Topic: Test Drive: 2011 Ford F-150 SuperCrew EcoBoost

[Autos_Editor]

The EcoBoost six offers more torque and better fuel economy than Ford's V8, but lacks its 'gutsy V8 soundtrack,' says Chris Chase.

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[Ex-airbalancer]

My son pick up a new F-150 4x4 supercrew last night, heck of a deal
But he went with the V8 instead of the V6

[Gardiner Westbound]

I would wait until the technology is thoroughly proven before I put my money on the counter for an EcoBoost engine. Lower tech vehicles markedly reduce exposure to expensive repairs and replacements.

Spinning at over 170,000 rpm turbos generate 2,000 ºC temperatures that can cook engine oil and produce harmful sludge. Turbos don't age well. The high operating pressure severely stresses internal engine components prejudicing long-term reliability. Expensive engine repairs are often required around 120,000 kilometers, just after some powertrain warranties expire.

Gasoline direct injection (GDI) is also producing severe teething problems including high pressure fuel pump failures, gasoline diluted oil, carbon build up on intake valves and excessive noise.

Better to choose a vehicle with a larger non-turbo/GDI engine if you need more power.

[Spec5]

Well, I have a very close friend who has one on order. Impossible to find one on the lots apparently. They have to wait 8 WEEKS for theirs! They own a business so they're leasing it. He did tell me that the Ecoboost is noticeably faster all around than the 5.0. Probably attributable to the extra torque at significantly lower revs. Anyway give me a month (or two) and I'll get you guys some numbers from an actual owner.

airbalancer: I told him that if he was buying it to get the 5.0 for the same reason - still a new technology and there's bound to be first year production woes. But since he's leasing I figured why not give it a shot?!

[Vanstar]

I would wait until the technology is thoroughly proven before I put my money on the counter for an EcoBoost engine. Lower tech vehicles markedly reduce exposure to expensive repairs and replacements.

Spinning at over 170,000 rpm turbos generate 2,000 ºC temperatures that can cook engine oil and produce harmful sludge. Turbos don't age well. The high operating pressure severely stresses internal engine components prejudicing long-term reliability. Expensive engine repairs are often required around 120,000 kilometers, just after some powertrain warranties expire.

Gasoline direct injection (GDI) is also producing severe teething problems including high pressure fuel pump failures, gasoline diluted oil, carbon build up on intake valves and excessive noise.

Better to choose a vehicle with a larger non-turbo/GDI engine if you need more power.

My nephew is a certified BMW technician. His verdict on GDI is that it would be better to wait a few more years. The main problem is low quality gasolines leading to deposits on the injectors, which in turn causes higher fuel pressures, leading to injector and fuel pump failures. If everyone were using Chevron 94 octane this would not be much of a problem but even BMW owners like to save 4 cents a litre at Superstore.

[tpl]

Chevron 94 ( not available around here) is "higher quality" than other 94 or 91 octane gasolines?   And what is "higher quality" anyway in gasoline?  Less sulphur? It is already at <30ppm at the tank farm and rumour has it that it will go to less than 15ppm measured at the pump.   More or less alcohol?   Some premiums don't have any in Canada...yet. 

[tpl]

I would wait until the technology is thoroughly proven before I put my money on the counter for an EcoBoost engine. Lower tech vehicles markedly reduce exposure to expensive repairs and replacements.

Spinning at over 170,000 rpm turbos generate 2,000 ºC temperatures that can cook engine oil and produce harmful sludge. Turbos don't age well. The high operating pressure severely stresses internal engine components prejudicing long-term reliability. Expensive engine repairs are often required around 120,000 kilometers, just after some powertrain warranties expire.

Gasoline direct injection (GDI) is also producing severe teething problems including high pressure fuel pump failures, gasoline diluted oil, carbon build up on intake valves and excessive noise.

Better to choose a vehicle with a larger non-turbo/GDI engine if you need more power.

