My thoughts on the F-150 EcoBoost - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

mechman600 · 12-14-2012, 09:37 PM

My dad bought a used one a few months ago. A 2011 XLT 4X4. Now that I have flown in to visit my parents for Christmas, I have been driving it around this last week.

Everyone knows about the 3.5L turbocharged, variable valve timed, direct injected, blah blah blah, engine. Everyone knows that it should be good for economy. But what I am most impressed with is the six speed automatic transmission behind it.

Moderate acceleration from a stop has it shifting 1-2-3-TC lockup-4-5-6. So by 35 km/h, the TC locks up and stays locked up all way through 3-4-5-6. Revs stay between 1200-1400 rpm all the way up to highway speeds. At 100 km/h it's right around 1500 rpm.

While driving in the city, it's easy to keep revs below 1500 while below 35 km/h (gears 1-2) and between 1100-1300 rpm above that, all while accelerating with traffic. At 70 km/h it's in sixth gear (or 60 km/h in fifth gear) and 1100 rpm. Accelerating a bit from there doesn't make the transmission immediately unlock/shift down. After a slight pause, you hear the faint sound of turbo whistle and it simply speeds up. Overall, this transmission feels very positive - like a manual. It keeps the revs down whenever possible, relying on boost-generated low rpm torque, and is smooth as silk at the same time. It's almost diesel-like.

Unfortunately I didn't bring my ScanGauge along and relied on the Ford mileage computer. My trip into Winnipeg and back (100 km) at -10C, staying at speed limit and neutral coasting in the city as much as possible had me at 11L/100km (21.4 MPG US) for the round trip. And there was a 40 km/h side wind outside the city.

It is my opinion that if you require a pickup, this is the one to get. With some effort and some aero-help, I believe that hypermiling well below 10L/100km (23.5 MPG US) would not be impossible.

Oh, and when you boot it and 365 horsepowers come out, it goes like snot and sounds good too!

MetroMPG · 12-14-2012, 10:53 PM

FYI, it's EPA rated 15/21 city/hwy and 17 combined

Compare Side-by-Side

star_deceiver · 12-15-2012, 12:44 AM

Wait another year or two for Ford to work all the bugs out of that turbo v6... and others...

mechman600 · 12-15-2012, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by star_deceiver

Wait another year or two for Ford to work all the bugs out of that turbo v6... and others...

I didn't know they were having issues.
I am curious...can you name some of the issues?

ksa8907 · 12-15-2012, 03:27 PM

Its a nice truck, drove one about a year ago. But im really interested in the new v6 ram, 4x4 rated for 23hwy.

tjts1 · 12-15-2012, 03:33 PM

And this is why NEW automatics are more efficient than manuals no matter how you drive it.

The 2014 F150 is getting the same 3.2L 5cyl diesel as the new Transit.

star_deceiver · 12-15-2012, 08:28 PM

Search some of the various specific forums: Excess moisture in the intercooler causing it to bog down, clogged cats, minor transmission issue.

Ford's sold a lot of these engines and most probably will run perfectly fine for a long time. But that doesn't mean you don't do your due diligence in researching known or possible problems.

Same thing with the new Ram 8spd auto... wait until it's out for a year and see how it stands up to real-world abuse!

ksa8907 · 12-15-2012, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by star_deceiver

Search some of the various specific forums: Excess moisture in the intercooler causing it to bog down, clogged cats, minor transmission issue.

Ford's sold a lot of these engines and most probably will run perfectly fine for a long time. But that doesn't mean you don't do your due diligence in researching known or possible problems.

Same thing with the new Ram 8spd auto... wait until it's out for a year and see how it stands up to real-world abuse!

That's the same with everything, some turn out to be gold mines, others turn out to be trash pits.

jakobnev · 12-16-2012, 01:25 AM

In the future, trash pits will be more valuable than gold mines.

*cue dramatic music*

ECONORAM · 12-19-2012, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjts1

And this is why NEW automatics are more efficient than manuals no matter how you drive it.

The 2014 F150 is getting the same 3.2L 5cyl diesel as the new Transit.

You might be right, but I'm not holding my breath. A fellow Dodge RAM owner with a Hemi dumped his 545RFE for a RAM SRT10 (Viper truck) 6 speed and now gets 2mpg more per gallon. -->The 545RFE locks the TC in 4th and 5th. Well, okay, it actually unlocks it for the 4-5 shift, then relocks.