Ford 5.0L V8 vs EcoBoost: High mileage experience?

[isocyanate]

Wife’s company truck is a sclb f150 with the 5.0. 240k and going, but does require stuff from time to time. Had leaks here and there, etc.

My 09 crew cab with the 5.4 has 150k, of which I’ve put 125k on it. Run 10w30 and the phasers will work right. Change trans fluid/filter every 80/90k. Ok fuel mileage. No complaints other than the climate control dampers that fail and require removal of the dash, center console, and seats. Got one out now. I’m not doing that, and neither is joe blow mechanic, so to the dealer again (we have a good one). It’s a king ranch and is cosmetically holding up well, so I’ll keep it until it’s inconvenient to do so.

The 7.3 zilla is tempting, but so is spending 65k on literally anything else.

 

[Danny Hoey]

2015 Nano here. Don't let the little displacement fool you. Plenty of MPG's and power. Haul a utility trailer with a 4 wheeler and it does ok. I don't think I would want to tow anything over 4k on the regular tho.

 

[Hoofing It]

Don't have experience with EcoBoost but Ford's been in the turbo game a long time. If you don't drive hard or tune the vehicle and follow the maintenance schedule they should last a long time if they're from a company that has ironed out most of the kinks. Find a good Ford mechanic too, there are a lot of minor turbo issues that can happen without the turbo needing to be replaced (stuck gates and the like).

 

[roymunson]

love my 19 3.5 EB. 95k on it and only oil changes and brakes so far. Actually I did wheel bearings at 65 which was dumb, but it's a darn good truck so far. Planning on another 100K out of her before I put her up

 

[trolson90]

I had a 13 V8 and now have a 15 3.5EB and I liked them both. My preference is towards the 3.5EB though. I enjoy the better gas mileage and don't feel like I've given up any power. I've got 105k miles on it currently and it's been running well. I did upgrade the thermostat in the engine after some research. The ecoboosts run hot and at least in 2015 Ford was using the same thermostats across both engines so by the time the coolant was being pushed through it was already flashing on my dash. This would only happen when I was pushing the towing limits, which wasn't often. Since then though I've been good. Would love to grab a 2022 but with prices I'll keep driving my 2015.

 

[wind gypsy]

Traded the '16 3.5EB on a '22 3.5EB last weekend so I guess that's my answer to the thread. Was leaning towards a tundra but after test driving a couple I couldn't help but get another F150. Part of me thinks i should have stuck with the Tundra route but F150 is just my comfort zone.

New pickup is a '22 XLT Crewcab 6.5' box. 3.5EB, tow package with 3:55 eLocker and tow mirrors. Bed convenience package. Was the dealership courtesy car used to give people rides home and maybe lend for a rental for vehicles in for warranty so was 6 months old with 5k miles. $51.4k 36 MO 0% financing. Gave me $17k for my '16 that was equipped nearly the same with 130k miles.

 

[TSAMP]

Traded the '16 3.5EB on a '22 3.5EB last weekend so I guess that's my answer to the thread. Was leaning towards a tundra but after test driving a couple I couldn't help but get another F150. Part of me thinks i should have stuck with the Tundra route but F150 is just my comfort zone.

New pickup is a '22 XLT Crewcab 6.5' box. 3.5EB, tow package with 3:55 eLocker and tow mirrors. Bed convenience package. Was the dealership courtesy car used to give people rides home and maybe lend for a rental for vehicles in for warranty so was 6 months old with 5k miles. $51.4k 36 MO 0% financing. Gave me $17k for my '16 that was equipped nearly the same with 130k miles.

Thanks! Info like this is such a helpful baseline to compare against. I'm looking to replace my 14 5.0 in the near future.

 

[metroplex]

Ford switched to a new driven oil pump for its truck engines. I lost track but I think the 3.5 in the truck is the only one still using a direct crank drive. The 2.7 and 5.0 truck engines switched to a belt driven system. The Mustang 5.0 was still supposed to be crank driven. 2.7/3.0 before 2020 used a chain.

 

[Hondo64d]

Only 76,000 miles on my 2019 w/ 3.5 ecoboost, but so far, no problems. The amount of performance they can pack into that little engine is impressive. It pulls noticeably harder than the 5.7 Tundra I had before it, and does 5 MPG better than the Tundra did.

John

Bumping this up to update my 2019 F150 experience. 107,000 miles. Transmission started acting funny. Hesitation and hard shifting between 7th and 8th gears, occasional violent downshifts to 2nd gear when decelerating in the tow/haul mode. Once, momentarily stuck between 3rd and 4th gears when cold. Took it to the dealer and they said it needed a new transmission to the tune of $8000. Traded it in on a new truck.

A little internet research shows these are common problems with the 10R80 transmission. Won’t use another vehicle with that transmission.

