Thoughts on 3.5 Ecoboost that pulls

[SteveG4]

And the paper numbers are one thing, but its more the fact that my Ecoboost maintains those numbers right up to 7000', and I have data logged this to confirm, while a V8 is down 20% on power and torque. I've also data logged the 4.6L in my Lexus GX and it is almost perfectly down 20%. The GM 6.2L is the only V8 I would have considered simply because its rating is so high at 420 hp that it would make mid 300's here. Unfortunately, in 2014, GM was so stingy with the 6.2L that finding one with the max tow package and a crew cab long bed would have been nearly impossible.

Back in 2014, even the HD pickups were anemic compared to the Ecoboost. The new gas 7.3L Godzilla is the first engine in an HD that I would consider and may in the future.

Yes. The Godzilla is a wonderful current-day "throwback" engine. Thank God for Ford.

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

I need to do a UOA and see what happens.

What's a UOA going to tell you? Just wondering, since it's been debunked here plenty of times that a UOA is not the correct tool to assess engine wear due to an oil?

 

[skrypj]

What's a UOA going to tell you? Just wondering, since it's been debunked here plenty of times that a UOA is not the correct tool to assess engine wear due to an oil?

More to tell me how the oil is looking after a 5k OCI with 3k of it towing miles.

 

[walterjay]

I own Ecoboost and am curious. Have you serviced the transmission?

 

[Greasymechtech]

What power mods? intake? exhaust? tune? premium fuel?

Thread starter needs an oil temperature gauge. This will help you pick an appropriate grade of oil.

UOA would be good if it included TBN/TAN/nitration/oxidation/particle counts... one needs to see if you're driving style and interval are a good match to the oil, or a failure.

I would use ANY 0w40 or 5w40, or higher HTHS 5w30. Maybe look for oils with a good amount of PAO/ester/GTL and avoid lesser groupIII swill until your radiator shows up and helps control temps.

Don't neglect the diffs, transmission, and transfer case. All the other fluids/filters need to be changed/ungraded more often.

https://www.motul.com/ca/en-US/products/300v-power-racing-5w30--2
https://www.redlineoil.com/5w30-motor-oil
https://mptindustries.com/product/mpt-thirty-k-full-synthetic-high-performance-motor-oil-5w30/
https://torcousa.com/collections/to...ts/torco-sr-5-superstreet-synthetic-motor-oil
https://xenum.com/en/home/products/oils/engine/ceramic-oil/vrx-5w30/

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

More to tell me how the oil is looking after a 5k OCI with 3k of it towing miles.

OK, good. I'm glad you're just interested in the viscosity of the oil and the TBN since that's about all a UOA is good for.

 

[ka9mnx]

Here we go...

My buddy has a 2020 F-150 with the 2.7, basically the same truck as mine. He called me the other day before he hooked 2k pounds of trailer and mower to it. He wanted to know if it was safe for his truck to pull it, since it had a V6. He said his friend had a 1998 Silverado with a V8 that he could borrow if he needed to. I just laugh and shake my head when people start this V8 nonsense. Just for arguments sake here are some numbers.

1998 Silverado 5.7: 255hp 330lb ft
2020 F150 2.7: 325hp 400lb ft
2020 F150 5.0: 395hp 400lb ft
2020 f150 3.5: 375hp 475lb ft
OPs F150 3.5: 365hp 420lb ft

Don't get me started on WHERE the power is made, as the V6TT will make the V8s look like they don't belong.

For the OP: I'd go with a 0w40 like many others have said. Castrol smells better than Mobil, so that's what I'd use.

Go back to the original post and read the op's concerns carefully. Yes, the 3.5 makes impressive numbers. While the 5.7 is loafing along, making it's rated hp/ft at 3-4,000 rpm's the 3.5 is screaming it's brains out.

 

[Astro14]

Because I only have 92k miles on the truck with ~12k towing. I don't plan on getting rid of it any time soon so I would prefer it last and not be replacing turbos or timing chain or anything like that.

It gets abused. Im honestly suprised I haven't killed a turbo yet between the elevation and seemingly endless headwinds around here.

So, those headwinds and elevations, along with high heat, that's all in Western MA, perhaps?

 

[skrypj]

So, those headwinds and elevations, along with high heat, that's all in Western MA, perhaps?

Wut?

Edit: oh i gotcha. Yeah, Western, MA.

 

[skrypj]

I own Ecoboost and am curious. Have you serviced the transmission?

Yes. I did at around 83k miles about a year ago. I replaced the filter and installed an AFe aluminum trans pan at the same time so that I had a drain plug for easier maintenance in the future. Dorman also makes a stamped steel pan with a drain.

i am not sure that there is an aftermarket pan for the newer 10 speed transmission.

 

[Bird's_Garage]

Go back to the original post and read the op's concerns carefully. Yes, the 3.5 makes impressive numbers. While the 5.7 is loafing along, making it's rated hp/ft at 3-4,000 rpm's the 3.5 is screaming it's brains out.

Then you haven't looked at the powerband of a 3.5 ecoboost. The 3.5 makes more power at LOWER RPM. It is the definition of "loafing along." If that 3.5 is screaming along, no current production V8 gas engine half ton will come close to it. All this is being said without taking the high elevation into account. Do you know what a NA V8 does at high elevation? It has an asthma attack.

 

[skrypj]

What power mods? intake? exhaust? tune? premium fuel?

Thread starter needs an oil temperature gauge. This will help you pick an appropriate grade of oil.

