Eco Boost Issues?

[walhondingnashua]

I have a thread with some questions on Tacomas and Tundras, but as my shopping continues, it's hard for me to write off a Ford since I have always owned Fords. Looking in the 2014-16 range and at one of the eco boosts. In these ranges, are there any problems I should look for in those trucks?
The prices for the Fords is much more reasonable and there are more to choose from. I prefer asking questions on a nonautomotive site like this because I don't think anyone has any reason to push what they like other than the fact that they have used their truck as a truck.

 

[PaulOinMA]

Here's a Ford truck site I have bookmarked:

Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums - Ford truck and SUV owners and enthusiasts Community And Information Source.

The top community for Ford truck, F150, Super Duty, and SUVs owners and enthusiasts

www.ford-trucks.com

I'd poke around or ask on there, if you know which EB engine you're looking at.

I have the 2.0 EB in my 2014 Escape. Good engine. Like it a lot. H.p./ torque is 240/270. It has been updated with a twin scroll turbo. Numbers are marginally up to 245/275 with faster response.

The 2.0 is based on the Mazda L-Series engine: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda_L_engine

There was an issue with blocks leaking coolant and engine replacement in some 2.0s depending on where the block was sourced from.

The 2.3 has really nice performance numbers.

 

[brenndatomu]

My buddy is a used truck dealer (and Ford fan) and just last week told me that he will no longer buy an ecoboost truck unless they are sold "green light" (auction) which means he has 3 days to check the truck out and bring it back if there are major issues.
This was not the case until recently...now that the earlier models have some age/mileage on them. He had previously bought/sold lots of EB trucks.
No idea what the issues are.
I know quite a few people that have F-150's with the new 5.0 in it, all of them are happy.
If going with a Superduty, the 6.2 V8 is a solid motor!

 

[SpaceBus]

Are you looking at EB 3.5 V6 vs 5.0 V8? With all things forced induction the turbocharger is another part to fail, and there are two on the 3.5 EB. Think of it as the hot rod engine and the 5.0 as the work engine. Certainly either can be hot rodded, but the 5.0 has less moving parts. I've heard from friends and other owners that the fuel economy is similar. If you like to modify stuff the 3.5 EB would be a riot, but I've yet to hear one that sounds good. Are you planning on towing or hauling close to the weight limits for the truck? If so then I would go V8, otherwise I think the EB 3.5 is a better all round engine for daily driving.

I don't know if they were available in the years you are looking, but the 2.7 EB looks to be a nice fuel efficient option, and that would be my pick if I had to buy an F150. Really I hate using a truck for not truck stuff, so I would be driving a small car on a daily basis and keep an older cheap truck for truck stuff. In your price range I would be buying a reliable hatchback and an older 3/4 or one ton truck. This way you will never need a bigger truck and it will do whatever you ask of it. My 06 Dodge diesel dually averages 26+ MPG in our rural areas and I only use it when I need a truck for something.

 

[walhondingnashua]

If I have my choice, I will take the 2.7. The heaviest thing my truck will need to pull is B series kubota or a 4x8 trailer load of wood. My nephew's truck has the 5.0 and he's a big fan of it.
It looks like the 3.5 has some timing chain issues from what I am reading.

 

[brenndatomu]

It looks like the 3.5 has some timing chain issues from what I am reading.

I was looking at buying an older used Ford Edge...they use the non EB 3.5 V6 in them, just like the base engine in the F150, I was about reading all kinds of issues with the engine (timing chain/water pump) and it kinda scared me off the Edge...after I bought a different vehicle I talked with the guy that owns the shop that our family has their vehicle repairs done at, pretty good sized shop that has been in business over 25 years, and the owner a lifetime car mechanic. Anyways, he said they have only ever seen 1 or 2 catastrophic failures due to timing chain or water pump on the 3.5's...and that engine is used in a bunch of different stuff...and a bazillion of them on the road!

 

[MMH]

I’ve got a coworker just dumped his f150 EB (not sure of year but I believe the timeframe your looking at) for electrical and mechanical issues I’ll double check next time I’m at work with him. Personally I have a 16 Tacoma just under 80k on it, not one issue with it so far. I have an 7x16 trailer, and a small sub tractor no issues towing although I’m also not pushing my truck and am anal about my weights/over load etc.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

I have a couple of friends that have 150s with the EB and put alot of miles on them.. both in construction.. Neither have had any issues.. Im.a 250 owner with a 6.7.. theras are great trucks..I have 7 trucks with the 6.7..

 

[DodgyNomad]

5.0 motor, no eco boost, or go GM or RAM. Trust me on this.