For a pickup truck, that is a  real working truck not a truck just to tow ones boat/trailer  I'd agree with you.
If we were time travelling back to the early '80s  I'd probably agree with you. ( I had a '81 SAAB Turbo that did fry the turbo  and the overcooked the oil as well even with the synthetics of the time)
But now? For car engines?   I think a GDI turbo is probably as good as one can get in terms of power vs economy.  Provided of course that one does regular oil changes with the  car mfr's recommended synthetic oil and uses a "top tier" gasoline.

[Vanstar]

Chevron 94 ( not available around here) is "higher quality" than other 94 or 91 octane gasolines?   And what is "higher quality" anyway in gasoline?  Less sulphur? It is already at <30ppm at the tank farm and rumour has it that it will go to less than 15ppm measured at the pump.   More or less alcohol?   Some premiums don't have any in Canada...yet. 

The Chevron 94 available here is a "Top Tier" gasoline with no ethanol. I have used it in all my vehicles for many years and have never had any injector or residue issues with any of my vehicles. I believe it is worth the extra cost (a paltry three cents a litre over 91 octane) and my mechanics have recommended it to me for many years. Specifically, Honda recommends "Top Tier" fuel for all its vehicles, as does BMW. There may be others but I have no knowledge of this. I have also found the ethanol free fuels give better fuel economy, too.

I do think anyone else can use any fuel they want.

[Ex-airbalancer]

Top Tier gas companies in Canada
Chevron Canada
 Esso
PetroCanada
 Shell Canada
 Sunoco Canada
That would cover almost everyone

So even 87 is top tier so why would you need 94?

[tpl]

I think it DOES cover everyone.  My local Olco gets its gas from Petro Canada at the moment.

My erstwhile BMW dealer recommended Shell 91 as the only gasoline to use.  When I chipped my A4 then Sunoco 94 was the recommended gas.

[tpl]

I recall a discussion from another forum indicating that the owner's manual for the Ecoboost only calls for 87 octane...

In my experience with Turbo engines a little extra octane usually makes them run a bit better but if Ford can tune the Ecoboost to run on 87 with no weasel words that is great.   

I believe my GTI will run on 87 in cold weather but I have never tried it.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

My truck actually has a warning indicating that it is harmful to the engine to run anything more than 87 octane.  I've never encountered anything like that before (usually the reverse is true) but whatever.  More money in my pocket.

[Vanstar]

Top Tier gas companies in Canada
Chevron Canada
 Esso
PetroCanada
 Shell Canada
 Sunoco Canada
That would cover almost everyone

So even 87 is top tier so why would you need 94?

Because it has no ethanol and my daily driver requires at least 91 octane. I therefore feel the extra three cents a litre, or $1.50 a tank is worth it.

We do have lower quality fuels available in our market such as Superstore and Esso.

[2JDM]

Top Tier gas companies in Canada
Chevron Canada
 Esso
PetroCanada
 Shell Canada
 Sunoco Canada
That would cover almost everyone

So even 87 is top tier so why would you need 94?

Because it has no ethanol and my daily driver requires at least 91 octane. I therefore feel the extra three cents a litre, or $1.50 a tank is worth it.

We do have lower quality fuels available in our market such as Superstore and Esso.

Esso is included in the list of Top Tier gasolines.

I believe Canadian Tire gets their fuel from Esso (Imperial Oil).

[Vanstar]

Top Tier gas companies in Canada
Chevron Canada
 Esso
PetroCanada
 Shell Canada
 Sunoco Canada
That would cover almost everyone

So even 87 is top tier so why would you need 94?

Because it has no ethanol and my daily driver requires at least 91 octane. I therefore feel the extra three cents a litre, or $1.50 a tank is worth it.

We do have lower quality fuels available in our market such as Superstore and Esso.

Esso is included in the list of Top Tier gasolines.

I believe Canadian Tire gets their fuel from Esso (Imperial Oil).

