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Old 06-18-2019, 06:29 AM   #1
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Ford expedition- Eco Boost??? good or bad

We are looking for a new SUV to tow our 21 foot. We found a Ford Expedition we really like but it has a Ecoboost Engine with a V-6 3.5 liter engine. We currently have a Navigator V-8 that has gotten too many repairs so we are looking for something different, but we don't want less engine power than what we have.
Any info would be appreciated.

We are also considering a Toyota Sequoia.
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Old 06-18-2019, 06:53 AM   #2
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Ford has been eliminating the big V-8 power plants and switching to smaller v-6 engines with turbos to increase the horsepower and torque to match that of the discontinued v-8's. Not sure is you are trading one repair for another as there can be issues. Toyotas have always been trouble free in the past.
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Old 06-18-2019, 06:56 AM   #3
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The 3.5L has plenty of power, it's what's on my F150. New or used?
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Old 06-18-2019, 08:31 AM   #4
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My 3,5L EcoBoost has worked well for 3 1/2 years now, towing my 5.0TA, my cargo trailer hordes too, and sometimes my dump trailer which is 4,500 lbs dry and often carrying the same amount.

Do they tune it down it a wee bit for a smaller vehicle? Regardless, if the tow capacity is good it should perform great.
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Old 06-18-2019, 12:29 PM   #5
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The EcoBoost technology is amazing. Had the early model EcoBoost in my first F150 then up graded to the F150 we have now. Liked the engine so much we bought a Ford Explorer Sport with the EcoBoost for our second vehicle.
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Old 06-19-2019, 01:12 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Quilting Lady View Post
We are looking for a new SUV to tow our 21 foot. We found a Ford Expedition we really like but it has a Ecoboost Engine with a V-6 3.5 liter engine. We currently have a Navigator V-8 that has gotten too many repairs so we are looking for something different, but we don't want less engine power than what we have.
Any info would be appreciated.

We are also considering a Toyota Sequoia.
We are very pleased with our 2017 Ford Expedition with a V-6 3.5 Eco boost engine. Ours has the factory installed tow package so it is rated to tow 9200 lbs. - a great match with an Escape 21 -IMHO. We almost bought a different 2017 Ford Expedition, wrongly assuming all 2017 models were rated to tow 9200 lbs. but then realized that one was NOT equipped with a factory installed tow package (so it could only tow up to 6500 lbs). So we kept looking and finally found one that had the factory installed tow package. We just wanted the extra buffer zone, to cool the engine, etc. So far, so good - tows great. Plenty of power! Good luck in your search.
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Old 06-19-2019, 08:12 AM   #7
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We live in Florida, and someone told me that the turbo can overheat in the hot and humid weather. Which it is here all the time. We went with the V8, which we were going to anyways. Don't know if that is true or not, but maybe you can research that?
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Old 06-19-2019, 09:28 AM   #8
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3.5 ecoboost

We trades in a 07 Sequoia for a 2018 Expedition .We wanted better fuel economy a better ride .We usually drive around 62-64 mph getting 10-12 for Sequoia and 14-15 for Ford .There is plenty of power 470lb of torque at 2500rpm We tow in 8th gear out of 10 speed 2000 rpm at 65 mph Great ride with our Escape21 .Make sure you buy a2017 or newer Ford they have changed the 3.5 ecoboost engine it now has port and direct injection to clean intake valves . Good luck with your quest.

Go read you tube on 3.5 ecoboost engines
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Old 06-19-2019, 03:47 PM   #9
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... Do they tune it down it a wee bit for a smaller vehicle?
The Expedition is built on the F-150 platform, so the two models are generally the same size, except that the pickup is longer and the SUV is heavier (due to the extra bodywork).

When the same basic engine is used in lighter-duty (such as an SUV) and heavier-duty (such as a pickup truck) applications, the engine is usually detuned for the heavier-duty vehicle, for reliability.

