Turbo V6 in an F150?
 

Hey all,

With the turbo 3.5 V6 that's out now, do you think that Ford will go that route(or something similar) in the F150?

Something like that, tuned for torque with the 6 speed auto seems like a good package.

Just thinking out loud...

Mikeg81

According to one of my last few issues of motor trend they said the same engine that's in the taurus sho will be offered in the f-150 by either late 2011 or 2012. I just hope Ford does a better job with these turbo engines than they did back in the 80's with the turbo coupes and svo mustangs.

the ecoboost is slotted for the f-150... a v-6 with more power than the 5.4 I just offered. Ford and turbos have come a long way... turbo bearings are vastly better, they are intercooled and have wastegates, just to get started. I think it's a great move. Now if they'd just put a manual back in the 1/2 tons...

The problem I have with the older turbo engines isn't the turbo itself. The 87-88 turbo coupes and all svo's came with intercoolers/wastegates and had no issues with the turbo at all. I have just never seen a stock gas engine last with either a supercharger or turbo on it. I have had 5 turbo coupes and an svo mustang and had to rebuild all of them before 125k miles. The rings couldn't hold up to the boost and the heads or head gaskets would almost always crack or blow out too. Just to name a few problems. Unless they actually prep the engine for the boost (forged pistons, moly rings, o ring head gaskets, etc) instead of just slapping a turbo on an existing engine, I won't be in line to buy one. I agree with you 100% on the bringing back the manual though(in the 3/4 and 1 ton trucks too).

Would low pressure turbos help?

I like the turbo part, its the v6 that bites. Not many good V6s out there. Now a straight 6 is another story.

As long as they prep the engine properly it will be fine.

I don't mind the v6 part of it. What bothers me is that I think it's a way for them to phase out the v8 all together. They could make an ecoboost v8 get better mpg's and make a lot more power than an ecoboost v6, but they leave the v8 naturally aspirated and offer the v6 with ecoboost so it gets better mpg's and the same power as the v8. Fewer people justify buying the v8, sales go down, and the v8 gets phased out. The ecoboost taurus gets 24 mpg(in a lighter, more aerodynamic car) and the 5.4 f-150 already gets 20 mpg. Imagine what they could have done with an ecoboost 5.4.

It's just like what ford did with the manual tranny. They only offered it on xl or xlt models with no upgrades what so ever. The xlt lariat, king ranch, cabella's, harley davidson, etc only come with an automatic. Even the most die hard manual person will choose an auto when that's the only way they can get leather, chrome, etc. Then they say 96% of all new truck sales are autos, so they can't justify making a manual anymore. Offer the stick in the higher end trucks and there will be a heck of a lot more of them sold.

As long as the F-150 weighs 6000 lbs fully dressed and the Ecoboost 3.5L carries a $3000 upcharge, the V-8 is safe and sound, IMHO.

Tim

It makes sense to me to have it be a replacement for the old v6, but I hope it's not a replacement for the v8. Ford has been known to kill a perfectly good engine for no known reason(v10) or try to slip a replacement in gradually that they know would get them killed if they did it immediately(the front wheel drive, ricer'esque probe as a replacement for the mustang).

I just don't know why they wanted to turbo the v6 but not the v8(why not do both?). With a lot of people using the f150 to tow heavier trailers I don't see the v6 being practical. The v6 isn't going to have the power to keep 10k lbs moving without the turbo blowing all the time(and eating up fuel mileage). If it only gets 24 mpg's in a taurus, I would expect it to be below 20 mpg in the f150. So now you have an engine that gets worse mileage towing(probably worse unloaded too), has less hp, less torque, AND costs $3000 more. I would much rather have seen them take the 5.4 that already gets 20 mpgs unloaded and put a turbo on it. 360 hp and 20 mpg with no boost and 450-470 hp under full boost.

They've built ECO-Boost V8's. You just don't hear about it very often. Car and Driver had a little blurb on it about a year ago

Just over a year from now they will be out. @ 400hp/400tq and 20-25% better MPG over 5.4L (according to Ford)

Heck GM got 20% outta their V6 with just D.I. I Hope they can squeeze a little better outta the V8

But not nearly the power jump.

I am going to agree with you on that. I bet in order to get a TT V6 you will have to buy all kinds of crap to go along with it. Ford packaging sucks sometimes and I see this being no different. The question mark in my head is long term durability. I want to see the TT6 and 5.0 and 6.2 put to the test to see what they all have in the real world. I bet 70 percent of F150s will roll out with the 5.0.

Opps, I forgot the rumor of a base 3.7 v6. Not sure if this is going to make it under the hood or not but the Mustang is getting it.

Really, If Ford wanted JUST Fuel economy, they'd DI all of Their engines.

The 6.2, new 5.0 with DI would be just fine in My book. Prolly get decent MPG, and Decent Power! Without forced induction.