I know this is a 6.2 thread, and I've never driven or heard this motor. But I absolutely love the stock exhaust note on my 5.0L, especially when you slightly got your foot in her gettin on the freeway. It sounds sorta like a NASCAR motor Lol Not knocking the EcoBoost as I would have just as soon got that motor if I could have afforded it. It's just the 3.5 is too quiet, sounds like a Taurus. Not sure what kind of exhaust the EB I heard last week had, but it was brand new and the guy had installed a dual exhaust kit already. In my honest opinion if I closed my eyes and imagined what vehicle i was next to I would have said a clapped out 90's V6 Camaro with a glass pack. I'm sorry but I have yet to hear a V6 engine that was music to my ears.

 

Oh MY God NO...Regretted ordering my last truck with the small 4.6L
knew the mileage would not be the best..But
There is NO replacement for Displacement..This thing Growls when
called upon, HP, Torque a plenty...What a pleasure to drive with all
that raw old school power under foot...Tom

 

MPG - On board computer vs Hand Calculated - Ford F150 Forum - Community of Ford Truck Fans

 

Yeah I doubt you're going to get very many people saying that they have regrets about buying a 6.2 half ton. The other three motors, maybe, but this engine was made for enthusiasts and those that buy it know what they're getting.

The Ecoboost have brought a lot of people into trucks that wouldn't have one to begin with. They believe the hype and think that this new technology is the greatest thing ever. The ecoboost is suppose to be the best, highest tech motor available in a truck today. And, to a point, it is. By comparison the 6.2 is a dinosaur. But I think that it is funny that this fossil of an engine, one that some have said was outdated before it was released, is reserved for only the top of the line, premium trucks and then as a pretty expensive option. Yet the most advance motor out there is available in almost all trim levels and only costs a couple hundred bucks more that the standard v8.

But there are forces at work far beyond what happens on the dealers lots. Every 6.2 truck Ford sells, be it F150 or Super Duty, has to make up for to meet the Federal MPG standards. They know that if the 6.2 was offered in the lower trim levels and at a lower option price they would sell very, very well (maybe better than the Ecoboost? Definitely better than the 5.0. Look how many 5.4s were sold compared to 4.6s). Instead they hype up the turbo six, limit 6.2 availability and the rest can be seen played out in showroom floors or argued about on internet forums every day.

My only regret about the 6.2? I didn't buy one. I had been in the market for a new vehicle for over a year and loved every 6.2 half ton that I drove. But the fact that the 6.2 wasn't available in a lower trim than a Lariat and the 40K+ that would have cost finally pushed me away. I have been a lifelong Ford man, fiercely brand loyal, but that lead me, to all things, a Jeep.

Read about it here:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...my-family.html


Note to Ford: how loud do we have to scream? WE WANT THE 6.2 IN ALL TRIMS!!!
and a new small Bronco would be nice too

 

Wow, by far one of the most intelligent and well spoken comments I've ever read on this website so far. Finally someone has summed it all up. All engine debates are now over. I agree with you 100%. I'm referring to the above comment. Well said jokerforever. Finally, someone who really gets it...and of course all other 6.2 owners like us.

 

I've been fairly quiet in this thread as I wanted to see how it would play out. It ended up as I predicted.

People in general get so defensive over their truck purchase and feel that they have to justify in their's and other people's minds why they bought a particular model, drive train, etc.

Anyway, I hope the 6.2L pans out real well, it's a sweet engine for sure.

When I went to the Ford dealer to get my truck, I left my testosterone at home and I came home with a truck that suited my needs. I didn't buy my truck to pull and it will likely never pull anything. It's for my convenience.

Engine noises don't impress me, exhaust notes don't impress me and 17 mpg's on the highway surely doesn't move me either. I'm really enjoying my 19.5 mpg's in mixed driving and 22-24 on the highway with power so robust that I can get around nearly anything on the road with no problem.

The 3.5L is so heavily marketed for obvious reasons, CAFE. In due time, GM, Toy and Chrysler will have an ecoboost type of engine all of their own. Soon enough R&D on the bigger V-8's will simply die off.

