Kind of like how the Nissan Titan XD has the 5.0L Cummins and the standard Titan has the 5.6L and V6 option? It's going to suck to see the V8 go away in the F150s. Unless they can come up with a really good alternative power plant for vehicles other than lithium batteries that are short range (comparatively but are getting better) and can be put into a truck at a decent price that the every man can afford and be very reliable, I think the V8 will stick around for more than 5 years.

 

No matter, I like reading these discussions.

 

I also anticipate them going to a unibody design in the near future. V6 and unibody. Like the overseas ranger.

God help us

 

I could handle no V8, but no real frame?!? Changed from a truck to a real mall crawler with no frame!

Ok, forget the frameless talk, it's a V8 I'm wanting. Why? I'm old. No DI for me either, I think.

 

They are going to squeeze the truck out of it until its a Honda Ridgeline

 

The only way that will happen is if they come out with a heavy half ton. Too many people use the f150 to haul stuff and tow stuff to make it into a car with a truck bed.

 

But yet Ford replaced the whole E-series with the Euro-Transit van which is unibody. Sure the E-series was old but it did sell pretty well. I don't think it would be a good idea to do such a radical change over on a 1/2 ton truck. But once the body gets bent, might as well just total it out.

 

You know, the Transit may well be the perfect glimpse into the future. I think that if the F-150 buyers could have access to a small fuel efficient diesel then they would get over the V-8 issue.

 

I would in a heart beat long as it was easy to work on and not tucked underneath everything. I'll say this when I saw the 2009-14 body style under the hood with the newer 5.0L DOHC Modular engine I was in love! So much room to do spark plugs unlike the 5.4L/4.6L Mod engines. If Ford did put that 3.2L I5 PowerStroke from the Transit vans and maybe boosted the power levels a little bit without compromising fuel economy much, I'd bet people would flock to it like they did when Ram introduced the Eco-Diesel just last year.

But I seriously doubt that Ford will do the Duratorq into the F150 or any diesel in the forseeable future. They just spent a metric-boatload of money engineering and refining the Ecoboost engine within the last few years that it probably would without a doubt cut into those costs that they just spent, as well as cutting into Ecoboost sales in the F150. But with how bad the mileage is with the 2.7L EB with the 6 speed auto is, we'd have to wait and see what the newer transmissions in the next couple years do. If they do another redesign in the next 5 or 6 years, maybe they would put the diesel in but its doubtful.

If anyone has a Ford Transit van with the 3.2L diesel in it can you give us ideas on what kind of mileage you get? That would give an idea what the F150 would get with the diesel engine.

 

The transit is a much better vehicle than the Econoline it replaced. If they can make the same improvements on the F150, I don't care if it's unibody, aluminum, V6, V4, electric or made out of cheddar cheese.

If it works, I'll buy it. Simple as that.

 

The only legit reason to go for the V8 is if you are getting the snow plow prep package. This goes to a mechanical power steering system. No commercial application here as those folks would all get a 250. I don't see it being a big demand. The 2.7 is more than enough power for most folks and the 3.5 is what you'd want on any sort of "max tow".

For real truck users, Seventyseven250 nailed it. Capability matters far more than how it's done. We always look back and laugh at the people who think mules were better than trucks, regardless of the situation.

 

In some ways I do like the EcoBoost. But that 3.5L is a fat pig of an engine. It weighs what close to the same as the 6.2L? It would probably be way too expensive to do repairs on a uni-body truck and if the frame gets bent, well you're SOL because you can't replace it or re-bend it back either at all or its more work than its probably worth. Besides the fact that an all aluminum truck that's as capable as they are right now, it probably would not be advantageous to go to a uni-body design and be as ridged and capable.

The 5.0L still gets about the same mileage as EcoBoost does, empty and while in tow/haul. Though EcoBoost does shine better on towing/hauling on long grueling inclines especially at higher elevation just because its turbocharged still mileage wise they are pretty much the same. Maybe they'll replace the V8 all together once EcoBoost gets a lot better highway mileage over the V8, but until then I don't think it's going anywhere.

I think that every engine in the new F150s have an electronic rack/pinion instead of hydraulic. Mainly better fuel economy. The 6.2L had hydraulic and everything else was electric. I forgot that Ford is offering a plow package with 5.0L across the trim board. Unless the suspension in the front is more of a heavy duty package than standard. Haven't looked at that on ford.com since I am not very interested in a plow package F150...rather have a Super Duty or just use my snowblower.

 

The 3.5 Ecoboost replaced the 5.4, not the 5.0. So comparing fuel econ with the 5.0 isn't relevant. The 2.7 is what should have the 5.0 kids scared. Our body shop manager got one with 3.55 gears and he's been getting 24 mpg without trying on the highway.

You're correct weight though. The high compression requires some pretty beefy blocks that you simply don't need on an NA factory motor like the 5.0.

Likewise with frame repairs, however, Ford would do a market study to see how many original owners ever have to straighten the frame. I'll bet it's a small number. Don't get me wrong, we are a long way from a cost effective unit body that can handle heavy payloads that the SD does. If it can be done, I doubt frame repairs would be a major factor.

 

5.0L is still apart of the mod family. And the way they designed it was the way the 4.6, 5.4 and 6.8 should have been from the factory...the coils are easily accessible and the plugs being the way they are on it would make that job freakin easy compared to the other mod engines.

Here's some tech notes I found. The 3.5L EB is 417lbs without accessory drive and has a 10:1 compression ratio. Engine is all aluminum. https://fordperformanceracingparts.c...KeyField=22829

The 6.2L had a cast iron block and aluminum heads as well as two spark plugs per cylinder much like the Hemi from Mopar.