Any experience with new 2.7 Eco and towing out there
#1
11-13-2018, 07:51 AM
Any experience with new 2.7 Eco and towing out there
While not my primary tow vehicle, I do plan to use my new 2018 F150 with 2.7 ecoboost occasionally to tow our travel trailer. When I bought the truck, I had a small 4500 pound TT. Since then I acquired a 28 foot 6500 pound unit. The specs for my truck say I am OK, not as much room as I would like, but OK. My Expedition EL with the heavy duty trailer package has much more room, plus is longer to boot, making it the better tow vehicle by far.
But I am curious if others with the new 2.7 have tried any towing and what their experiences were.
But I am curious if others with the new 2.7 have tried any towing and what their experiences were.
#2
11-13-2018, 10:41 AM
Tuned
My experience was short. I moved my son from an apt to a house he purchased and pulled a fully loaded tandem axle enclosed 18' trailer back and forth a few times. 200 miles total. Weight? No idea. Heavy. 157"wb 2wd 2.7 with the 3.31 gear. The trucks bed and cab were full too. The engine never got in a sweat. I was very impressed with the ease with which it yanked the weight around. Very low rpm's. Fuel mileage? Very little. Mid teens. Horsepower takes fuel.
#3
11-13-2018, 12:18 PM
Lead Driver
#4
11-13-2018, 12:49 PM
Not all questions I can answer off the top of my head. However, the ford towing guide says I can (with a load balancing hitch) tow trailers weighing up to 7700 pounds and up to 1300 pounds of tongue weight. If I really loaded it down, the trailer would weight about 7600 pounds (provided I don't carry but minimal water). Human cargo is about 350 pounds with about 200 pounds of stuff in the truck.
#5
11-13-2018, 08:31 PM
#6
11-14-2018, 03:14 PM
IMHO...that travel trailer is to much for your truck. It's not the weight, but the length that I'd be more concerned about. But, with that said, there have been many reports that the 2.7L will just quit running and die after a hard towing experience. Usually happens when fueling up...or coming off an interstate at a stop sign, as an example.
biz
biz
#7
11-14-2018, 05:00 PM
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#8
11-15-2018, 07:14 AM
#9
11-15-2018, 09:40 AM
I believe (but I'm willing to be convinced otherwise) that there is essentially only one version of the 2.7L EcoBoost. There are two versions of the 3.5L EcoBoost. The 2nd generation came out in 2016 or 2017.
#10
11-15-2018, 10:10 AM
Elder User
#11
11-15-2018, 04:43 PM
The thought behind the engine shutting down was related to fuel vapor lock due to excessive heat build-up of the fuel line near the firewall. It is just a theory...and has not been proven to be the cause. The engine does not throw any codes. But, I think it is better that the OP knows this could be an issue. So, if it happens to him... he will not be shocked. But can respond to the situation better.
biz
#12
11-15-2018, 08:13 PM
Yes, the 2.7L was introduced in 2015. In 2018, it has been updated to include port fuel injection to help combat carbon build-up on the valves (among other things)
The thought behind the engine shutting down was related to fuel vapor lock due to excessive heat build-up of the fuel line near the firewall. It is just a theory...and has not been proven to be the cause. The engine does not throw any codes. But, I think it is better that the OP knows this could be an issue. So, if it happens to him... he will not be shocked. But can respond to the situation better.
biz
The thought behind the engine shutting down was related to fuel vapor lock due to excessive heat build-up of the fuel line near the firewall. It is just a theory...and has not been proven to be the cause. The engine does not throw any codes. But, I think it is better that the OP knows this could be an issue. So, if it happens to him... he will not be shocked. But can respond to the situation better.
biz
The 2.7 is a good motor but it has its limitations. The 2.7 accelerates effortlessly while empty and doesn’t an adequate job under a load. I was towing a 26ft 6500 lb TT. A couple of things to consider with the 2.7, the motor isn’t tuned for towing, it will do it but it’s really tuned for the Costco trip. The 5.0 and 3.5 carry different rear springs. The 2.7 has around 500 lbs less GAWR on the rear. I currently have a 2018 3.5 with the max tow, it has 800lb more GAWR in the rear and you can feel the difference. My trailer has a toungue weight of 850 lb loaded and the 2.7 truck needed 7 washers in the equalizer hitch for the best ride vs sway control/weight distribution. The 3.5 is at 6 right now but I will be removing another washer the next time out and see.
The 2.7 accelerated better empty and rode very well, the 3.5 rides rougher and isn’t as quick empty. However with the trailer the 3.5 accelerates much different, while I know that it has almost 30% more TQ, the running is what makes the difference, the 10 speed is also great while towing for the most part. I wish it would down shift one gear at a time with cruise control on, it always drops two gear, so in the inclines I have to give it a bit of gas so it downshifts from 9th to 8th or 8th to 7th instead of going 9 to 7 or 8 to 6.
Worst of the story, it will do it but be advised that the 2.7 is a different truck when compared to the 5.0 and 3.5. It’s the truck meant to have a big infotainment screen and a small engine for the family. However it will pull it, A good hitch will help with the soft rear springs.
#13
11-16-2018, 07:22 AM
Thanks for the replies. At least I was not totally wrong about the 2.7 being different "then and now."
Oh, I will hook up the pickup to the TT and try it out, see how it levels with load levelling hitch as configured for the expedition. If it looks pretty good, will see hot it tows, but the expedition el was acquired specifically for towing with its heaving tow package and being a little longer. It would be nice if the pickup can be used from time-to-time as a tow vehicle when its just the wife and I and not planning to have other family or friends around. Wife likes that 7 person capacity of the Expedition EL.
Oh, I will hook up the pickup to the TT and try it out, see how it levels with load levelling hitch as configured for the expedition. If it looks pretty good, will see hot it tows, but the expedition el was acquired specifically for towing with its heaving tow package and being a little longer. It would be nice if the pickup can be used from time-to-time as a tow vehicle when its just the wife and I and not planning to have other family or friends around. Wife likes that 7 person capacity of the Expedition EL.
#14
11-16-2018, 01:29 PM
Well, gotta like my research after the fact approach to things. I had been thinking all along that the expedition el had a longer wheelbase than my shortbed supercrew. Wrong. F150=145 inches. Expedition=131 inches.So that gives me something to think about. The expedition is about 220 inches overall while the f150 is 230 inches. Gives me something to think about.
#15
11-16-2018, 03:01 PM
I towed a 30' trailer about the same weight as yours and no issues. Longest trip was about 3 hours on the interstate in high winds with no issues. Power was a little better than a 5.4L. I usually locked out 6th gear and it had more towing power than my ecodiesel. The ecodiesel was more stable (coil springs plus longer wheelbase) but the F150 was less punishing on bumps. It will downshift going up hills but I never ran out of power. The 36 gallon fuel tank is nice.