Unsure 3.5l or 2.7l
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Unsure 3.5l or 2.7l
I am struggling with which engine is what i would be better with. I like the 3.5l mostly for its size and power, but I really plan for it to be there as a as need for everything other than my daily uses which isn't more right now than long driving and putting things in the bed. My ultimate plan is to do more, boating, off roading which I feel will need the bigger power. However more and more the 2.7l seems like more for less givin that i don't know when the later plan will begin but I don't know. This will also be my first purchase for the Ford F-150 I have been waiting to get forever so I admit some inexperience so any tips or opinions would be welcome. I do want to do this right the first time it is special and important to me and I plan on keeping and doing A LOT with my truck so anything will help.
Thanks
Thanks
#2
Member
I bought my first f150 in 2016 and it had the 2.7. Great little motor couldnt even tell it was a 2.7.Power was great. Now i have a 3.5 and i like it as well. If your not towing all the time the 2.7 is a great engine. 21 mpg avg too thru 34000 miles
#3
If keeping for a long time, go with 5.0 and 3.73 rearend.
#4
I too am trying to determine what engine I want.... I am leaning between the 5.0 and 3.5..... which I have driven both. I discounted the 2.7.... just didn't care for the turbo lag and jerky driving dynamics.... plus, might want to tow more 'someday.'
I am really perplexed with which engine would provide the best reliability over the long haul. I keep reading posts about guys saying their Ecoboosts were great till they traded/sold them at 30K...... which I don't think qualifies as a good gauge for long term reliability data....
Trying to sort this out in my head.... but I keep having this thought that the turbo'd engines have *got* to be less reliable in the long run due to all the extra expensive, spinning parts, etc. This might be completely wrong.... but it just seems like common sense logic to me.
On the other hand: When I drove the 3.5..... holy cow.... it made the 5.0 feel like a beached whale in terms of responsive giddup and go.
#5
Senior Member
Assuming you have a SuperCrew 4X4...... what kind of mpg are you seeing (city vs hwy) on the 3.5?
I too am trying to determine what engine I want.... I am leaning between the 5.0 and 3.5..... which I have driven both. I discounted the 2.7.... just didn't care for the turbo lag and jerky driving dynamics.... plus, might want to tow more 'someday.'
I am really perplexed with which engine would provide the best reliability over the long haul. I keep reading posts about guys saying their Ecoboosts were great till they traded/sold them at 30K...... which I don't think qualifies as a good gauge for long term reliability data....
Trying to sort this out in my head.... but I keep having this thought that the turbo'd engines have *got* to be less reliable in the long run due to all the extra expensive, spinning parts, etc. This might be completely wrong.... but it just seems like common sense logic to me.
On the other hand: When I drove the 3.5..... holy cow.... it made the 5.0 feel like a beached whale in terms of responsive giddup and go.
I too am trying to determine what engine I want.... I am leaning between the 5.0 and 3.5..... which I have driven both. I discounted the 2.7.... just didn't care for the turbo lag and jerky driving dynamics.... plus, might want to tow more 'someday.'
I am really perplexed with which engine would provide the best reliability over the long haul. I keep reading posts about guys saying their Ecoboosts were great till they traded/sold them at 30K...... which I don't think qualifies as a good gauge for long term reliability data....
Trying to sort this out in my head.... but I keep having this thought that the turbo'd engines have *got* to be less reliable in the long run due to all the extra expensive, spinning parts, etc. This might be completely wrong.... but it just seems like common sense logic to me.
On the other hand: When I drove the 3.5..... holy cow.... it made the 5.0 feel like a beached whale in terms of responsive giddup and go.
Other then the turbos,
Less cylinders more power,
It's simple physics. A piston has a finite life it can only go up and down so many times before its done. The fewer cylinders the more stress on those cylinders, and with more compression with the power/tourqe the ecoboost puts down.
Now how much sooner until you "may" have problems? Who knows.
With any engine, brand you can get one that runs many hundreds of thousands of miles or you could get one that has issues after 20k miles.
I'm. On my second EcoBoost truck now, had a 2013 3.5 which was a POS and now currently have a 2017 2.7 which so far so good (only have 9k miles)
Next year I will be buying a 2019 5.0 mainly because I want something different and I will be keeping that truck for as long as I can.
Last edited by Sirikenewtron; 06-11-2018 at 01:49 AM.
#6
It will go longer? Link? Source?
Everyone seems concerned about turbos at 150,000 miles...Why? Don’t they cost $600? It’s not a huge maintenance item on a $40-50k truck after 6-10 years of ownership.
I have the 3.5 Ecoboost and after 60k miles, I have had zero problems with the engine. My biggest mistake was buying a 5.4 in 2011 off the lot instead of just going with a 3.5 EB in the beginning.
Some will always be worried about the newest tech. If you are not towing over 5k, then go with the 2.7 EB or get the 2.7 Payload Package and be good up to 7k or so. It has shown to be a very good engine for mileage and towing for what MOST F150 owners need. I have a 502A Lariat, which you couldn’t get in a 2.7 in 2015. Happy with my 3.5 EB but the mileage of the 2.7 would be nice for my 6500 lbs or less that I Tow.
JMO
Everyone seems concerned about turbos at 150,000 miles...Why? Don’t they cost $600? It’s not a huge maintenance item on a $40-50k truck after 6-10 years of ownership.