 

[SpaceBus]

I was looking at buying an older used Ford Edge...they use the non EB 3.5 V6 in them, just like the base engine in the F150, I was about reading all kinds of issues with the engine (timing chain/water pump) and it kinda scared me off the Edge...after I bought a different vehicle I talked with the guy that owns the shop that our family has their vehicle repairs done at, pretty good sized shop that has been in business over 25 years, and the owner a lifetime car mechanic. Anyways, he said they have only ever seen 1 or 2 catastrophic failures due to timing chain or water pump on the 3.5's...and that engine is used in a bunch of different stuff...and a bazillion of them on the road!

If the roads weren't so rough around here I would love an Edge with the 3.5 EB and AWD, like a rocket powered bread box. The current Duratech (or whatever they call it now) Ford V6 engine family is pretty stout and has been around in one form or another for over 20 years now. Forums have a way of highlighting issues and making them seem much more common.

 

[brenndatomu]

If the roads weren't so rough around here I would love an Edge with the 3.5 EB and AWD, like a rocket powered bread box. The current Duratech (or whatever they call it now) Ford V6 engine family is pretty stout and has been around in one form or another for over 20 years now. Forums have a way of highlighting issues and making them seem much more common.

A 15 year Ford tech told me to stay away from the AWD models...and the old 3.0 Duratec was great...but they switched to an internal water pump when they bumped it to a 3.5...thats where the trouble started supposedly.

 

[SpaceBus]

A 15 year Ford tech told me to stay away from the AWD models...and the old 3.0 Duratec was great...but they switched to an internal water pump when they bumped it to a 3.5...thats where the trouble started supposedly.

It's a transverse AWD system anyway, so it's really just rear wheel assist on slippery conditions. The flex is just a Taurus wagon.

 

[walhondingnashua]

5.0 motor, no eco boost, or go GM or RAM. Trust me on this.

Dodgynomad... do you have a specific poor experience with an ecoboost?

Does the 2.7 have the same issues as the 3.5?

 

[DodgyNomad]

Dodgynomad... do you have a specific poor experience with an ecoboost?

Does the 2.7 have the same issues as the 3.5?

No. None. Just do your own research, and carefully choose one of these Ford's from the last 15 years.

There's a very good reason they're so much less expensive used.........

 

[SpaceBus]

I see a lot of suggestions for "research" which seems to involve google searches about reliability. A better thing to do would be to chat up the service department at a Ford dealer on a slow day and compare those notes to other service departments and then decide. Otherwise you are just trusting the opinions of forum warriors that paid tens of thousands of dollars for a truck. On an expensive purchase most people will have a polarizing opinion and are less likely to share positive experiences on a forum. Nobody ever notices when they walk into a building and everything is clean, but bet there will be bad reviews when the place is dirty.

Seems to be anything built in the last 15-20 years is pretty reliable. Very few engines these days are built with catastrophic failure built in since it doesn't make economic sense. A lot of folks won't even consider something that isn't from "their brand" as if any of us get rewarded for buying trucks and proselytizing how great they are. Test drive a Ford, GM, Chryco, Nissan, and a Toyota and then make up your mind. This is really like deciding between several awesome donuts.

 

[brenndatomu]

Seems to be anything built in the last 15-20 years is pretty reliable.

Not in the 1st 5-10 years, no...they don't care after that...its more like they can't build 'em too well, won't sell enough replacements in the future...there's no way they couldn't "tighten up" a few weak points and make things last easily twice as long as they do now...without spending much money to do it...just a few design tweaks.
I agree with checking with real live "boots on the ground" mechanics though...as I said earlier, when I did that regarding buying a used Edge, the feedback was a lot different than my online research...but you can't just rely on the opinion of one guy, because sometimes a certain shop will see some anomalies, or have built in bias...like the guy that our family uses...he doesn't like Honda transmissions, and therefore the brand...he was very critical when he found out I bought a Honda product instead of the Edge I was considering. Truth is that Honda does have some weak points with some of their trans, but I knew that, and had done the model/year research already, as far as which ones were more desirable than others, and also, how to limit recognize and limit the risk of failure.
Just as in this case, taking the opinion of one person can lead you astray, when I talked with another Ford mechanic, he had seen plenty of the Edge failures that I had read about online.
Just like when I was still bending wrench's at a dealership, we had a certain model that had proven extremely reliable as far as engine/trans failure, for many years...and didn't hear of anything otherwise from anyone else either. But then we had 3 come in one summer, all the exact same failure, to the point of being able to order the parts ahead of time before even taking the last one apart. Now, apparently they actually had issues with this particular problem, as the OEM had updated parts for this repair.
Even talking to different techs in the area (for the same brand) may result in skewed results as often times dealerships in the same area all attend the same schools and/or update classes put on by the same area service rep...so they might get some of the same info as far as what's been going on in other shops/industry wide.

