Proper maintenance (proactive and scheduled) is also going to help any of your picks last a long time.

 

 

I'll admit a bias here but I would go with the 2.7L and 10-speed transmission over the 3.3L and 6-speed just because of uncertainty of future needs. It's also a fun little engine when set to sport mode and zipping up and down mountain roads. As to its reliability, I've been driving various V6 equipped vehicle for 20+ years and haven't owned a V8 since the late 80's. They have all been reliable in relation to similar V6 and V8 engines of the same eras. I have a bit over 20K on my current 2.7L and nothing to date leads me to believe I will have any different experience with it.

Some of your engine choice will depend upon the trim level you want in the truck. The 3.3L is limited to the XL and XLT trims. The 2.7L is only available for the XL, XLT and Lariat. The 5.0L and 3.5L are available across all trim lines. You have a similar consideration with the transmission. The 6-speed is all that is available for the 3.3L. If you want a 10-speed you will need to go to at least the 2.7L. As far as gas mileage goes the 3.3L and 2.7L both have the same combine mpg ratings so its a wash if you are concerned about this. Another thing comes to mind and that is I suspect you will want 4-wheel drive for the boat ramps. Around here most trucks with the NA V6 are 4X2 work trucks in basic XL trim and are white in color. Unless you plan to order it will probably be easier to find a nicely equipped 4X4 in the 2.7L, 5.0L or 3.5L on dealer lots.

 

 

Don't forget to think about the transmission. The 6R80 is a bulletproof transmission that was derived from the ZF 6HP26, which has been used by many manufacturers for nearly 20 years. The 10 speed may be reliable, but 1st and 2nd year components always have issues to iron out.

 

Reliability is just a product of mataince. Every motor or machine will fail at some point, the more complex it is the better chance of a failure just as a first year production item is more likey to have an issue than a product in it's 4th year

 

If it would've been awhile back I would've said 5.0, hands down. Now, I'd tell you the 3.5 NA that was in 2017 and previous models. The reason why is that the main problem with the engines Ford sells is that their variable cam timing equipment is absolute junk and has been since they put it in their vehicles long ago. The 3.5 NA did have problems with its VCT, but not like other models. The one thing I will say about that motor though is that you better pay very close attention to the weep holes next to the timing cover...if you see coolant coming out you better get it to the dealership quick and make sure you've got 2500 lying around to fix your water pump (because if you don't, your engine will be toast). Anyway, besides VCT issues, Ford doesn't have a motor in these trucks that's tried and true anymore. They've changed a lot (and made things much more complex) without fixing all the issues with the previous generation of engines. The 5.0 is a good V8 from a design perspective...but the way it's being manufactured, evaluated by QC, and some of the parts make it hardly more reliable than the EcoBoost motors. This is despite what every technician at Ford will tell you...."the 5.0's are bulletproof, we see EcoBoosts but hardly a 5.0." That's a bunch of BS. Many of the issues a lot of people thought were gone from previous generations are still there, Ford has just gotten really good at convincing their customers there's nothing wrong until they're out of warranty. If you really want a reliable truck, go with a Tundra. Ford, FCA, and GM are all on par in terms of crap reliability and horse**** customer service. Tundras aren't a whole lot better but very rarely are you going to hear about dropped valves, thrown timing chains, warped cylinders, blown head gaskets, etc. on a Toyota motor with low mileage. It's all too common for the other 3.

Maybe I'm salty, but just giving you my $0.02...

 

4.2L V6 OHV Essex, but it was discontinued after 2008 model year. 2008 F-150 V6 was the only model year rated "excellent" in reliability by Consumer Reports, identical to Toyota Tundra, and since then has gone downhill permanently. Today is "average" by Consumer Reports. It's possible to fall down to "below-average" next year when 10-speed automatics become standard. New F-150s don't last as long as the old ones (I stand behind what I wrote).

 

It's interesting around here (rural Ontario) last year all the dealers would recommend the 5 L, to the point of not stocking too many EBs. But when shopping around to order my truck recently there seem to be a slight change to the 3.5 EB. I even had one dealer tell that they were not happy with their 5L. This is a small sample and one dealers opinion. I went with the 3.5 EB for towing torque.

 

All else being equal the larger displacement NA motor will be less stressed and last longer. Only problem is that all else isn't equal so my first sentence means nothing.

You could ask: When Ford picks a gasoline engine for the SD trucks, which of the F150 motors do they use? Answer: None of them. They use the motor we should be able to option in our 150s.