Ford's Ecoboost Engine

[nissangirl74]

Anyone here drive a Ford equipped with an Ecoboost engine? Apparently there have been some issues so make sure you spread the word.

Earlier this month, we told you about three Ohio motorists who are suing Ford over its six-cylinder EcoBoost engine. As with a similar lawsuit filed in Louisiana, the drivers claim that the EcoBoost's problem goes far beyond mere turbo lag, leaving their vehicles with reduced power for extended periods of time.

Here's the weird part:

Ford has issued three technical service bulletins related to intermittent stumble/misfire on acceleration from highway cruise in humid or damp conditions in some MY 2011 and 2012 F150 vehicles equipped with 3.5L GTDI engines.... I PULLED OVER TURNED IT OFF FOR A FEW MINUTES AND RESTARTED AND CONTINUED ON. NO MORE ISSUES ONCE THE RAIN STOPPED.....

http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/10 ... ost-engine

OK, everyone smarter than me (which is damn near all of you).... what does humidity have to do with it?

[Jesda]

Perhaps some electronics are getting moist?

[themadscientist]

Eco = Easily Cuts Off?

[float_6969]

It wouldn't resolve itself so quickly after the rain stopped if it was. I'll bet it's a tuning/sensor related issue. Perhaps the humidity is creating a situation outside of the tuning parameters of the ECU, causing the running issue. If so, this should be an easy issue for Ford to rectify, although a 3 year reacall on all ecoboosts to reflash the ECU wouldn't be cheap. Not to mention the money involved to re-tune the ecu to deal with the issue.

OORRR, maybe when it's raining, water is entering the MAFS, which would make it run like azz, but it wouldn't have to sit long to fix itself either. (this is along the lines of my last paragraph).

That's my guess anyway.

[Bubba1]

I'm wondering if Ford already knows the exact cause but is playing coy about doing anything meaningful about it other than issuing a CYA service advisory until they're forced by the government or class action lawsuit to do the right thing. Perhaps Ford named it Ecoboost because it stands for...

Extremely
Callous
Obfuscating
Bums
Overlooking
Obvious
Sensor
Troubles

[PapaSmurf2k3]

It wouldn't resolve itself so quickly after the rain stopped if it was. I'll bet it's a tuning/sensor related issue. Perhaps the humidity is creating a situation outside of the tuning parameters of the ECU, causing the running issue. If so, this should be an easy issue for Ford to rectify, although a 3 year reacall on all ecoboosts to reflash the ECU wouldn't be cheap. Not to mention the money involved to re-tune the ecu to deal with the issue.

OORRR, maybe when it's raining, water is entering the MAFS, which would make it run like azz, but it wouldn't have to sit long to fix itself either. (this is along the lines of my last paragraph).

That's my guess anyway.

That's my guess too. MAP/MAF issue.

[Kompresshun]

Ecoboost has been an issue from the beginning anyways, but Ford always seems to fall short on their sensors and electronics. My car has it's share of electrical gremlins as well and one was a very expensive one(thankfully it was under warranty).

They got the bright idea to switch to the drive by wire throttle/throttle body, which is controlled by a large servo motor mounted to the throttle body. The contacts inside like to wear out and it starts throwing a code right before it goes. When it goes, it will scare the living crap out of you if you've never had it happen. I was cruising down the interstate doing 80mph and all of a sudden, ZERO power and the car won't accelerate. My only option was to try to coast all the way across traffic to the emergency lane and pull over. Once I did, the car was idling just fine, but it would not accelerate. So a 80 mile tow and a $800 part later, it was fixed. Hasn't happened again since, but still, that is quite a dangerous failure to not put a recall out on.

While I am a Ford fan, they have never seemed to overcome their issues with sensors and electronics. I've dealt with those issues in every single one i've had and it appears that they still have the same issues today.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Hey, what have I been saying for years? Who'd have thought I'd be right AGAIN.

Ecoboost is a joke. It's an outdated, sub-par engine glued to poorly-implemented modern technology and the pair doesn't work as advertised. But instead of developing a new engine to use with it or improving the implementation of current engines, Ford just aggressively advertises unrealistic fuel economy numbers and talks about how much lighter a bunch of turbo plumbing is somehow lighter than an ALUMINUM ENGINE BLOCK while putting it in cars that weigh 25% more than any car rightfully should.

The EcoBoost 6 is my most hated thing in the automotive world. While other automakers are producing boosted powerplant solutions that ACTUALLY WORK, Ford is busy (ONCE AGAIN) playing the Marketing game like it's the only game on earth. