Your Ecoboosts, and what you're pulling?
- Thread starter xc6rider
- Start date
Yes and no.
Consider this scenario...
If GM put the 8.1 in a half ton it would be comparable performance,
the mileage under load would be comparable, but the empty mileage (every day driving) would be far worse than that of the ecoboost.
I consider it great to get "normal" mileage 90% of the time, and have the torquiest gas mill out there when I do hook up. At those time I really do not give a darn about mileage.
I will agree that the have duped the public into expecting superior mileage.
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phatboy07
Member
Boys...
Tune that ecoboost with a GOOD tune and you will be laughing. Have had mine tuned with an SCT tuner and custom tune for almost 60,000 kms. I can get over 15mpg with my boat in the summer (4000lb). I don't have a large trailer or anything for winter so no comment on mileage with winter gas, but the overall driveability, power, and milage (gained with towing but not much change empty) is well worth it. Another thing is the sensors for this particular truck need to be cleaned frequently to keep performance and mileage at check. 1 in intake and 1 before throttle body. Clean with non chlorinated brake cleaner or afr sensor cleaner.
Tune that ecoboost with a GOOD tune and you will be laughing. Have had mine tuned with an SCT tuner and custom tune for almost 60,000 kms. I can get over 15mpg with my boat in the summer (4000lb). I don't have a large trailer or anything for winter so no comment on mileage with winter gas, but the overall driveability, power, and milage (gained with towing but not much change empty) is well worth it. Another thing is the sensors for this particular truck need to be cleaned frequently to keep performance and mileage at check. 1 in intake and 1 before throttle body. Clean with non chlorinated brake cleaner or afr sensor cleaner.
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phatboy07
Member
I have an SCT Tuner. The tunes are semi custom from a shop called SSI. The owner has this eocboost platform all figured out. I have tunes that range from 87 and 91 Octane from street race to tow tune versions in both octanes. I pretty much exclusively run the 91 octane TOW tune as I find it has the best driveability and power for winter use. I haven't really used the base SCT tuner tunes so I am unfortunately not familiar. If you are running the base SCT tunes (or any other base tunes on a tuner) you may not actually be able to run anything over the 87 tune if you are carrying a load or towing as the higher octane tunes are not ment for towning as they are a generalized street tune....thus the reason I looked at custom tunes from an experienced tuner. The SCT tuner I have is the livewire model which has a built in touch screen with all the important parameters I can monitor at once (I think like 12-15 parameters can be monitored) and so far I have not seen any abnormalities or dangerous egts, det, etc on my tow tunes. Another important factor for these ecoboost trucks is the spark plugs and spark plug gap...the pressures that the engine creates seems to be hard on the plugs and it is advised to change them out every 30-40 thousand miles,...set gap to 0.32-0.30 if stock or 0.25-0.28 if tuned (some trucks respond diff to plug gap). This has also seemed to be the cause of shuddering and misfires as the plug wears out and wont light off during operation. Takes a half hour to change them. I have had almost 60,000 kms tuned trouble free following this kind of general maint. Mileage can suck during windy conditions towing but I didn't buy it for the "eco"...I bought it for the "boost". Hauls ***.
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I have to agree on the spark plug issue. That is huge. My truck did the sputter, stumble, fart, fall thing when accelerating hard. Ford couldn't fix it. I checked forums and found a common thread on spark plugs. My truck had 60k on it at the time. When I pulled them, they were wiped out! looked like a normal car plug with 200k on them. New plugs and stumble went away. Only picked up about .5 mpg, but at least I could move over and pass without wondering if it would go. Another thing to do is to run some SeaFoam or other cleaner through the intake to wash off the back side of the valves. These boosted engines seem to push a lot of oil vapor blowby and it gets recirculated right back into the intake. The oil vapor bakes on to the back of the hot intake valve. Being direct injected there is no fuel spray on the backs of valves to help wash that gunk off. Phatboy is also right on with the cleaning of the airflow sensors. Do that every time you change the air filter. I do as much as I can to squeek every last mpg out of this thing. As soon as my extended warranty expires, I am going to seek out the live wire tuner. If I could pick up 1 or 2 mpg while towing I'd be happy.
