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Ecoboost reliable?

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Old Aug 13, 2011 | 09:27 PM
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Ecoboost reliable?

There must be a thread on this, but a search did not find it. Do people find the ecoboost (and the f150 generally) reliable? Worth getting? I gather the mpg is not outstanding, but tends to stay in a narrow upper teens range. Thanks.
 
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Old Aug 13, 2011 | 10:19 PM
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There is no reason to think this engine(ecoboost) will be unreliable. The MPG is top of the range for all comparible trucks, power too. I feel the F-150 is the best option in regular duty trucks and all engines shine. Have you driven one?
 
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Old Aug 13, 2011 | 10:33 PM
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One of the things that has sort of ticked me off is that when people have started a thread about a major (other than engine) issue, they tend to highlight the engine with the issue.

Such as "2011 ecoboost transmission issue". The is may lead some folks to believe the engine is at fault for the transmission failure.
 
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Old Aug 14, 2011 | 04:44 AM
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Referencing the engine in a thread such as that, is not a bad thing. Often a very specific assembly, such as the transmission, is built for the certain engine. Would be like saying 4.6 2V transmission issue. Most of us understand that in that case, they are talking about the 4 speed. So, personally, I think more info is better. Just my 2 cents tho.

I don't think most EB owners have enough miles on them yet to offer any real opinion of the engines reliability. Ford played up their little marketing vids pretty heavily, but real world use and abuse tells more.

I can't offer anything on the EB, but I am very unimpressed by my 11 5.0 and dealer support. I've now got misfires that they claim they aren't observing and now in certain road conditions, the trans slips. Probably going to loose the truck in my divorce anyway so at this point, who cares, right?
 
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Old Aug 14, 2011 | 08:51 AM
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Originally Posted by svt2205
. Probably going to loose the truck in my divorce anyway so at this point, who cares, right?
Just buy another truck when you piece your life back together, I did. Sorry your going through it though.
 
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Old Aug 14, 2011 | 09:06 AM
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svt2205, sorry to hear of your misfortunes. Hope everything works out for ya eventually.
 
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Old Aug 14, 2011 | 09:50 AM
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I know its early. Guess I was wanting to see if there were any early warning signs. Sounds like not. Thanks for the feedback. Sorry about the divorce, but no relationship is better than a bad one.
 
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Old Aug 14, 2011 | 10:38 AM
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Originally Posted by svt2205

I don't think most EB owners have enough miles on them yet to offer any real opinion of the engines reliability. Ford played up their little marketing vids pretty heavily, but real world use and abuse tells more.
Well said.... Also the SHO Tauras crowd has made it public that these engines tend to produce alot of carbon in the heads. Don't know if this will cause any issues, but it is a concern.
 
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Old Aug 14, 2011 | 10:48 AM
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Given today's economy, I doubt that Ford would put out any product or engine without tons of testing to make sure it is what they say. They can't afford to. Any product made pass the 2009 model year better be top notch to keep them in #1. With that said, they made it but you have to keep running (PM service). Chris
 
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Old Aug 14, 2011 | 10:53 AM
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Originally Posted by Chris Anchor
Given today's economy, I doubt that Ford would put out any product or engine without tons of testing to make sure it is what they say. They can't afford to. Any product made pass the 2009 model year better be top notch to keep them in #1. With that said, they made it but you have to keep running (PM service). Chris
You would think so, but look at the My Ford Touch and the grief it has cost Ford. This system has created a big stink on Fords quality record!
 
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Old Aug 14, 2011 | 11:33 AM
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My Ford Touch is built on a Microsoft platform just as most of the computers in the world are. The MS OS is and has always been full of problems no matter which you use Windows 95 on. MS-DOS was the most stable with Windows 98 coming second. I am a MAC person and have enjoyed many trouble free years on my computers. It would be great if Ford got with Apple for the software but that will not happen. So My Ford Touch is a software problem from the sub contractor. My Synch has never really worked the way it said it would so I don't use it. It is the software in our trucks that will be the biggest problem, get an upgrade and if there is just one little OOPs it effects the whole system. I have an 1982 turbo diesel Mercedes (375,000 miles) that has no electronics (computer) in it and it runs. I once had a Dodge 2500 with 250 miles on it when the fuel computer died, the tow truck took me home. Yes Ford should test these computer programs but they are not like something made of metal. When was the last time a solar flare or an incorrect keystroke stopped your hammer from working, can we say the same our electronic toys. Just some thoughts on the electronic world as we know it today. Getting back to this thread, it will be the electronics that will give us the most headaches in the newer trucks as long as you keep up with the mechanical end. As I read the computer seems to drive a lot of the operations of the Ecoboost engine as the others. As Ford increasingly uses electronics to increase mileage, performance and lessen emissions we will have problems. Chris
 
