Ecoboost engine burning fluids

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Boostedbus

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This is why I’m thinking I’m going to stay with another Expedition and get the 3.5 EcoBoost/10 Speed over the 5.0. I like that my 5.4 3V has all its grunt in the mid range so it doesn’t have to scream up revs when I tow. I can let the tach sit at 3 grand and she will pull anything uphill....I think the 5.0 needs to hit 4 grand or higher before it meets what the 5.4 3V puts down at 3 grand.
I’ve read on here how you maintain your vehicle’s and I’m sure you’ll have no regrets with the Ecoboost. It’s the right engine for the job of towing in this 1/2 ton class of vehicles. I was as skeptical as anyone on here about this little engine until I bought one and towed with it. Even now with Ford offering the new V6 powerstroke diesel in the F 150’s, the 3.5 Ecoboost gasser is still the top dog engine for all out grunt. I’m sure now I’d regret buying any other mill in these 1/2 ton platforms. They just seem to pull things with very little effort or gear searching. I’ve about killed my reman 351W in my F150 (burning oil) from pulling grades in the Appalachian’s in 2nd gear because that’s the only gear that had balls to get it done before I put 4.10’s in it. I can only imagine how much more the turbo’s would benefit out west in the real mountains and thin air because of altitude. Buy a extended warranty if you are worried about it, but don’t compromise for an engine that isn’t up for the task of doing what you want with little effort.
 

Boostedbus

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Yes, it came with the Heavy Duty tow package. I've done very little pulling up grades and never saw elevated engines temps. I purchased it with approximately 58k. The tech said no warpage to the heads or deck so if anything happened before I got it it must not have been severe.
I hope things work out for you. When buying used vehicles we never really know what may have happened in the past. It may have had a bad fan, punctured radiator and ran low on coolant, stuck thermostat, a tuner on it jacking up the boost, or maybe just a bad head gasket install or bad gasket from the factory. All it takes is a smudge of anything on either surface (block or head) to compromise the seal. We just don’t really know. I wouldn’t let it discourage you too much unless we see this problem become a pattern with these engines.
 

rjdelp7

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I’ve read on here how you maintain your vehicle’s and I’m sure you’ll have no regrets with the Ecoboost. It’s the right engine for the job of towing in this 1/2 ton class of vehicles. I was as skeptical as anyone on here about this little engine until I bought one and towed with it. Even now with Ford offering the new V6 powerstroke diesel in the F 150’s, the 3.5 Ecoboost gasser is still the top dog engine for all out grunt. I’m sure now I’d regret buying any other mill in these 1/2 ton platforms. They just seem to pull things with very little effort or gear searching. I’ve about killed my reman 351W in my F150 (burning oil) from pulling grades in the Appalachian’s in 2nd gear because that’s the only gear that had balls to get it done before I put 4.10’s in it. I can only imagine how much more the turbo’s would benefit out west in the real mountains and thin air because of altitude. Buy a extended warranty if you are worried about it, but don’t compromise for an engine that isn’t up for the task of doing what you want with little effort.
So your comparing a towing with a ecoboost to a F-150 with a 351 V8? Ford hasn't put one in a pickup since the what, the 1980s.
 

Boostedbus

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So your comparing a towing with a ecoboost to a F-150 with a 351 V8? Ford hasn't put one in a pickup since the what, the 1980s.
Mine is a 95 but they were available up until 96 I think. It looks like you missed owning one by 4 years. You can compare the Ecoboost to anything out there in any make that is offered on a 1/2 ton platform all the way up to the current model’s. You’ll find it’s a top Contender in the towing world in that class. My biggest point I was trying to make about the Ecoboost is it’s not one of those “you better stay away from that problem engine” engines. It doesn’t have a track record that supports that even though many who have never owned one would THINK it should. It actually has a very happy customer base.
 
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JasonH

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Finally picked up the truck from the dealership after the head gasket repair. Final damage: $490 parts and $3,550 labor. Fidelity handled warranty coverage, so out of pocket of $300. The warranty definitely paid for itself on this one. I spoke with a service manager about the failure. He said it could just be a random failure, or that perhaps the coolant ran low and created an air pocket. I missed the coolant service at 100K, but I never observed any signs of overheating, even while towing.

I never did get into the Mach-E loaner. Turned out the dealership sold it several days before I picked up my truck. Supposedly they're in very high demand. I kinda have my eye on the Kia EV6 anyway. It's 800V pack adds 200 miles in under 20 minutes.
 

Brons2

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Agreed on the lack of engine options on Expy’s. I typically plan way ahead and for a while now I’ve been considering what my next daily runner needs to be. I know it won’t be an ecoboost and really want to avoid VVT v8’s. I know I’ll blow through those in 100k miles then need cam phaser job etc.

I’m averaging 800 mi week right now in 90 heat doing 75mph-80mph all highway w 230,*** on the clock now.

I’ll probably look for a pushrod style rig. I’m not convinced these VVT‘a will hold up to this type of use and give me 250k miles of trouble free engine and drivetrain.

You're going to be out of luck unless you buy something really old, because the pushrod setups have VVT also starting in 2007 and above (for GM), and the new Ford pushrod 7.3 has VVT also. Ram went VVT about the same time also on the Hemi.

Your use profile is easy on an engine. 800 highway miles a week? That's about the best scenario for engine life that there is. 90F outside? so what? Is it overheating? If not, carry on.
 

Machete

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You're going to be out of luck unless you buy something really old, because the pushrod setups have VVT also starting in 2007 and above (for GM), and the new Ford pushrod 7.3 has VVT also. Ram went VVT about the same time also on the Hemi.

Your use profile is easy on an engine. 800 highway miles a week? That's about the best scenario for engine life that there is. 90F outside? so what? Is it overheating? If not, carry on.

Yeah but pushrod motors aren’t OHC and they are single cam. Much simpler and reliable thus Ford’s 7.3 and Dodge HEMI.
 

rjdelp7

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Yeah but pushrod motors aren’t OHC and they are single cam. Much simpler and reliable thus Ford’s 7.3 and Dodge HEMI.
The 5.0l in the Mustang uses a torque style phaser, that is different than the 3.5l EB. They don't have any 'known' problems. They get run hard. Ford can build them right, when they want to. The 3.5l EB front wheel drive version, doesn't have as many problems. I personally agree, with Scotty Kilmer, that putting a small engine in a big vehicle, is doomed to fail.
 

Boostedbus

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I personally agree, with Scotty Kilmer, that putting a small engine in a big vehicle, is doomed to fail.
What did Kilmer think of the 300 straight 6 in the older F series trucks? That was the smallest engine available and probably the hardest to kill even over the 460 V8. My good friend was still working at a Ford dealer as a mechanic when Obama came up with cash for clunkers/guzzlers program. People would trade in an old gas guzzler for great money and the dealers had to destroy the engines so they would be put out of circulation. The mechanics would drain the oil out of the crankcase and then they would dump in a quart or so of acid and start them up. He told me that most of the engines would lock up within seconds after restarting except for a 300 straight 6 he had to kill. He said he drove it out in the parking lot with the acid in it and let it run for hours while he went back to work in the shop. Not all small engines that are put in large vehicles are prone to fail.
 
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