 

[DodgyNomad]

Just do your homework OP. I worked for Ford in the Parts and Service Division, and have a shop with hoists here on my property.

There's a reason why used Ford trucks and SUV's generally bring a lot less $$ than GM's of the same age, mileage and options. Just do your research regarding the turbo trucks.

 

[oilstinks]

Keep this in mind, you will find every problem with a particular vehicle on the net because people want to vent and search a solution but you will not find as many that talk about how it is reliable and the best purchase ever. So I would have to say for every problem thread you read think about how many pleased owners that do not make a thread about how great it is. That being said, I've heard of one of the timing chain issues in my are as well as the intercooler condensation problem. Both of these were early models. So two problems out of no telling how many trucks around here. The carbon buildup on intake valves was solved with injectors in the ports but I forgot what year. Seems an oil catch can helps with that. I've worked at an auto parts store for 20+ years and EVERY brand has its troubles. NO ONE makes a better product. Its what ever you want to buy.

 

[SpaceBus]

Ford sells between 500,000 to 900,000 F-150's every year, that's the reason used prices are lower, not reliability. With numbers those high seeing 20-ish threads annually about timing chains or intercoolers is nothing and absolutely within the realm of high production tolerances. Most timing chain and other catastrophic engine failures tend to occur early in the ownership period and is usually covered under warranty.

Someone mentioned the Honda four speed automatic transmissions and that is a similar failure rate when you look at just how many Hondas are sold.

 

[brenndatomu]

Someone mentioned the Honda four speed automatic transmissions and that is a similar failure rate when you look at just how many Hondas are sold.

That was me...and exactly what I thought when they guy was going off about Honda trannys...you have a large shop, and there are a bazillion of those things on the road, you are bound to see a few to work on, especially from the "what is transmission service?" crowd...

 

[SpaceBus]

That was me...and exactly what I thought when they guy was going off about Honda trannys...you have a large shop, and there are a bazillion of those things on the road, you are bound to see a few to work on, especially from the "what is transmission service?" crowd...

Poor servicing and driving habits are what killed those transmissions. Admittedly I wouldn't buy a Honda with an auto, but not for those reasons!

 

[brenndatomu]

Poor servicing and driving habits are what killed those transmissions. Admittedly I wouldn't buy a Honda with an auto, but not for those reasons!

Agreed.
I really like the way Honda has these things setup (shift points, etc) they just need to put a real filter on them...or at least one that you can actually service!!
I couldn't stand the way a lot of the older domestic trans shifted, especially the old 3 speeds...much prefer almost any of the newer ones in that respect.

 

[DodgyNomad]

Ford sells between 500,000 to 900,000 F-150's every year, that's the reason used prices are lower, not reliability. With numbers those high seeing 20-ish threads annually about timing chains or intercoolers is nothing and absolutely within the realm of high production tolerances. Most timing chain and other catastrophic engine failures tend to occur early in the ownership period and is usually covered under warranty.

Someone mentioned the Honda four speed automatic transmissions and that is a similar failure rate when you look at just how many Hondas are sold.

Ford sells between 500,000 to 900,000 F-150's every year, that's the reason used prices are lower, not reliability.

We'll have to agree to disagree. Lot's of good Ford's out there for sure. I worked for the company for years. I'm not a Ford vs. GM vs. RAM Vs. ...... guy. I buy, sell and repair a lot of vehicles. Good and bad models, years, engines, transmissions with every manufacturer. As someone who has access to a large amount of repair and reliability information, I'm telling you for a fact that big shops will see a lot more premature and early Ford drivetrain failures than GM's. Fact.

 

[oilstinks]

Agreed.
I really like the way Honda has these things setup (shift points, etc) they just need to put a real filter on them...or at least one that you can actually service!!
I couldn't stand the way a lot of the older domestic trans shifted, especially the old 3 speeds...much prefer almost any of the newer ones in that respect.

I do a service change on my honda trans once a year. I've always thought auto transmissions needed a spin on filter that could be easily serviced but engineers don't seem to think so.

 

[ABMax24]

Every pickup out there has an "inherent" design flaw, the early ecoboosts had issues with tranny's, both GM and Ram V8's have had issues with the valve train components associated with the 4 cylinder economy modes.

Personally I'm a believer that a vehicles propensity to break down is related to how it was treated by the previous owner. Fluid changes in particular must have been completed on time. But regardless it's just a matter of when they will require parts not if.

I'm always leary about about buying used vehicles, I sell mine when they are uneconomic for me to continue operating, and wash my hands of them, I also assume other people do the same.