In this case, between the current 3.5 EcoBoost (which might be different generations in the two models), the Expedition is rated at higher power (at the same speed) and higher torque (at a lower speed) than the F-150; these specs suggest higher boost pressure.
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Old 06-19-2019, 04:48 PM   #10
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Ford has made a commitment to the Ecoboost technology. I couldn't be happier with my 2016 F150 equipped with the 2.7. It easily and economically has been towing my 5.0 for the past 2 years. i would buy another in a heart beat. There are lots of horror stories on blown ecoboost motors on the internet (has to be true right?) , and i did a lot of research before buying. Honestly I could not find 1 busted motor that was STOCK. There is a huge aftermarket out there more than willing to supply high performance upgrades for an already powerful engine. Read about a blown 3.5 just the other day that the individual is trying to get Ford to warranty it. Seems the motor let go at 105 mph at the drag strip. Yup another blown Ecoboost. Same individual had posted his dyno sheets showing an 85 hp increase with the aid of an aftermarket tuner and some other goodies. Same forum has dyno charts showing increases of well over 100 hp. Leave it stock and do normal maintenance I think you'll be real happy with the 3.5 Ecoboost. As far as towing in Florida I had no heating issues and actually got 16.5 mpg
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Old 06-20-2019, 09:24 AM   #11
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Ford has made a commitment to the Ecoboost technology. I couldn't be happier with my 2016 F150 equipped with the 2.7. It easily and economically has been towing my 5.0 for the past 2 years. i would buy another in a heart beat. There are lots of horror stories on blown ecoboost motors on the internet (has to be true right?) , and i did a lot of research before buying. Honestly I could not find 1 busted motor that was STOCK. There is a huge aftermarket out there more than willing to supply high performance upgrades for an already powerful engine. Read about a blown 3.5 just the other day that the individual is trying to get Ford to warranty it. Seems the motor let go at 105 mph at the drag strip. Yup another blown Ecoboost. Same individual had posted his dyno sheets showing an 85 hp increase with the aid of an aftermarket tuner and some other goodies. Same forum has dyno charts showing increases of well over 100 hp. Leave it stock and do normal maintenance I think you'll be real happy with the 3.5 Ecoboost. As far as towing in Florida I had no heating issues and actually got 16.5 mpg
My experience is similar to yours Cliff. I've now had two F150s with the 2.7L EcoBoost, and have loved both of them. The only differences between my current one (2018) and previous one (2015) are the direct and port injection, and the new 10 speed transmission.

The 2.7L engine makes for a great tow with lightweight trailers, providing economy and adequate power to tow any Escape. I've no interest in racing it, modifying it, or any of the other things folks seem to do, then post their horror stories about "blown" engines.
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Old 06-30-2019, 02:56 AM   #12
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We live in Florida, and someone told me that the turbo can overheat in the hot and humid weather. Which it is here all the time. We went with the V8, which we were going to anyways. Don't know if that is true or not, but maybe you can research that?
It definitely can, but I doubt it would be a problem pulling something the size of an Escape or on flat ground near sea level. I've seen one pulling a ~30ft trailer up a Colorado mountain (so, thinner air which means less cooling) kick into a reduced-power mode from the heat buildup. It still pulled it up the mountain OK, just at a slower speed.
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Old 06-30-2019, 05:12 AM   #13
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It definitely can, but I doubt it would be a problem pulling something the size of an Escape or on flat ground near sea level. I've seen one pulling a ~30ft trailer up a Colorado mountain (so, thinner air which means less cooling) kick into a reduced-power mode from the heat buildup. It still pulled it up the mountain OK, just at a slower speed.
Turbocharged motors do better at high altitudes than normally aspirated motors. They do not loose nearly as much power due to thinner air. This is due the turbo force feeding air to the motor.The one limping up the Colorado mountain was either overloaded or had some mechanical issue, not a systemic turbo issue.
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Old 06-30-2019, 11:48 AM   #14
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Turbocharged motors do better at high altitudes than normally aspirated motors. They do not loose nearly as much power due to thinner air. This is due the turbo force feeding air to the motor.The one limping up the Colorado mountain was either overloaded or had some mechanical issue, not a systemic turbo issue.
It's a heat dissipation issue in this case. Turbos lose significantly less power at altitude compared to normally aspirated, yes, but they lose just as much cooling capacity. It can also be a problem for the transmission. Turbos actually exacerbate this somewhat by feeding warmer air into the engine. It seems to be a reasonably common issue with the 3.5EB when towing large amounts up extended grades on hot days.

