2008 V-8 vs. 2016 V-6 on the Road
- Thread starter Trainmaster
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Expedition007
Member
I’m too poor to buy an EB yet... but I found a beautiful 2007 EL XLT 4x4 Texas Edition for $5k. Had to pick it up in the Dallas metro area (NO RUST). Had brand new Michelin Defenders, new battery, new rotors and pads, new bilsteins. A couple that bought a new 2017 donated this one to their church after doing a whole grocery list of repairs for the future owner. First vehicle I’ve purchased in years that did not need repairs when purchased. Has heated leather, sunroof, adjustable pedals, center captains. Love the truck, 5.4 does what I need it to do, 15.0/19.6 mpg. Pulling 9k 7.0 mpg, pulling 5.5k 9.0 mpg. When I can find an EB for this kind of price I’ll jump on it!
DonM
Member
I can't believe I just read this entire thread. Only one question, why would anyone care how fast an Expedition is off the line. If I want to race I'll but a race car. 
My 2006 EB now has right at 200,000 miles and, other than routine maintenance has had zero problems. I'm 6'5" and 260 and a musician. This thing has everything I need! Hauls all my gear with room left over for the golf clubs and is comfortable. Don't even have to take my cowboy hat off.
If I drive 65 on the highway, it will get 23 mpg. Around town, if you keep your foot out of it and don't try to race anyway to the stop sign, it gets 17. Towing my bass boat, it drops to 13 or 14. But it's a big boat.
Sure, I'd love to have a 2018, but even if I had a spare $50,000, I couldn't justify it.
Disclaimer: If I let my wife drive the Expy, it might get 11 mpg and wear out a set of brakes on two trips to the grocery store.
My 2006 EB now has right at 200,000 miles and, other than routine maintenance has had zero problems. I'm 6'5" and 260 and a musician. This thing has everything I need! Hauls all my gear with room left over for the golf clubs and is comfortable. Don't even have to take my cowboy hat off.
If I drive 65 on the highway, it will get 23 mpg. Around town, if you keep your foot out of it and don't try to race anyway to the stop sign, it gets 17. Towing my bass boat, it drops to 13 or 14. But it's a big boat.
Sure, I'd love to have a 2018, but even if I had a spare $50,000, I couldn't justify it.
Disclaimer: If I let my wife drive the Expy, it might get 11 mpg and wear out a set of brakes on two trips to the grocery store.
My ecoboost is getting 17.4 in mixed driving, but if my wife were the sole driver it would be more like 11-12 (short commute and heavy foot). Both are great motors and I've owned both, but this little twin turbo has the pulling chops that can't be matched by the 5.4. It just can't be believed until you experience it in person as I had to find out after being a naysayer myself.
DonM
Member
I will make it a point not to drive an ecoboost, so I will remain happy with my old friend!
I will make it a point not to drive an ecoboost, so I will remain happy with my old friend!
Is your truck 2WD or 4WD? My 4wd 05 NEVER saw over 19 on flat ground no matter how slow I went.
My 17 EL routinely hits 20+ now that I have some miles on her.
DonM
Member
Mine is 2wd. I used to drive fast, but now I'm not in a hurry and make an effort to get good mileage. My mileage is probably not typical but it is achievable if you work at it.
My wife has a 6 cylinder Ford Escape and she gets about 20 mpg average. I drove it 250 miles on the road Wednesday and got 28.6. I even passed a couple of people, which is rare when you are doing the speed limit.
My wife has a 6 cylinder Ford Escape and she gets about 20 mpg average. I drove it 250 miles on the road Wednesday and got 28.6. I even passed a couple of people, which is rare when you are doing the speed limit.
That makes sense... yeah it's amazing how much the economy drops as you exceed 55-60 mph. here in NJ, the speed limit is 65 on the Parkway, but your getting passed at anything under 80.
I rented a 2wd 2017 last summer for an extended test drive while on vacation. That truck was better by 2-3 MPG across the board! It's something how different the economy is between the weight, parasitic drag, and wind resistance of adding 4wd.
I rented a 2wd 2017 last summer for an extended test drive while on vacation. That truck was better by 2-3 MPG across the board! It's something how different the economy is between the weight, parasitic drag, and wind resistance of adding 4wd.
I sold my 2008 XLT when I picked up my new one (Max, 4x4) a couple of weeks ago. No comparison. The EB/10 speed really moves when I step on it hard, much better than the 5.4. Also, I averaged 20.5MPG first tank, which I never saw in the old one. On the highway at 65MPG I'm pretty sure I'd see 24MPG, maybe even 25MPG. It's quieter, more solid, with a better interior than my '08.
I was very skeptical about the EB when it came out. Now with the Gen 2 and port injection, I'm very impressed with the vehicle.
I was very skeptical about the EB when it came out. Now with the Gen 2 and port injection, I'm very impressed with the vehicle.
DonM
Member
That settles it, I'm leaving now to buy a lottery ticket, then to the dealer!
Richard_S
Active Member
My .02 I travel for work 80% of the time and I rent an Expedition and F150 all the time because of the size and comfort. I like the EB, it's a great motor and I love turbos. I've have many European cars with them. I also like the 5.4 in my personal vehicle. Occasionally I get lucky when I rent an F150 with the 5.0 in it. You can't beat that sound. I wish they would put that in the Expedition.
Time will tell how the EB longevity will be compared to the 5.4l. With proper oil changes and a light foot on the throttle when cold and a 2 or 3 minute idle after coming off the highway will make the turbos last a long time, some people will get 150k from them some 200k+.
Time will tell how the EB longevity will be compared to the 5.4l. With proper oil changes and a light foot on the throttle when cold and a 2 or 3 minute idle after coming off the highway will make the turbos last a long time, some people will get 150k from them some 200k+.