UOA would be good if it included TBN/TAN/nitration/oxidation/particle counts... one needs to see if you're driving style and interval are a good match to the oil, or a failure.

I would use ANY 0w40 or 5w40, or higher HTHS 5w30. Maybe look for oils with a good amount of PAO/ester/GTL and avoid lesser groupIII swill until your radiator shows up and helps control temps.

Don't neglect the diffs, transmission, and transfer case. All the other fluids/filters need to be changed/ungraded more often.

https://www.motul.com/ca/en-US/products/300v-power-racing-5w30--2
https://www.redlineoil.com/5w30-motor-oil
https://mptindustries.com/product/mpt-thirty-k-full-synthetic-high-performance-motor-oil-5w30/
https://torcousa.com/collections/to...ts/torco-sr-5-superstreet-synthetic-motor-oil
https://xenum.com/en/home/products/oils/engine/ceramic-oil/vrx-5w30/

i was using a towing tune but have not used it in 9 months or so.

mods are an upgraded intercooler, S&B intake, setrab oil cooler, larger trans cooler, and afe trans pan.

diffs, tcase, and trans were done about a year ago. Coolant has been done many times in the last few years due to the warped manifolds. I run a 40%/60% coolant/distilled water ratio along with water wetter.

My intake air temps and transmission temps are rock solid. I only struggle with the coolant temps which will hopefully be resolved with the Mishimoto radiator.

 

[skrypj]

Go back to the original post and read the op's concerns carefully. Yes, the 3.5 makes impressive numbers. While the 5.7 is loafing along, making it's rated hp/ft at 3-4,000 rpm's the 3.5 is screaming it's brains out.

other than the day that i had to run in 3rd because it was 95F and 30 mph headwind, this engine rarely needs to exceed 3500 rpm. Ill pull 7% grades at 70mph doing 3500 rpm part throttle. On flat highway and slight grades it will chug along in 6th gear at 1900 rpm fairly easily.

a 5.7 wont do that, especially at 6500’.

 

[Kuato]

With all the 40 grade suggestions I'm surprised no one has suggested a 15w-40 for summer.

 

[thastinger]

i was using a towing tune but have not used it in 9 months or so.

mods are an upgraded intercooler, S&B intake, setrab oil cooler, larger trans cooler, and afe trans pan.

diffs, tcase, and trans were done about a year ago. Coolant has been done many times in the last few years due to the warped manifolds. I run a 40%/60% coolant/distilled water ratio along with water wetter.

My intake air temps and transmission temps are rock solid. I only struggle with the coolant temps which will hopefully be resolved with the Mishimoto radiator.

You're putting heat into your radiator from your oil heat exchanger. You're also pumping heat into your radiator from your transmission lines that run through it.

I suspect the new radiator will fix your heat issues.

 

[tcp71]

Go back to the original post and read the op's concerns carefully. Yes, the 3.5 makes impressive numbers. While the 5.7 is loafing along, making it's rated hp/ft at 3-4,000 rpm's the 3.5 is screaming it's brains out.

How amusing. You have no handle on the 3.5 eco. My 2016 makes 90% of its rated torque (420 lb/ft) at 1900 rpm. I can't remember ever breaking 3000rpm towing our 7000lb trailer through the rockies. There simply isn't a need. Loafing along at 2000rpm all day...

 

[ka9mnx]

How amusing. You have no handle on the 3.5 eco. My 2016 makes 90% of its rated torque (420 lb/ft) at 1900 rpm. I can't remember ever breaking 3000rpm towing our 7000lb trailer through the rockies. There simply isn't a need. Loafing along at 2000rpm all day...

You are correct...

 

[snarl]

OP when you get your radiator you should send it out for a thermal coating.

 

[skrypj]

You're putting heat into your radiator from your oil heat exchanger. You're also pumping heat into your radiator from your transmission lines that run through it.

I suspect the new radiator will fix your heat issues.

thats funny you say that. At one point i had bypassed the transmission cooler in the radiator end tank and ran it straight through the air cooler. No change. I actually think it may have caused the trans to run a couple of degrees cooler.

i drilled and tapped a 1/8 npt hole at the inlet of the thermostat housing so i could monitor the return temps of the coolant. I was seeing a 25-30*F delta through the radiator, but in those cases where i was getting up close to 240F, i was actually seeing the coolant at the outlet of the radiator was hotter than the transmission fluid. I think they might actually use the trans fluid absorb heat from the coolant in some situations.

The oil cooler was a more recent addition. I put it on in the spring, and, while i agree its probably dumping some heat into the main cooling stack, id rather my oil stay cool than my coolant. When I get around to installing the radiator my plan is to move the oil cooler to behind the cold side of the intercooler. The intercooler is in a separate air path than the Radiator so that would put the heat elsewhere. Since its a secondary cooler i am not so worried about it being in front of the cooling fans.

 

[Greasymechtech]

Looks like youre on the way to solving some of the issues:
https://www.mishimoto.com/ford-f150-performance-aluminum-radiator-2011-2014.html
https://www.full-race.com/store/eco...-150-ecoboost-freakoboost-radiator-upgrade-1/

I will take a turbo V6 over NA V8 when working at altitude anyday!

I like the 60%wated 40%EG blend....I tend to run 5-15% more water to improve btu exchange. Skip the Redline wateretter and try koolit
https://www.lubegard.com/products/koolit-treatment/

I dont care for colder thermostats but could be considered...otherwise, I replace every 5 years with OE or equivalent.

Needs a catless turbo back exhaust or least a catback. Get the heat out after turbo extracted some work from it.

One of the few 'worked' trucks around!!!!!