Either way, probably not a problem for anything Escape-sized, though. The problems seem to be more in the 6-8Klb range rather than the 3.5K-5Klb
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Old 06-30-2019, 12:08 PM   #15
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2012 F-150 w/3.5L Ecoboost with tow package and E21. We've driven up steep mountain grades at 55-65MPH and I've never felt I did not have enough power or couldn't go the speed limit. Of course mileage sucks going up. No issues with the engine: sounds and works the same as the day I bought it.

Just got back from trip to Colorado last week with plenty of mountain driving..... average MPG was 11.9. Mostly used E10 ethanol on this trip as it was readily available and way cheaper than premium.

If I were to buy another truck I would not hesitate to go with the Ford Ecoboost engine. I would probably look at a 2.7L for better gas mileage.

Maybe all modern trucks with tow package do this, but I love how the transmission shifts into a lower gear on downgrades so you are not riding the brakes.
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Old 06-30-2019, 12:41 PM   #16
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There are TSB's from Ford and a fair amount of posts on their Forum about some issues resulting in going to limp mode.

My biggest reservation has been with adequate engine braking. My Yukon has the 5.3 with 3:42 rear end and has been awesome coming down grades. From Mammoth on the Sherwin grade I don't have to brake at all due to variable valve timing. Engine grade braking isn't downshifting your tranny. At 103K my front pads were described as new at my last rotation. So while going uphill with a twin turbo is awesome, I am wondering if people who tow in the mountains with an EcoBoost for at least 50K miles have had to do brake jobs before 60-70K.

Just replaced my 2001 Avalon brakes- they were original.
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Old 06-30-2019, 01:52 PM   #17
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We have a 2015 EcoBoost 2.7 and could not be happier. It has the factory tow package and handles our 17B with no problems. Have not yet hit any large mountains, but are not concerned.

Transmission in tow/haul will handle speed well coming downhill, unlike our 2004 2500HD. Much better truck.

Only disadvantage I have seen is the mileage goes down into the wind, so I try to only drive downwind!
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Old 06-30-2019, 01:58 PM   #18
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As mentioned above, my 3.5L EcoBoost is a fantastic towing vehicle. In towing mode there is no need at all for braking downhill on highways with the exception of the very rare situation where precaution is needed.

I have put on 70,000 km with the vast majority of it towing, though much of that is done in the city where I definitely do more braking than when on the highway.
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Old 06-30-2019, 02:08 PM   #19
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There are TSB's from Ford and a fair amount of posts on their Forum about some issues resulting in going to limp mode.

My biggest reservation has been with adequate engine braking. My Yukon has the 5.3 with 3:42 rear end and has been awesome coming down grades. From Mammoth on the Sherwin grade I don't have to brake at all due to variable valve timing. Engine grade braking isn't downshifting your tranny. At 103K my front pads were described as new at my last rotation. So while going uphill with a twin turbo is awesome, I am wondering if people who tow in the mountains with an EcoBoost for at least 50K miles have had to do brake jobs before 60-70K.

Just replaced my 2001 Avalon brakes- they were original.
For the benefits and pleasure of driving my EcoBoost if I have to do a brake job @ 50k I won't mind a bit. By the way I'm a little surprised at the amount of engine braking my little 2.7 has although I'm sure its nothing like your V8. In the mean time I'm not wasting a minute of my life worrying about hypotheticals. Oh yeah, I just rotated my tires at 26k (I did the work) and the pads look great. �� When i find something negative about my truck I'll be sure to post it. Stay tuned ��
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Old 06-30-2019, 02:15 PM   #20
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By the way I'm a little surprised at the amount of engine braking my little 2.7 has
Me too but sometimes I'm not all the comfortable with the higher revs. A few times I've gone to manual mode and kicked it up a gear. Sort of a compromise.

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