Yea, I learned that one the expensive way.
Took to Ford dealer & they replaced a couple coil packs. (out of warranty)
Had my buddy who's a mechanic drive it & he suggested plugs which of course fixed the issue.
I did not research this - my bad.
My advice is change plugs every 60K
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bradburck
Well-known member
Only have a couple thousand miles on my 13 ecoboost... here are my initial thoughts..
2013 Eco Supercrew
3.73's with max tow and payload package, rated for 1900 in payload and 9800 in towing.
otherwise ALL stock
Towing a 8.5x16 with 3' V, 3,000 dry weight.
Typically tow 3 sleds through the mtns of CO and use it weekly for moving furniture
Get pretty much 10 mpg with pretty much anything in the trailer, doesn't much matter empty or with 3 sleds in it. Truck doesn't even feel it back there other than the mpg it doesn't drive really any different. Have noticed a solid difference between 91 and 87 octane. A bit disappointed in the millage, but then I realize, not matter what I'm towing, etc, I still prefer the cost of ownership over a diesel, got more for my money in truck and most of my buddies are getting similar millage towing similar stuff as my gasser.
Almost out of factory warranty, 33k miles, after 36k, I am considering a tuner with 87 eco tune and 91 towing tune, hoping to pick up 1-3 mpg, which would help. Didn't buy it to be my everyday driver, overall a bit disappointed in the unloaded millage (15-17 at 75 mph) honestly not any different than the 04 5.4L I had previously unloaded. However the damn eco accelerates faster towing than my 5.4 did unloaded! Overall pleased with the purchase, already looking forward to getting the newer body style with a bit less weight. I also agree, I didn't buy it for the "eco" I bought it for the "boost" in the 1/2 ton, really is a difference maker here in the western mtns. I have a 6.2L GMC to compare too as well. Millage is similar between the two empty, but towing isn't even a contest.
2013 Eco Supercrew
3.73's with max tow and payload package, rated for 1900 in payload and 9800 in towing.
otherwise ALL stock
Towing a 8.5x16 with 3' V, 3,000 dry weight.
Typically tow 3 sleds through the mtns of CO and use it weekly for moving furniture
Get pretty much 10 mpg with pretty much anything in the trailer, doesn't much matter empty or with 3 sleds in it. Truck doesn't even feel it back there other than the mpg it doesn't drive really any different. Have noticed a solid difference between 91 and 87 octane. A bit disappointed in the millage, but then I realize, not matter what I'm towing, etc, I still prefer the cost of ownership over a diesel, got more for my money in truck and most of my buddies are getting similar millage towing similar stuff as my gasser.
Almost out of factory warranty, 33k miles, after 36k, I am considering a tuner with 87 eco tune and 91 towing tune, hoping to pick up 1-3 mpg, which would help. Didn't buy it to be my everyday driver, overall a bit disappointed in the unloaded millage (15-17 at 75 mph) honestly not any different than the 04 5.4L I had previously unloaded. However the damn eco accelerates faster towing than my 5.4 did unloaded! Overall pleased with the purchase, already looking forward to getting the newer body style with a bit less weight. I also agree, I didn't buy it for the "eco" I bought it for the "boost" in the 1/2 ton, really is a difference maker here in the western mtns. I have a 6.2L GMC to compare too as well. Millage is similar between the two empty, but towing isn't even a contest.
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bradburck
Well-known member
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bradburck
Well-known member
I don't KNOW yet... but I would imagine that an ecoboost with a tuner would be able to pull similar fuel millage numbers.. I know from several dyno tunes I have seen they are pulling 60-100 more horse from the stock motor running 91 octane fuel maps is very duable and puts the number on the truck over . The cost of 91 is almost exactly the same as diesel.. and the truck itself is MUCH cheaper, again why I went the way I did. For the same money as the 3/4 ton, I was able to get all the creature comforts I wanted, while the diesel version with same options was 10-15k more with similar miles.