Performance isn't only about 0-60 times, pulling 17 tons and leaving dual rubber marks for 300 feet. It's become a total package of fuel economy, payload, tow ratings, maintenance intervals and overall reliability / endurance.

Ford believes the 3.5L is that total package and my koolaide sipping behind thinks so as well.

 

I reiterate what I said before. jokerforever, you could not have stated it any better. Tim, to be blunt, I expected more.

 

I have driven the 6.2 in the Super Duty, but not F150. Honestly though, the EcoBoost is so good, even if the 6.2 edged it slightly in 0-60, I would still take the EB if I had the cash to fork out for a brand new pickup right now that is. I must stick with my 5.4 3 valve for now.

 

If I had picked up the ecoboost, I probably could have stuck the savings in fuel aside and upgraded the tyee to a 40' whaler LOL. I have 9k miles on the truck and my wife is already pestering me to buy a SD and give her this. Ford did a good job.

 

I have a 2012 F350 SC LB with a 6.2 and love it, the mileage is not good 8 mpg when pulling a 15000lb skidsteer trailer and 12-14 empty. I also own a 2011 f150 SCREW with a 5.0 & also love this engine it will get 15-18+ mpg easily when empty 10+ when pulling. I know you are asking about the 6.2 in the 150's but this was just my 2 cent's. Just dont expect 17+ mpg like in a previous post, aint goonna happen unless in neutral down hill with a tail wind!

 

I would love to see a 6.2 with some kind of professionally installed performance upgrades like a supercharger and tuner. The 6.2 already runs pretty good like it is but this bohemus is begging for something to help it breath a little better. Can't you just imagine this engine with twin turbo's?

 

So I test drove both motors this weekend in 2 different 2011 4x2 supercrew models. It wasn't quite an apples to apples comparison (more like granny smith to red delicious comparison), because the 6.2 had 3.73 gears, and the Ecoboost had the 3.55. Here were my impressions (and I drove the 6.2 twice back-to-back with the Ecoboost in between to confirm my original thoughts):

6.2

• Definitely the "hot rod" motor, sublime character that gets your heart racing and juices flowing
• Makes nice noises, throaty growl, but still composed while cruising (little cabin drone)
• Seemed more responsive to throttle input, and urgency was more immediate, but curse Ford for dialing back the tune on this motor at WOT in lower gears--this thing would be a beast (and probably twist metal) if left completely uncorked at WOT
• Not as smooth at idle (lumpier and felt more vibrations at stoplights)
• Every drive was accompanied by a sense of occasion, and would make even short trips to the convenience store seem more special.
• 10.5 MPG on test drive loop

Ecoboost

• Smooth, refined, understated
• Not much personality (almost to a fault?), but will move out smartly with little drama when poked
• A little lag at throttle tip-in, and on double-downshift (but that could be due to different trans programming)
• Silent at idle and very quiet when driving in a civil manner around town
• Would be my choice for a calm, composed road trip or when you have screaming kids in the backseat and just need to get from point A to point B in autopilot with as little drama as possible--the Ecoboost is soothing and relaxing when unprovoked.
• 10.6 mpg on my test drive loop

I came away from the experience thinking maybe the 6.2's bark was louder than its bite. The 3.73 gears and audio soundtrack (exhaust note) amplified the sense of higher speeds and acceleration, but the Ecoboost pushed me into the back of my seat too and just gets the job done in a more relaxed manner. I really thought the turbocharged Ecoboost would seem like the more tightly-wound, frenetic motor that had to strain to keep up, but it really seemed effortless, calm, and composed in executing the same tasks. On the contrary, I felt like the 6.2 was a lot more fun to drive (again, 3.73 and exhaust at play here) but was doing a lot more yelling and chest-thumping to get the job done. I'd love to drive both again with noise-cancellation headphones or earplugs, so I can focus on my butt dyno alone.