John

 

[wapitibob]

I now have 98,000 on my August 2020 build 3.5 EB. Half of those are Uber/Lyft miles.

change engine oil every 3K-5K
change rear diff and transmission fluid every 30k
change front diff and transfer case every spring regardless of miles

Ford says 150k for tranny fluid, don't do that. The dealership overfilled my tranny the first time they changed it, they go sideways when that happens till the transmission finally pukes out enough fluid that it's no longer overfilled. Dealership can reflash the tranny computer if you are having shifting issues. There is also an aftermarket odb transmission programmer you can get.
3rd windshield will get installed as soon as it warms up; that glass is shit and pits just looking at it. Still on the factory brakes and zero leaks.

 

[TSAMP]

2014 F150 with the 5.0 just over 175k miles, original owner. Followed manuals fluid service intervals.
A water pump at 65k, starter around 130k, shocks at 140k.

Starts right up, no complaints besides some cab corner rust

 

[Joe Holden]

2013 3.5 with 243k. Not original owner. Bought with 96k on it.

Went through and did the mileage list on it between 120k-150k. Currently going through it again and heavily consider trading it in. Had some work done last spring and now burns a little oil. Not bad, just something to keep an eye on.

With a trifold and keeping it between 70-75mph, gas mileage was 21-22mpg. Adding a camper shell decreased that to 17-18ish mpg.

 

[Thinkingman]

Update: 2015 3.5 Eco 154" WB now at 162,000 miles.
I had an exhaust leak at 156k and paid for upgraded BD Diesel exhaust manifolds with the extra mounting flange. I got new turbo coolant and oil lines in the process and the old ones looked great, no coking, could've used them again.
Got a misfire under heavy acceleration and a CEL. Code download indicated coil pack on cyl 6.
$77 and 15 minutes and all is good again.
I hate to admit it but that GMC 3.0 Cummins is on my mind.

 

[metroplex]

The new 2.7L/3.0L EcoBoost V6 and 5.0L V8 engines in the trucks (F-series, Bronco, Bronco Raptor, Ranger Raptor, Explorer ST) use belts to drive the oil pumps and the belts are soaked in hot engine oil. I believe Ford started doing this in 2020.

 

[Gbrecka]

Finally got the call from the dealership that my new 5.0L replacement motor came in for my 2020 F150. It was finally warrantied in December of 2023 after about a year of oil consumption testing. In December, Ford said I was 890 in line for a new motor. During my last test increment, I burned 3.5 qts of oil in 2500 miles. I currently have 45000 miles on the truck, but I discover the issue around 25k. Ford deems burning 2 qts in 3000 miles acceptable…

 

[Curhunter]

My 5.0 coyote 2013 is problem after problem after problem. And every one of them apparently is a “common problem” for that engine. Hopefully the newer ones are better

My 2013 5.0 has 128,000 on it with basic maintenance and one water pump. I've towed 8,000lbs on flat ground and been fairly impressed.

 

[Blockcaver]

2015 5.0l with around 100,000 miles is running well. No issues with truck at all except for a leaky front diff that was repaired with a new seal. Still on original brakes. Have put a couple batteries in it.

 

[LookinforDirt]

Well it has been awhile since I posted this thread. It has received a lot of good input with more rolling in. I’ll do the courtesy of posting what I ended up with. I said I am a keep it simple kind of guy so Im going to eat a little crow. I ended up with a 2023 F-150 XLT PowerBoost. The most complex gas engine they make. Seemed the positive and the negative posts about the 5.0 and EcoBoost’s were about even. Poll results showed the same so I went with the EB PowerBoost. 23/23 MPG and an onboard 7.2kw generator got the better of me. Those mileage numbers are achievable if you drive only a little faster than a granny. I put a mid high Leer cap on it. MPG dropped 1-1.5. Not to bad. Getting it setup for truck camping. Have spent several nights in it. Nice to have all the electricity you need/want right in the bed of the truck. Time will tell if I regret it. I’ll post back in 100k+ miles…

 

[Olympics777]

This thread kinda surprises me. Lotta guys with bad experiences. I have had my 2012 f150 with the 3.5 eco boost since 2018, it had 130k on it when I bought it and now it’s got 240k. All I’ve done is basic maintenance, oil changes every 3500 miles, spark plugs, a battery, an air filter, I think one wheel bearing if I remember correctly. Runs great still. Only downside is it got about 18 mpg when I got it and now it only gets 16. I’d absolutely buy it again.

 

[Dogone]

My f150 is a 2016 with 2.7l and 162,000 mi. Gets 20 mpg at 65 mph. Exactly what the salesman said. Brakes all round at 110,000 mi. Screen went wonky a year ago but not going to invest 100s or a 1000 to repair. I pull a light trailer often with no problem. Going to drive it till it drops. Then likely get a new Toyota Land Cruiser.