Ok I am always reading about the 5.4L motor, but what if I not looking for more power like everyone else. I currently own a 07 HD F-150 with the 5.4L and find there is more than enough power for me. What I want is more MPG. I am considering looking at the new 4.6L 3V with 292HP and the 6 speed auto! How many more MPG can I expect out of this motor compared to my 5.4? Will I notice a differnce in power between the two? I am guessing the new 4.6 with the 6-speed would out run the old 5.4 with the 4-speed? Is there any numbers on this new motor in the 09 F-150?

Thanks for any info!

 

Welcome to the forum. I think if you look around here in the 2009 forum you can find the exact numbers on the trucks. I think there will be a 1-2mpg increase from the 3v 4.6 to the 5.4. I know Dearborn Derrick got to drive one of them and he said the 3v 4.6 had some good power.

 

Check out Fords web site under the 09 F-150.

Get Specifications for trucks, like the Ford F-150 pickup, here | Ford Vehicles

 

i dont think youll see a big difference, i know a few ppl with the 4.6 and its slow and underpowerd, idk about the new ones though, it would deff be somethin to check into. let me know what you find

 

Yes I will be looking for real tests with this new 4.6L 3V motor. I don't believe that it will only get 1 more MPG then the 5.4L. I would be hoping for at least 2-3mpg I don't tow with my truck. I only use it to haul stuff around. I picked the 5.4 last time because I knew that the old 4.6 was under powered. I just like the specs of this new 4.6L 3V.

 

While it's not in an F150, we have a 08 Explorer with the 4.6 3 valve. The best we've seen so far is about 18 mpg and that's with the 6 speed auto.

I wouldn't expect more then a 1 mpg difference between the 2.

 

It still won't have the torque of the 5.4L due to the short stroke, but if you do not tow much, the 3V 4.6L with the 6-speed should be ok. Not sure on any real world mileage yet.

 

Don't believe it if you don't want to... but history says otherwise. the 2v 4.6 and 2v 5.4s were almost as close in power numbers, and the difference in MPG was simply not there. 2-3mpg would put the 4.6 in the 22-23mpg range on the hwy... good luck getting that, let us know how it works out.

 

Century, you'll like the new 3v 4.6. I've put a few tens of thousands of development miles on every configuration of the new F150. What I've found, besides the fact that this is a truck I fully intend to spend my own money on, is there is better than a 5 mpg spread between the heaviest and the most economical models in comparable driving. Some trucks barely make their rating, while others exceed it routinely.

One particular truck I drove about 600 miles a day for a little more than a week, a supercab 2wd with the new 4.6--NOT an SFE, a mid-level optioned truck. I averaged MORE than 22 mpg on that drive, which included more than 10,000 feet of elevation differences and 60 degrees in temperature difference.

This was not exclusively highway mileage, either. This is a truck that is rated at 20mpg highway. I will give you the caveat that this truck had an EPA exemption, as do all prototypes, and I can't swear that the ECU was programmed the same way production vehicles will be.

When normal "civilians" start driving this truck, they'll notice that the new 3v 4.6 actually feels a bit stronger than the outgoing 5.4 liter because of the way the new six-speed transmission puts the power down on the road. This will be my choice when it's time to order my truck.

So your expectations are pretty realistic, despite what other folks here might think. There seem to be a lot of experts who base their experience on trucks other than the subject at hand here.

 

Thanks mistrtoad, I was looking for a response like that. Right now I am getting around 17MPG on the highway with my 5.4. So 22 MPG on the highway would be incredible. I am going to wait a bit and see if some people start posting their real world numbers. I would be waiting for the Eco Boost but I have never seen a turbo motor that didn't need 91 octane. So even if it gets 24, it still going to cost me more then the 4.6L 3v thats getting 22MPG on 87 octane. Only time will tell. Thanks to everyone who responded.

 

Unless you move over to a Prius/Corolla I am thinking there is nothing out there that will actually cost you less than your current rig- provided you paid or are paying "full" price for it. Given all the costs associated with buying a new vehicle and presuming you would "trade-in" the 07 I just don't see how the thousands of dollars extra you would be shelling out could be recouped in better gas mileage -
A quick calculation shows about 134 gallons saved over 10k miles(22mpg vs 17mpg)- So that's about $1k per 20k driven(@ 3.50/gal). I guessing you've lost 15-20k off the value of your 07. It would take you approximately 300,000 miles to break even. That's not including an increased cost of insurance. And don't forget tax & license (another 2-4k)
Also, as far as the 91 vs 87 cost. You mentioned 22 vs 24 mpgs- that is about a 9% increase over 22mpg. Around here the spread between the two fuel grades is around .20 - .25. A 9% increase over 3.50/gal is about .31 or 3.81/gal. So the 24mpg/91 would actually save you money over the 22mpg/87. The more gas cost the more you would save w/ the 24 vs 22. The break even point would be(aprox) buying 87 @ 2.25 and 91 @ 2.45. Someone check my math.

But hey if you can pull it off you'll at least let us know how you like the new truck won't you

tim

 

Well I know that I will never recoup the money lost. I just like the new 09 so much that I would be able to put that aside.
As for the fuel cost. In Canada its about .10 cents a litre more here for 91 so that works out to .40 cents a gallon more. When I do travel in the USA I always have fueled with 91 just because it is so cheap. So I dont think the Eco Boost will sell well in Canada because of that. But who knows. I am going to wait a bit and let this new truck bug work its away out of me. Maybe by March we will know more about the MPG for both motors.

 

I think the 4.6L 3V is going to be a fantastic alternative tot he 5.4l. Everything I've read indicates excellent MPG's and great power when properly geared.

If you drove my old '88 for a while, the 4.6l 3V would feel like a rocket!

Tim

 

Isn't that the truth though...we've all forgotten that our 80's and 90's trucks did it just fine with 100 hp less

 

I wish I had a hundred less. More like 120 - 140 less :-(. Silly 80's 302. Thank god for gearing.