5.0 V8 vs 3.5 EB for 4500lb tow over mountain passes
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 3,380
Likes: 503
From: Tonopah. AZ.
The eco will rev less, hold its gear better and be nice and quiet. The 5.0 will do the exact same job but will rev higher, will shift gears more and that mustang sound can get loud and annoying after a while.
What the 5.0 really has is engine braking. This is a great feature if going through hills and I would never be without it.
Anyone suggesting the 2.7 turbo over the 5.0 is just delusional and any comparison of the 2 is just ridiculous if not downright stupid. The 2.7 is meant for grannies, groceries and to satisfy FORD's Carb emissions problems. Stay away from this toy of an engine.
What the 5.0 really has is engine braking. This is a great feature if going through hills and I would never be without it.
Anyone suggesting the 2.7 turbo over the 5.0 is just delusional and any comparison of the 2 is just ridiculous if not downright stupid. The 2.7 is meant for grannies, groceries and to satisfy FORD's Carb emissions problems. Stay away from this toy of an engine.
Senior Member
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 2,161
Likes: 631
From: Garland, Tx
The eco will rev less, hold its gear better and be nice and quiet. The 5.0 will do the exact same job but will rev higher, will shift gears more and that mustang sound can get loud and annoying after a while.
What the 5.0 really has is engine braking. This is a great feature if going through hills and I would never be without it.
Anyone suggesting the 2.7 turbo over the 5.0 is just delusional and any comparison of the 2 is just ridiculous if not downright stupid. The 2.7 is meant for grannies, groceries and to satisfy FORD's Carb emissions problems. Stay away from this toy of an engine.
What the 5.0 really has is engine braking. This is a great feature if going through hills and I would never be without it.
Anyone suggesting the 2.7 turbo over the 5.0 is just delusional and any comparison of the 2 is just ridiculous if not downright stupid. The 2.7 is meant for grannies, groceries and to satisfy FORD's Carb emissions problems. Stay away from this toy of an engine.
At elevation, which motor will lose significant power? Not the 2.7.
Senior Member
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 2,161
Likes: 631
From: Garland, Tx
For the elevations you are planning to go to, the EB might be the slightly better choice.
If you are having a hard time finding one, come out to the east coast, there's a crap ton of used EB's out here.
I was looking for a 5.0, and had some slim pickings trying to find one with the other equipment I wanted.
I wanted the 5.0 because I plan to keep it for a long time, and I didn't want the worry of a possible expensive turbo replacement down the road.
The 5.0 is more than adequate for what I will be towing, and then there is that beautiful V8 growl.....
Some people say the 5.0 can't tow, which is BS.
The 5.0 just tows differently. Don't worry about winding the 5.0 out, the Coyote loves to run.
My boat is around 6000 loaded, and my old truck was a 97 F150 Scab 4X4 w/3.55's.
I had to run with the O/D locked out, so I was turning around 3000 at 65-70 mph. The 4.6 would do it all day long.
In the mountains you'll probably have to lock out 6th with the 5.0, but that's where the 5.0 power band is, up around 3000 or above.
The main difference is the 5.0 is much more sensitive to the rear end gearing.
The EB can get away with the 3.31. 3.73 is the one you really want with the 5.0, but the 3.55 will do you just fine since the 3.73 5.0's are hard to find.
I did a 100 mile search looking for a 3.73 5.0 and found 1 truck, and it was out of the budget range.
I "settled" for the 3.55, but it is more than enough for my use.
Properly equipped, I don't think you could go wrong with either.
If you are having a hard time finding one, come out to the east coast, there's a crap ton of used EB's out here.
I was looking for a 5.0, and had some slim pickings trying to find one with the other equipment I wanted.
I wanted the 5.0 because I plan to keep it for a long time, and I didn't want the worry of a possible expensive turbo replacement down the road.
The 5.0 is more than adequate for what I will be towing, and then there is that beautiful V8 growl.....
Some people say the 5.0 can't tow, which is BS.
The 5.0 just tows differently. Don't worry about winding the 5.0 out, the Coyote loves to run.
