Ecoboost Ford F-150 owners/operators would be appreciated.
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Old 05-13-2016, 06:07 PM   #2
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No real world experience here with the 2.7L, but by the numbers it will have more than plenty towing power, in mountains or anywhere. It will shrug its pistons and say, "Was there a trailer back there? I hadn't noticed."
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Old 05-13-2016, 06:11 PM   #3
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I have a 2016 Ford F 150 3.5 ecoboost. I tow a 2016 Escape 5.0 TA 5th wheel.
The truck has power to spare. I didn't feel any slow down going up hills pulling the trailer home from Chilliwack, BC in late March. I like knowing I have all the power I need and then some. I am very happy with my choice. The only thing I might change would be to get the longer bed. I chose the 4 dr instead of the extended cab. I would have liked to have a longer bed. But my 5.5 will work out fine for me.
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Old 05-13-2016, 06:23 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by War Eagle View Post
Any real world experiences and insight of current 2.7L and/or 3.5L Ecoboost Ford F-150 owners/operators would be appreciated.
We have a 2015 F-150 with the 3.5L, and are very pleased with it. We tow a 2016 17.5 foot Bigfoot, and (if you disregard the gas mileage) towing is very easy. If I'm on a highway, I usually use cruise control. It's not really recommended, but I haven't had any problems!
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Old 05-13-2016, 07:50 PM   #5
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Ford F-150 Ecoboost 2.7L vs 3.5L - Real world?

I have an Escape 5.0TA which I was towing with a 2012 3.5L EcoBoost. I typically got 14.0 mpg towing, and 21 mpg if cruising all day on the highway. It had plenty if power.
I now have a 2015 2.7L EcoBoost. On the highway I get 26 mpg. Towing from Tampa to Atlanta, I got 16.8 mpg, and from Atlanta to Huntsville, AL, up and down hills, 16.5 mpg. The 2.7 seems to have plenty of power. So in terms of the real world, I am happier with the 2.7 than the 3.5.


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Old 05-13-2016, 08:35 PM   #6
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Thanks Carl. That's exactly the kind of comparative information I was looking for. Helps a lot. I'd appreciate your impressions of the 2.7L if/when you hit some long-pull, high elevation mountain passes out west. Thanks again. Safe travels...
Dale
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Old 05-14-2016, 06:57 AM   #7
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Going up and over Donner Pass with our Scamp13 and Ford Escape Ecoboost 2.0L I4 FWD, I set the cruise control on 60 mph and it never slowed down at all. ☺

Horsepower provides acceleration; torque moves a rig at a steady pace up a mountain or into a headwind.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-p...us-torque1.htm

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Old 05-14-2016, 11:38 AM   #8
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One more thing to consider is the size of the gas tank. I have a 2011 Toyota Tundra. The gas tank is way to small. If you have an option to get a larger gas tank, do it.

A relative of my wife owns a 2.7L eco boost Ford (year unknown). He is a retired long haul truck driver and mechanic. He pulls a very large, stick built, 5th wheel (10,000 lbs, loaded) from Knoxville, TN to Southern CA every year, and has had absolutely no problems. He said each time he tows and stops to get gas, he has people come up to tell him his F-150 cannot pull or stop his rig, and he is being unsafe. He just laughs.

Personally, I would not drive his setup. But the F-150 he has seems to do right by him.
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Old 05-14-2016, 12:28 PM   #9
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Ford F-150 Ecoboost 2.7L vs 3.5L - Real world?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rzrbrn View Post
One more thing to consider is the size of the gas tank. I have a 2011 Toyota Tundra. The gas tank is way to small. If you have an option to get a larger gas tank, do it.



A relative of my wife owns a 2.7L eco boost Ford (year unknown). He is a retired long haul truck driver and mechanic. He pulls a very large, stick built, 5th wheel (10,000 lbs, loaded) from Knoxville, TN to Southern CA every year, and has had absolutely no problems. He said each time he tows and stops to get gas, he has people come up to tell him his F-150 cannot pull or stop his rig, and he is being unsafe. He just laughs.



Personally, I would not drive his setup. But the F-150 he has seems to do right by him.

Even with the towing package, the 2.7 EcoBoost is NOT rated to tow 10,000 lbs. It is rated for something like 7,800 lbs. The 3.5 EB is rated over 12,000 lbs. If he is pulling 10,000 lbs with a 2.7, I would suspect he will ultimately have trouble. Additionally, I would suspect the pin weight of a 10,000 pound 5th wheel exceeds the cargo capacity of an F150.



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Old 05-14-2016, 01:15 PM   #10
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Ford F-150 Ecoboost 2.7L vs 3.5L - Real world?

Also, if he gets in an accident, even if he is not at fault, he will likely get cited and his insurance company will likely decline to pay any claims. Furthermore, if he gets in an accident and another party is injured or killed, he could do time.
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Old 05-14-2016, 03:05 PM   #11
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It's best if we can stay on the subject of how the 2.7L will do power-wise for towing. It would be really easy to derail the thread with possible legal issues of a SOB owner.
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Old 05-20-2016, 07:29 PM   #12
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I've not towed with the 3.5L, just my 2.7L. I can tell you that it handles my tandem axle Escape 19, which when loaded comes in at around 3500 lbs, like a dream. Passing is easy, mileage is excellent, and towing on steep grades in the Rockies is no problem. I'd buy another one in a heartbeat.


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Old 05-21-2016, 07:36 AM   #13
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Robert, I've towed my 5.0TA with both a 3.5 and now the 2.7 and I concur with your conclusion. The 2.7 is more furl efficient and has more than enough zip on upgrades. I would not go back to the 3.5 unless I bought a really heavy trailer.


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Old 05-21-2016, 01:57 PM   #14
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I drive a 2012 F-150 with the 3.5 liter Ecoboost engine for work, and occasionally pull 50 kw Katolight generators. The truck handles these generators without any problem. I believe it would easily handle any fiberglass RV.

Based on my 75,000 miles of experience at work, the 3.5 Ecoboost engine is a really good engine. The only thing missing is the 'V-8 rumble', or the powerful sound of a V-8 engine idling.

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Old 05-21-2016, 02:06 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rzrbrn View Post
One more thing to consider is the size of the gas tank. I have a 2011 Toyota Tundra. The gas tank is way to small. If you have an option to get a larger gas tank, do it.

A relative of my wife owns a 2.7L eco boost Ford (year unknown). He is a retired long haul truck driver and mechanic. He pulls a very large, stick built, 5th wheel (10,000 lbs, loaded) from Knoxville, TN to Southern CA every year, and has had absolutely no problems. He said each time he tows and stops to get gas, he has people come up to tell him his F-150 cannot pull or stop his rig, and he is being unsafe. He just laughs.

Personally, I would not drive his setup. But the F-150 he has seems to do right by him.
Update: I have to correct this. He has the 3.5 eco boost, sorry about that.
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