I'm honestly still not sure which motor I prefer more. My heart is in love with the 6.2, as it reminds me of my Lightnings and pushes all the right emotional buttons and feels alive behind the wheel. But the Ecoboost appeals to my mind, for its more modern technology (compared with the dinosaur SOHC 6.2) and sensible compromise between performance and efficiency. I just think the Ecoboost offers a colder, more anesthetized experience (and I'm not sure an intake or exhaust will change much though I could be mistaken). I have no doubt that the Ecoboost can give the 6.2 a run for its money in stock form (especially if both have 3.73 gears), and an aftermarket tune could probably really "wake up" this motor. The thing about the 6.2 is that it's always "on" (turned all the way up to 11?), while the Ecoboost is just cruising along unless you ask it (twice?) for more oomph (at which time it does deliver). I can totally understand why Ford markets the 6.2 to the Harley crowd in the F150 line. I just wonder if living with the 6.2 every day (note, this will NOT be my daily driver but could be someday) will get old, since you can't turn the 6.2 "off."

I also calculated the difference in fuel expenses since the yesterday-tech 6.2 runs well on regular gas (87 octane), while Ford recommends premium for the Ecoboost. At a combined 14 MPG for the 6.2 (vs. 18 MPG for the Ecoboost), the 6.2 only costs $31/month more to operate (or $370/year), because regular unleaded is about 28 cents cheaper than premium. So to me it really comes down to which motor would I rather have under my right foot because the fuel costs will be close to a wash.

 

I think part of the dilemma in the choices of engine may have to do with the fact that big blocks have been around for a long time and have had a dedicated following. What I am a bit surprised about being the 3.5 Ecoboost is a brand new engine is that it has been so popular so quickly. Generally buyers will let the newer technology work out the bugs for a couple of years. I think it all boils down to individual taste for performance and potential economy all rapped up in one engine. Where the Ecoboost engine is concerned I believe the proof will be in it's high mileage durability despite the so called Torture Test results.

I think this may pose the real question, "Does size really matter?"

 

Oh, you were serious. Sometimes things come across differently when you type it instead of saying it. Without seeing your facial expressions I thought you were being sarcastic. But hey, if you really agreed with what I said then thanks brother. I only try to comment on the things I know about from personal experience.

I've been watching the development of both these engines very closely. The 6.2 seems to be solid and most of its numbers are repeatable. The Ecoboost on the other hand seems to be all over the place. Start searching this forum and you'll find people claiming to get MPGs in the high 20s and a bunch complaining about getting single digits. You can go on YouTube and find a couple races between 6.2 and Ecoboost trucks. Sometimes the V8 wins and sometimes the turbo six wins. The 6.2s always seem consistent but the six is just all over the place. It could be the drivers (more than likely), it could be the tuning, or it could be the engine itself. At this time, I'm taking the wait and see approach.<O</O

Tim, I'm not taking a poke at you. Please don't take this personal but I couldn't leave this quote without comment. The 6.2 is a man motor. Just like the 460 in my daily driven 1-ton. There are so few people today willing to take the hit at the pump to drive a big engine vehicle. I was proud to say that everything in my yard was V8 powered (I can't say that anymore now that I have the Jeep, but the day the warranty is up it's getting a 6.4 Hemi). I am proud to say that a couple of those vehicles are still waving the big block flag. I'm proud every time someone asks how I like the diesel in my truck and I watch their eyes get big when I tell them it's a gas gulping 460. I know that some of these high winded small V8 trucks are faster than me, and the new oil burners can out pull me but I also know that I have what was once the top of the line engine and the envy of every small block powered truck owner of the time. Is the 6.2 old tech? Absolutely. Is Ecoboost the wave of the future? Looks like it; the 5.0 and 6.2 were both designed to except DI later in their life cycle. Will I jump on the bandwagon and buy a turbo six? Hell no! I will keep my testosterone pumping, I will beat my chest and let my pipes do my talking, I will do exhausting, physical labor everyday to provide for my family, and I will drink beer, burp and fart, and proudly call myself a man!

 

So the best thing about owning a big block is being able to tell people you have a big block? So if I am the type of person that doesn't care what other people think, a big block is not for me? If I am that kind of person, then save some money and buy a used Chevy 8.1? Because bigger is always better.