I know the diesel will pull smoother and his a heavier truck for towing.. but I think stock to stock this little gas motor and truck is pretty damn impressive for what it is... to each their own, I just didn't want to have 50k tied up in a truck... 30k seemed like a much better option for me. seems a lot like sleds these days, can't go wrong, and I would encourage you to take a test drive, maybe even hook a trailer up to one if you haven't had a chance and take it for a spin... hoping FORD steps up with a 5.0 version of the eco.. I would be all over that with an 8 speed tranny.
I know the diesel will pull smoother and his a heavier truck for towing.. but I think stock to stock this little gas motor and truck is pretty damn impressive for what it is... to each their own, I just didn't want to have 50k tied up in a truck... 30k seemed like a much better option for me. seems a lot like sleds these days, can't go wrong, and I would encourage you to take a test drive, maybe even hook a trailer up to one if you haven't had a chance and take it for a spin... hoping FORD steps up with a 5.0 version of the eco.. I would be all over that with an 8 speed tranny.
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I used the Diablosport tuner with their 93 octane performance "blanket" tune. Figured I could run the 93 tune with 91 octane since I never drove it below 4k feet of elevation.
I noticed a solid 1-2 mpg improvement, which mostly just made up for the mpg loss in adding 10 ply AT tires and a leveling kit but I didn't tune it for better fuel mileage....
The way the truck feels is way better when tuned, it's like riding a big draft horse vs thoroughbred. It felt like the truck was electrified and always ready to go! Shifts improved as well.
I made one trip pulling my 27' Wells Cargo enclosed trailer from Provo, UT to Logan, UT (this included sardine canyon) and averaged 14 mpg round trip. The trailer was empty on the way to Logan and had one sled on the way back, and I tend to drive like a Grandpa when I've got the instant MPG gauge up (makes good mpg into a game).
Maybe I was rocking a tail wind both ways ( I don't remember ) but I was pretty impressed.
I noticed a solid 1-2 mpg improvement, which mostly just made up for the mpg loss in adding 10 ply AT tires and a leveling kit but I didn't tune it for better fuel mileage....
The way the truck feels is way better when tuned, it's like riding a big draft horse vs thoroughbred. It felt like the truck was electrified and always ready to go! Shifts improved as well.
I made one trip pulling my 27' Wells Cargo enclosed trailer from Provo, UT to Logan, UT (this included sardine canyon) and averaged 14 mpg round trip. The trailer was empty on the way to Logan and had one sled on the way back, and I tend to drive like a Grandpa when I've got the instant MPG gauge up (makes good mpg into a game).
Maybe I was rocking a tail wind both ways ( I don't remember ) but I was pretty impressed.
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phatboy07
Member
Are you towing with the 93 tune? Not sure how the diablo tuner is but If so I wouldn't risk that regardless of elevation. Unless the tune is catered to the extra demands of towing you could end up doing some damage. On the particular performance tunes I have I was told IF I HAVE TO I could tow around 2500 lbs. if you have a device to monitor the engine parameters even better.
No sir, towing == tow tune, everything else == 93 tune.
Stock 15 3.5 ECO, 3.31:1 rear with tow package and 6,000 miles. Pulling an open aluminum 2 place with salt shield and 2 sleds from MN to Walden, CO and back 75-85 MPH nearly the whole time. 12.2 MPG and I couldn't feel the trailer. Love this truck.
This seems low for MPG. Every newer half ton (Chevy, GMC and Ram) I have had from MN to Wyoming and back which is about 4,500 miles pulling a 14' Floe protector gets about the same millage as that. And a 14 Ram with the 8 speed got 15.3. All pulling with the cruise set at 7 over. And none of them feel the trailer as it's only a two place. I would have thought with a 2 place open the Eco would have been better then that.
Doesn't seem all that far off. It seems like the salt shields pull mileage down just as much as that protector in my opinion.