In this market, Esso gets its gasoline from Husky. I have seen no indication that said fuels qualify as Top Tier. However, I feel other drivers can use any fuel they want. Canadian Tire does not market fuel in British Columbia.

[chrischasescars]

Chris, did the review entail jack rabbit starts and liberal enjoyment of the turbos?  The observed fuel economy for the Ecoboost seems unexpectedly poor to me.  I do better than that with my 2010 F150 4x4 with the older and less efficient 5.4 V8 (and with the longer [read: heavier] wheelbase too).  I don't beat on it (what would be the point?) but I don't hold up traffic either. 

It is not just this review either.  Every review on this forum of a car that I own reports lower fuel economy than what I observe.

I don't doubt you are dutifully reporting what you observed.  I am just trying to get a sense of the driving style. 

I tend to drive pretty gently, more so if the car is an automatic, and more so again if it's large. Just my personal tendency, and it's mostly because much of my driving is in the city, and about half of that in rush-hour traffic. I absolute terms, this truck was the most efficient F-Series I've ever tested, with no consideration for weather and temperatures. Correcting for that, I'd guess it was slightly more efficient than the last V8 F-150 I drove, with the 5.4-litre. That said, it's hard to compare two weeks' worth of driving directly; many of the conditions will be similar, but there will always be a little more highway here, or a little more stop-and-go there. The only thing I can keep consistent is how I operate the vehicle, and I try to do that as much as I can for the purposes of a meaningful fuel consumption figure.

[Vanstar]

Top Tier gas companies in Canada
Chevron Canada
 Esso
PetroCanada
 Shell Canada
 Sunoco Canada
That would cover almost everyone

So even 87 is top tier so why would you need 94?

Because it has no ethanol and my daily driver requires at least 91 octane. I therefore feel the extra three cents a litre, or $1.50 a tank is worth it.

We do have lower quality fuels available in our market such as Superstore and Esso.

Esso is included in the list of Top Tier gasolines.

I believe Canadian Tire gets their fuel from Esso (Imperial Oil).

In this market, Esso gets its gasoline from Husky. I have seen no indication that said fuels qualify as Top Tier. However, I feel other drivers can use any fuel they want. Canadian Tire does not market fuel in British Columbia.

The Langely Canadian Tire has a gas bar, so I would assume they market gas in BC.

I stand corrected. Langley is a place I rarely visit.

[dirtyjeffer]

We do have lower quality fuels available in our market such as Superstore and Esso.

i doubt that.

for one, as already mentioned, Esso is a Top Tier Brand...and in most areas, all the fuel comes from one place.

in London, all the gas comes from the Esso facility in NE London...all trucks go there, fill up with gasoline, then deliver it around the city...as well, all the gas is the same in the tank...they simply add bottles of "additives" into the tanks in the ground when they fill them up.

[redman]

Is it just me or do others find it ridiculous the extremes "pick up" companies go to not to employ what is simply the best and right solution for a truck whose mandate is better fuel economy and greater torque. A turbo 6 cylinder in absolutely the wrong approach. Turbos provide marginal fuel economy at best when under load and offer a decrease in reliability.

The simple answer that U.S. small truck manufacturers avoid time after time is a smaller displacement diesel. A 3.0 liter diesel would be ideal. Higher torque at lower RPM than Ford's V8 5.0L engine, better fuel economy and high mileage reliability. Enough said. The U.S. even has the so called "chicken tax" which makes the importation of foreign trucks to high for U.S. shores. Unfortunately Canada is seen to small of a market to justify.

Rob

[PJungnitsch]

We do have lower quality fuels available in our market such as Superstore and Esso.

i doubt that.

for one, as already mentioned, Esso is a Top Tier Brand...and in most areas, all the fuel comes from one place.

in London, all the gas comes from the Esso facility in NE London...all trucks go there, fill up with gasoline, then deliver it around the city...as well, all the gas is the same in the tank...they simply add bottles of "additives" into the tanks in the ground when they fill them up.

I think you are right. Superstore premium here is marked as having no ethanol.