Hello,

First time posting here, but been lurking in the forum since before I bought my new F150 in September this year.

Love the truck, but not yet comfortable with the auto stop / start function of the engine...... Here's why - would like to hear your thoughts --

I'm getting up there in years, and was taught a long time ago that the process of starting an engine produced a lot of the wear over the life of an engine. So this whole start / stop / start thing seems risky. Perhaps technology has evolved and I was too busy to notice, and this isn't so much of concern with todays engines and oils?

One of the many articles I read about this mentioned specifically that the rod bearings were of particular concern in the past (with regards to frequent start / stops) , as they rely solely on the lubrication between the bearing and crank - no bearings. It went on to theorize that perhaps the bearing manufacturers had found ways to protect against this in these engines.

I've searched the forum here and elsewhere, and haven't really found where Ford has openly discussed this (aside from a note that the starter and battery were bolstered in support of this feature).

I'd really hate to find out several years down the road that I wore the engine out early by using this feature....

Any thoughts or better - specific info would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

 

Welcome .......I've test driven several 2.7s and while I like em, I share same concerns so much so that I would probably disable it every time I drove it if I owned one......although I will say that I think a cold start after sitting for extended period is probably more harmful than an engine that was off for 15 seconds after already being warmed up......I'm sure has it figured out

 

Thanks for the welcome and input. You're right, I hadn't thought to make the distinction between cold starts vs repeated warm starts.

Still haven't found any materials where Ford specifically discusses what they've done to ensure that this won't cause accelerated engine wear. A few articles talk about tests done - but no specific mods or improvements (aside from battery / starter).

 

Anyone that has a SCT Device can now Disable the Auto Start/Stop.

Got a 2015+ F150 2.7L V6 Ecoboost? - 5 Star Tuning

 

I don't have first hand experience with a 2.7, but do remember reading that it holds oil up in the engine longer after shut down. One thing they note in oil change instructions. I assume this helps to reduce wear and tear on parts with restarts also.

 

I really don't see this being a problem. The Hybrids have been doing this for nearly twenty years, and those things routinely see high mileage without issues. Some Toyota Prius models see 400,000+ miles without engine trouble, and unlike the F150 there is no way to disable the engine start/stop.

I've heard the same figures about cold starts being where the majority of wear occurs, and the theory seems to be that this happens because the oil slowly drains from the bearing surfaces as the engine sits. This wouldn't be an issue for a 2.7L truck using the start/stop feature.

I wouldn't be worried a bit about the start/stop. This along with the other new technology found on the 2.7L sort of makes me wish I got one instead of the 3.5L.

 

Bearing wear is not where the engine wears out prematurely on cold start up, although if for an extended amount of time it could be an influence, in air craft engines and old automotive engines, the wear was mostly in the cylinders and cam shafts, in an engine with plain bearing shells, the shell is the bearing, but the oil is the real bearing. During short periods the oil will Kling to the bearing and crank shaft surfaces, I dont see this as a problem.

 

IMHO, there are a lot of issues with this...just like the GM 8-6-4 systems......they failed terribly in the 80's and the latest generation now has cylinder wall washing that is literally destroying the engines.....just like with the Prius......during transfer from gas to electric, you are without braking assist for 5-15 seconds.....yes, right in the owners manual in very, small referenced print......because of federal regs, when the Pries was ready to 'hit the streets" Toyota petitioned and received a federal exemption for this......

 

Not to drag things off-topic, but I used to own a Prius that I traded on my F150 about two months ago. The master cylinder looked nothing like that which is used on an kind of conventional vehicle. I don't believe there was any vacuum assist component to it. The brakes on that thing were quite sensitive, and I never felt lack of braking power at any point that I owned it.

The EcoBoost engines uses a vacuum pump to provide brake assist.

 

I think we can all agree that every revolution of that engine causes some degree of wear, although in miniscule amounts. Clearly if you idled the engine for months on end, you would expect wear to occur.
So, the question that nobody can answer, but we should all think about is this:
Does shutting off an engine that is idling at say 800 rpm for twenty seconds (saving you 267 revolutions) save more wear than a single warm start?

I don't think it's possible to answer this scientifically, but to me, it's a moot point. Ford designed the engine and the rest of the truck. I trust them with my life, literally, so I'll trust them with the life of my engine as well.

If you are really worried, maybe start doing some oil analysis each time you change, any accelerated wear will show up there first.

 

Good morning --

Thanks for all the replies and input. I appreciate it. After reading all and considering further, I guess I'll let the auto stop / start do it's thing.

I found one review of these systems (didn't include the F150) that found a 10% increase in overall MPG. A little extra money in pocket is usually a pretty good motivator.... But the points raised here have helped put my mind at ease in using this feature as well.

Thanks,

Grimmwit

 

here is some more info Advanced 2.7-Liter EcoBoost with Auto Start-Stop Brings New Capability and Efficiency to Next Ford F-150 • Latest EcoBoost® technology in an all-new, even more efficient 2.7-liter engine that features extremely high output and lightweight design coupled with standard Auto Start-Stop optimized for trucks
• Delivers the performance of a mid-range V8 with greater efficiency
• Real-world durability tested in grueling Baja 1000 off-road race
Ford, America's truck leader, is expanding its industry-leading range of powerful and efficient powertrains with the addition of an all-new 2.7-liter EcoBoost® with standard Auto Start-Stop engineered specifically for the next-generation Ford F-150.
The high-output twin-turbo 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 features an entirely new design that delivers power and performance in a stronger, smarter package.