My boat is around 6000 loaded, and my old truck was a 97 F150 Scab 4X4 w/3.55's.
I had to run with the O/D locked out, so I was turning around 3000 at 65-70 mph. The 4.6 would do it all day long.
In the mountains you'll probably have to lock out 6th with the 5.0, but that's where the 5.0 power band is, up around 3000 or above.
The main difference is the 5.0 is much more sensitive to the rear end gearing.
The EB can get away with the 3.31. 3.73 is the one you really want with the 5.0, but the 3.55 will do you just fine since the 3.73 5.0's are hard to find.
I did a 100 mile search looking for a 3.73 5.0 and found 1 truck, and it was out of the budget range.
I "settled" for the 3.55, but it is more than enough for my use.
Properly equipped, I don't think you could go wrong with either.
Did you price out what this would be? Or just ASSume that it is prohibitively expensive? Do you know what the tested and expected run time on the stock turbo's are?
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,162
Likes: 213
I must be stupid If so stupid got me 77 years and still walking up rite. Oh and I still drive and I still tow. Oh and by the way at the present time I am doing it with my 2015 2.7 and doing it well. You have probably never driven let alone pulled with 2.7 so give it a try then welcome to the 21st century.
Last edited by 5.0GN tow; Aug 24, 2016 at 12:41 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 536
Likes: 92
From: Middle Tennessee
Especially with remapped tunes. Hit that tow/haul button coming down a hill and you wont even have to tap your brakes. I use mine all the time coming to a stop, even unloaded, downshifts perfectly!
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 312
Likes: 44
bubbabud;
I did not say you were stupid for buying the 2.7, is said it was stupid to compare the 2.7 to the 5.0, and I meant it.
I hear a lot of so called experts talking garbage about towing up a mountain and how the turbos will outperform the 5.0 because the 5.0 looses all sorts of horsepower as it gets higher up the mountain. I call Bull ****. Show me ONE chart that compares the 3.5 to the 5.0 as the air gets thinner due to increases in elevation. Show me ONE chart or formula that SPECIFICALLY applies to these 2 engines.
I am not saying that there isn't some sort of power loss for the 5.0 but the garbage that is getting kicked around here needs to be backed up with fact.
I did not say you were stupid for buying the 2.7, is said it was stupid to compare the 2.7 to the 5.0, and I meant it.
I hear a lot of so called experts talking garbage about towing up a mountain and how the turbos will outperform the 5.0 because the 5.0 looses all sorts of horsepower as it gets higher up the mountain. I call Bull ****. Show me ONE chart that compares the 3.5 to the 5.0 as the air gets thinner due to increases in elevation. Show me ONE chart or formula that SPECIFICALLY applies to these 2 engines.
I am not saying that there isn't some sort of power loss for the 5.0 but the garbage that is getting kicked around here needs to be backed up with fact.
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,162
Likes: 213
bubbabud;
I did not say you were stupid for buying the 2.7, is said it was stupid to compare the 2.7 to the 5.0, and I meant it.
I hear a lot of so called experts talking garbage about towing up a mountain and how the turbos will outperform the 5.0 because the 5.0 looses all sorts of horsepower as it gets higher up the mountain. I call Bull ****. Show me ONE chart that compares the 3.5 to the 5.0 as the air gets thinner due to increases in elevation. Show me ONE chart or formula that SPECIFICALLY applies to these 2 engines.
I am not saying that there isn't some sort of power loss for the 5.0 but the garbage that is getting kicked around here needs to be backed up with fact.
I did not say you were stupid for buying the 2.7, is said it was stupid to compare the 2.7 to the 5.0, and I meant it.
I hear a lot of so called experts talking garbage about towing up a mountain and how the turbos will outperform the 5.0 because the 5.0 looses all sorts of horsepower as it gets higher up the mountain. I call Bull ****. Show me ONE chart that compares the 3.5 to the 5.0 as the air gets thinner due to increases in elevation. Show me ONE chart or formula that SPECIFICALLY applies to these 2 engines.
I am not saying that there isn't some sort of power loss for the 5.0 but the garbage that is getting kicked around here needs to be backed up with fact.