The Motor in the 15-17 Expedition has been around since 2010, there are MANY with 200K plus in F150’s that do serious work/miles day in and day out.
The Motor has proven longevity. Ford has never tested any motor as long as they did or put as many miles on test rigs as they did the 3.5TT.
We know about the valve coking, but that is a DI issue and not unique to Ford.
The Motor has proven longevity. Ford has never tested any motor as long as they did or put as many miles on test rigs as they did the 3.5TT.
We know about the valve coking, but that is a DI issue and not unique to Ford.
I will make it a point not to drive an ecoboost, so I will remain happy with my old friend!
Haha, I made that same mistake. I was looking to buy a 5.4 expedition since they were cheaper than a 15+ with ecoboost. Then on a whim I drove a 17 at an auction and realized I couldn't have anything less once those turbos spooled up on the test track. Don't drive one or you will want/need one.
Wait until the motor breaks in... I'm at 5,000 miles now and it's significantly better then it was in the begging.
jeff kushner
Full Access Members
Agreed....was looking for a new or new-used.....till I drove the 3.5 and I'm jaded by a lifetime of very fast motorcycles and cars.....so it takes a little more to catch my attention.....and it caught it.
Jeff
Muddy Bean
Full Access Members
Funny how many people keep saying a turbocharged engine is so complex. You’re using your exhaust to push a mechanical turbine that pushes more air into the engine. A little fuel, a little air, a little spark, and bang bang. So incredibly complex.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Decided to post this over here (from the highest mileage ecoboost topic).
Here's the link to the F150 forum with the guy having over 300,000 miles on his ecoboost F-150. He gave it to his son when it had 366,000. You can read through the thread to see he tows 85% of the time and the only thing I saw he did more often than the owner's manual recommendations is change his spark plugs every 50,000. No oil catch can no induction cleaning.
http://www.f150ecoboost.net/forum/6-f150-ecoboost-chat/28082-300-000-miles-my-2011-eco-boost.html
Also while researching if I require an oil catch can. I found this article from 2011 at Edmunds, a site I have used often over the years, heck even when it was in book form pre-internet. It talks about the early adopters of GDI and how now (2011) many of the issues have been eliminated.
https://www.edmunds.com/autoobserve...33&utm_term=2470763_VigLink&mktcat=affiliates
I have decided to simply do the maintenance as recommended by the owner's manual with the exception of changing the plugs every 50,000 miles.
Here's the link to the F150 forum with the guy having over 300,000 miles on his ecoboost F-150. He gave it to his son when it had 366,000. You can read through the thread to see he tows 85% of the time and the only thing I saw he did more often than the owner's manual recommendations is change his spark plugs every 50,000. No oil catch can no induction cleaning.
http://www.f150ecoboost.net/forum/6-f150-ecoboost-chat/28082-300-000-miles-my-2011-eco-boost.html
Also while researching if I require an oil catch can. I found this article from 2011 at Edmunds, a site I have used often over the years, heck even when it was in book form pre-internet. It talks about the early adopters of GDI and how now (2011) many of the issues have been eliminated.
https://www.edmunds.com/autoobserve...33&utm_term=2470763_VigLink&mktcat=affiliates
I have decided to simply do the maintenance as recommended by the owner's manual with the exception of changing the plugs every 50,000 miles.
JExpedition07
That One Member
I don’t understand the driving an ecoboost then not considering anything else. I’ve driven them on many occasions and it has never changed my opinion. I will admit the 3.5 and 5.0 are faster than the 3 valve 5.4L but as someone so wisely said speed isn’t everything...... and the 5.4 isn’t slow.... put it this way a 5.4 expy is still faster than many brand new midsized offerings. In the end am I just biased? Undoubtedly..... I just love the sound of a V8 and like the idea of more cubic inches better than more air and fuel in less space. Two different fields of thought. Nothing like hearing twin 502 big blocks screaming away on a speed boat!
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The rub is that the ecoboost is such a better towing motor. I tow a travel trailer quite a bit over the summer so towing performance was a big deciding factor, as well as the new vehicle warranty and sync 3. I've towed extensively with the 5.4 in 2 properly equiped pickups (3.73 gears in both an 05 4 speed and a 2010 6 speed) and will tell you the turbo pulls better in the mountains and on the flats. There is no denying it from a towing perspective. The technology inside the cabin is also better on the ecoboost simply because it wasn't available on the 5.4 powered trucks.
JExpedition07
That One Member
I get your drift but a lot of that is perceptive. The 5.4L is a great towing motor simply because if it’s torque curve...... I’ve been behind them pulling plenty and can say they perform a lot better than a GM 5.3 or 350 for that matter. The 5.4L torque peaks around 3,500 if I’m not mistaken.... so under load that is where it will want to sit in the rev range. However it is made to to this, now the ecoboost maxes out at what 1500 rpm? While it may seem the eco isn’t working hard I can assure you those turbos spooling to red hot that motor is working hard..... and the MPGs speak a lot of truth to that. Whether your going higher in the rev range or forcing in extra gas and air at a lower rpm to contend with the increased engine load you are working both motors hard. Again two different ways to go about making power but they do differ in where they make it..... where the 5.4L needs to climb higher to reach peak torque and downshift to do so the ecoboost doesn’t and nothing wrong with either. In fact the ecoboost torque falls off a cliff high in the rev range so staying low is key or they fall on their face. Full disclosure i would expect the ecoboost overall to perform “better” as its newer and has received updates, but that’s not to say the 5.4 doesn’t excel at it as well. The 5.0,3.5, and 6.2L should all perform “better” in a way. Can’t argue with you on the tech..... the progress has been good on that dept and will only get better and better.
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