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Old Aug 14, 2011 | 12:36 PM
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Originally Posted by Chris Anchor
My Ford Touch is built on a Microsoft platform just as most of the computers in the world are. The MS OS is and has always been full of problems no matter which you use Windows 95 on. MS-DOS was the most stable with Windows 98 coming second. I am a MAC person and have enjoyed many trouble free years on my computers. It would be great if Ford got with Apple for the software but that will not happen. So My Ford Touch is a software problem from the sub contractor. My Synch has never really worked the way it said it would so I don't use it. It is the software in our trucks that will be the biggest problem, get an upgrade and if there is just one little OOPs it effects the whole system. I have an 1982 turbo diesel Mercedes (375,000 miles) that has no electronics (computer) in it and it runs. I once had a Dodge 2500 with 250 miles on it when the fuel computer died, the tow truck took me home. Yes Ford should test these computer programs but they are not like something made of metal. When was the last time a solar flare or an incorrect keystroke stopped your hammer from working, can we say the same our electronic toys. Just some thoughts on the electronic world as we know it today. Getting back to this thread, it will be the electronics that will give us the most headaches in the newer trucks as long as you keep up with the mechanical end. As I read the computer seems to drive a lot of the operations of the Ecoboost engine as the others. As Ford increasingly uses electronics to increase mileage, performance and lessen emissions we will have problems. Chris
Of course DOS was stable their was nothing their but commands- not GUI. You better stick with Apple as you don't know shucks about Windows 98.
W98 was buggy and second edition wasn't much better. I ran W2000 for 6 years without having to reload the OS or reboot everyday ( I would reboot it on an average of once every two weeks). Vista stinks, so far Windows 7 is doing good.

SYNC has a new update about a month ago and works good now, they are working on MY TOUCH. Same thing with Android OS. Eclair 2.1 had issues, Froyo 2.2 is better.

I suspect that the most reliable ecoboosts will be the ones that actually do some work, all of you guys that just drive them to work and never work them will probably have carbon build up issues. Just like the diesels, use them and they don't clog up, putt around town and they have issues
 
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Old Jan 9, 2013 | 06:55 PM
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Originally Posted by Chris Anchor
My Ford Touch is built on a Microsoft platform just as most of the computers in the world are. (snip) Chris
Most computers do not run Windows. Most computers are embedded and you'd seldom know they were there. The leading embedded O/S used on things like Mars Pathfinder, Keyhole satellites (not that I've ever heard of those), JDAM bombs, Eurofighter Typhoon, 787, gearboxes, engine management systems and lots and lots of other things is VxWorks.

Microsoft only has the majority of desktop and laptop PCs.

Most phones use Android which is a Linux derivative crippled by Java.

56% of computers don't use any commercial O/S.

My Ford Touch is a pile of garbage, it does all the usual MS things, like losing the Bluetooth and USB links and being very sluggish to respond. VxWorks responds to interrupts in well under a microsecond, that's why serious developers use a serious operating system.
 

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Old Apr 20, 2014 | 09:17 AM
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Actually there is a good reason to think there may be reliability problems with the "ecoboost". Forced induction at these boost levels is bittersweet with gasoline. 16PSI will be VERY hard on parts.....pistons, rings, connecting rods, bearings, even the crankshaft. We can speculate all we want, but only time and millions of trucks will prove reliability. Let's see where we're at in 10 years.
 
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Old Apr 21, 2014 | 12:16 AM
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So you don't know but you think it likely based on you thinking it likely. We make things better than we used to or modern diesels would be impossible. Modern jet engines run core temperatures that would melt a 1950s engine for tens of thousands of hours with no sign of ill effect.

There's a fair amount about Ford's persistent inability to make the engines run properly when damp there's no horror stories about blown pistons and burnt valves.

There are a few failed turbochargers, but they are infant mortality, not late life. So they are manufacturing rather than wear issues. Still waiting for a problem of these engines being fundamentally prone to wear. A 1990s 3.0 Ford v6 wouldn't last anything like as long as these engines do. But then this EcoBoost 3.5 is a turbocharged Duratec, isn't that a German design, and it uses Borg Warner turbos, so it shouldn't be a surprise that the German engine isn't falling to pieces as you predict.

Still, they haven't been very good at fixing the rough running problems.
 
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