'The F-150's proven 3.5-liter EcoBoost has become the industry benchmark for advanced and efficient truck engines,' said Raj Nair, Ford group vice president, global product development. 'We've applied lessons learned from the 3.5-liter EcoBoost to the new 2.7-liter EcoBoost, but with new technologies that make this more efficient engine perform like a larger mid-range V8.'
Smart technology powerhouse
Boosting the 2.7-liter EcoBoost's fuel efficiency is the debut of standard Auto Start-Stop technology in the F-150. This technology, specially tuned for truck customers, shuts off the engine when the vehicle is at a stop – except when towing or in four-wheel drive – to give drivers power on demand when they need it most. When the brake is released, the engine restarts quickly.
The 2.7-liter EcoBoost engine features the first use of a compacted graphite iron cylinder block in a gasoline engine, the same material used in Ford's 6.7-liter Power Stroke® turbo-diesel V8 engine. The composite CGI/aluminum block saves weight while providing strength where it's needed most for durability.
'Previous engine block design choices were high strength or compact or lightweight,' said Ed Waszczenko, engine systems supervisor. 'We wanted to go further with the 2.7-liter EcoBoost and design an engine with compact structure and high strength and light weight.'
The 2.7-liter EcoBoost also features all-new engine logic that adjusts operating parameters on the fly to provide the best efficiency and performance for the environment and workload.
Other smart new features of the 2.7-liter EcoBoost include:
First use of fracture split main-bearing caps, which create a superior fit between the cap and engine block for reduced crankshaft friction to help improve efficiency
All-new aluminum cylinder heads feature water-cooled integrated exhaust manifolds
Variable displacement oil pump reduces internal engine friction to improve fuel economy
Intake and exhaust variable cam timing that improves torque while helping lower emissions
Lightweight, durable composite intake manifold
Cooling jets beneath the pistons that spray oil on the pistons to help lower operating temperatures
Piston connecting rods use an offset I-beam that provides strength to manage peak engine power levels while reducing weight for better responsiveness
Cartridge-style oil filter integrated into top of the engine for easy service
'No one's ever built a six-cylinder engine like this,' said Nair. 'It combines a host of advanced technologies found throughout the industry to create one of the most technically advanced and efficient engines ever designed.'
Tested tough
Pushing production engines to the limit is nothing new for Ford. Following in the footsteps of the 3.5-liter EcoBoost torture test, Ford labs and the 2013 Baja 1000 provided torturous environments to prove the 2.7-liter EcoBoost's capability and durability.
The engine, which powered a disguised all-new Ford F-150 specially designed to look like a current F-150, raced Baja in stock form with no additional oil coolers or radiators typically added for multiday off-road races. The 2.7-liter EcoBoost race truck finished the grueling 883-mile event – called by many the toughest Baja 1000 in decades – without any issues. The only part changed during the event was the stock air filter.
In addition to its flawless Baja 1000 shakedown, the all-new 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 has surpassed Ford's extensive and brutal testing regimen, including:
More than 1,000 consecutive extreme temperature loops that quickly bring the engine from minus 25 degrees to 235 degrees Fahrenheit – the equivalent of driving a vehicle nonstop from Death Valley to Arctic Circle 350 times
• Structural fatigue tests that run the engine at full load for more than 17 straight days – the majority of the time at peak torque and power
• The engine's ability to withstand repeated stop/starts was validated with more than 900 test hours simulating 240,000 starts and stops
•
More than 800 hours of towing and unloaded-driving scenarios across the entire engine power range with gasoline-ethanol mixtures up to E20 and intentionally degraded engine oil
Proven family of engines
In addition to the all-new 2.7-liter EcoBoost, the new F-150 will feature a complete lineup of powerplants to let customers tailor the nation's best-selling truck to their needs. The 3.5-liter EcoBoost returns, along with an all-new naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 and an improved 5.0-liter V8.
The all-new 3.5-liter V6 replaces the current 3.7-liter V6, and uses twin independent variable camshaft timing to provide a flat torque curve and improved efficiency as the highly capable new standard engine in the new F-150. The available 5.0-liter V8 returns with improved cylinder breathing and new mid-lock variable cam timing to improve fuel economy while maintaining its tow-friendly torque.
Sales of Ford F-150 with the 3.5-liter EcoBoost – launched less than three years ago – have already topped 425,000 units in the United States and account for approximately 35 percent of all F-150 sales.


Photo credit: Ford

 

I thought I read somewhere the main bearings were beefier and its a four bolt main

 

In the name of fuel economy, Ford has equipped the F-150 2.7—and only the 2.7—with auto start/stop. It disables itself during towing or four-wheel-drive operation, and at the very least requires upgraded main bearings (the journals drain every time the engine shuts down, so every red light is like a cold start). We wondered why, with start/stop validated and deemed worthwhile for the 2.7 Ecoboost, it isn’t available in other F-150 engines. Cost? Capacity or marketing? Ford execs stonewalled, saying only that the company will “roll out start/stop on other products as appropriate.”

here is the whole article Ford 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 deep dive | Autoweek

 

I believe that both the 2.7L EB and the 3.5L EB engines have 6-bolt mains.