The thing that amazes me about the 2.7 is that it tows that 6000 lbs just fine with the stock gear ratio of 3.31:1. Ten years ago you probably could have gotten by with the old 4.6 v8 but that engine would not have done as well as the 2.7 does now at less gas mileage. A good friend of mine bough a 2015 Lariat last summer to replace his old 2009 model with the 5.4. He loves the 2.7 that it has the same, or power as the 5.4 but with way better fuel economy! He uses his truck for work every day loaded to the gills with tools and equipment for his home remodeling company; averaging sometimes 30-40,000 miles per year. That 2.7 EB will be a game changer for him in the way he uses his trucks.

Yep, it's a really impressive little engine. More power and torque than his old 5.4L truck, combined with a much better transmission. We were saying the same thing in 2006 when comparing with the powertrains of the 1990s though. Technology is doing fantastic things to pickup trucks!

Pretty amazing for sure. I think a lot of old-timers are thinking they need the lower-ratio gears to be able to tow (3.55, 3.73, and so on). However, I think the way the 6-speed transmission is geared, those lower-ratio rear end gearing is not so critical any more.

Just wait until the ten-speed transmission shows up, that thing is going to be amazing.

Good point Tom. I wonder what the comparison will be in another 10 years? "...And time marches on..."
When's that 10-speed supposed transmission to be available? That combined with a 2.7EB sounds like a recipe for 30+ mpg to me! Imagine a truck that can tow around 7500-8000 comfortably, but still get 30+ as a DD (not towing of course)...! I still got quite a few more good years left in the '06. I can wait for Ford to develop the 10-speed a little more before I buy one. I never buy first model year anyway, too much of a chance for new-car bugs. I wait a couple years and give 'em a chance to get those bugs worked out.

A 10 speed transmission will keep the engine in it's specific power band more fluidly than a lesser geared transmission like the current 6 speed.

More than likely the 10 speed will have a similar top gear overdrive as the current 6 speed.

Gaining 7+ mpg going to a 10 speed is a pipe-dream.

Josh

I should clarify, I'm thinking 2wd where the 2.7EB is already rated at 26mpg with the 3.31 gear. Give me 3.31 Locker and that would meet my needs just fine.

What needs to be understood is a 10 speed adds a lower (granny gear) and then 3 OD with 2 intermediate OD gears. 7th speed is 1:1 and 10th gear will still be around .69-64, same as the 6R.

Will having a shorter spread really equal that much more mpg? Not likely, in practice it might be worth .1 mpg, about equal to Ford switching to 5W20 versus 5W30.

Josh

Where are you getting this?

THIS ARTICLE, based on patent filings, calculates the 10th gear to be 0.636, which is nearly 10% taller than the top gear in the 6R80. It also shows the first gear to be 4.696 which is noticeably shorter than the 4.17 first gear we currently have.

I don't see why they couldn't lower the final drive ratios to further bring down RPMs at cruising speed while the really short first gear preserves takeoff power with a heavy trailer.

I haven't read much on the 10-speed transmission, so you may know something I don't. But I can't imagine why they would go to a 10-speed design without a deeper overdrive gear.

Quoting a year old article?

In the real world a .69 versus a .64 OD is worth about 100 rpm @ 75 mph. Is that 100 rpm going to get a truck to 30 mpg?

The last paragraph of that article is exactly how my Torqshift transmission works. It's called a 5 speed, however, it's actually a 6 speed and doesn't use the phantom 4th gear in all situations. I would assume the new 10 speed is the same way... It won't use all 10 forward gears in every instance.

Josh

Yup. Better an old source than no source.

You do realize your article has the same 10 speed philosophy as my post correct? All you did was corroborate what I wrote.

Point being, a 10 speed isn't an economy queen that will suddenly transform the F150 into diesel mpg figures.

No need to drool over it.

Josh

I've already had this conversation. Same results. ;)

I am drooling over the ten-speed for the towing performance, not for massive increases in fuel economy.
Although, improving towing performance might mean I can drop down to a smaller engine, which WOULD improve my unloaded fuel economy, so it's all related.

Now that I can buy into.