I have the 3.5 Ecoboost and after 60k miles, I have had zero problems with the engine. My biggest mistake was buying a 5.4 in 2011 off the lot instead of just going with a 3.5 EB in the beginning.
Some will always be worried about the newest tech. If you are not towing over 5k, then go with the 2.7 EB or get the 2.7 Payload Package and be good up to 7k or so. It has shown to be a very good engine for mileage and towing for what MOST F150 owners need. I have a 502A Lariat, which you couldn’t get in a 2.7 in 2015. Happy with my 3.5 EB but the mileage of the 2.7 would be nice for my 6500 lbs or less that I Tow.
JMO
#7
Senior Member
I sure as hell hope you don't have issues after only 60k miles lol
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#8
Happy with that too! Just hard to understand how others can tell us about problems about an engine after 100k or 150k on an engine that they don’t even have. We can only give opinions and experiences on what we have and how long we have had it.
#9
Senior Member
Assuming you have a SuperCrew 4X4...... what kind of mpg are you seeing (city vs hwy) on the 3.5?
I too am trying to determine what engine I want.... I am leaning between the 5.0 and 3.5..... which I have driven both. I discounted the 2.7.... just didn't care for the turbo lag and jerky driving dynamics.... plus, might want to tow more 'someday.'
I am really perplexed with which engine would provide the best reliability over the long haul. I keep reading posts about guys saying their Ecoboosts were great till they traded/sold them at 30K...... which I don't think qualifies as a good gauge for long term reliability data....
Trying to sort this out in my head.... but I keep having this thought that the turbo'd engines have *got* to be less reliable in the long run due to all the extra expensive, spinning parts, etc. This might be completely wrong.... but it just seems like common sense logic to me.
On the other hand: When I drove the 3.5..... holy cow.... it made the 5.0 feel like a beached whale in terms of responsive giddup and go.
I too am trying to determine what engine I want.... I am leaning between the 5.0 and 3.5..... which I have driven both. I discounted the 2.7.... just didn't care for the turbo lag and jerky driving dynamics.... plus, might want to tow more 'someday.'
I am really perplexed with which engine would provide the best reliability over the long haul. I keep reading posts about guys saying their Ecoboosts were great till they traded/sold them at 30K...... which I don't think qualifies as a good gauge for long term reliability data....
Trying to sort this out in my head.... but I keep having this thought that the turbo'd engines have *got* to be less reliable in the long run due to all the extra expensive, spinning parts, etc. This might be completely wrong.... but it just seems like common sense logic to me.
On the other hand: When I drove the 3.5..... holy cow.... it made the 5.0 feel like a beached whale in terms of responsive giddup and go.
I am perplexed by what you have described as turbo lag........ This is the first that I have seen this mentioned on an EcoBoost or the 2.7. I can only describe my truck has having zero point zero turbo lag. I believe that this is a term from the 90's from having large, single turbos that took longer to spool up due to their size and mass. I suspect the lag that you are describing may be from a new vehicle. A new vehicle's transmission may seem strange or "laggy" when new. As the vehicle "learns" your driving habits, this goes away.
Again, I can only speak from my experience, but I off road and tow a boat and haven't had an issue in nearly 25k miles. Good luck with your selection process.
YMMV
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Joe Friday (06-11-2018)
#10
Mr. Friday,
I am perplexed by what you have described as turbo lag........ This is the first that I have seen this mentioned on an EcoBoost or the 2.7. I can only describe my truck has having zero point zero turbo lag. I believe that this is a term from the 90's from having large, single turbos that took longer to spool up due to their size and mass. I suspect the lag that you are describing may be from a new vehicle. A new vehicle's transmission may seem strange or "laggy" when new. As the vehicle "learns" your driving habits, this goes away.
Again, I can only speak from my experience, but I off road and tow a boat and haven't had an issue in nearly 25k miles. Good luck with your selection process.
YMMV
I am perplexed by what you have described as turbo lag........ This is the first that I have seen this mentioned on an EcoBoost or the 2.7. I can only describe my truck has having zero point zero turbo lag. I believe that this is a term from the 90's from having large, single turbos that took longer to spool up due to their size and mass. I suspect the lag that you are describing may be from a new vehicle. A new vehicle's transmission may seem strange or "laggy" when new. As the vehicle "learns" your driving habits, this goes away.
Again, I can only speak from my experience, but I off road and tow a boat and haven't had an issue in nearly 25k miles. Good luck with your selection process.
YMMV
The 5.0 was seamless, albeit a 'slug' in comparison to the 2.7 and 3.5. I can't get over this mental image that the 5.0 will go the long haul more reliably than a turbo.... but I am a 70's throwback age, and I also don't know a whole lot about automotive engine mechanics. I am open to an education and good information for sure...but it seems like I don't read a whole lot of posts from people saying they have 130,000 miles on an Ecoboost and have loved it. It seems like there are a lot of "I haven't had any troubles in the 30k miles I have on my truck.... or 60k" but I don't see a whole lot of discussion on higher mileage Ecoboosts. But then, I haven't searched the archives either, so maybe there are posts that I should be reviewing.
Last edited by Joe Friday; 06-11-2018 at 12:58 PM.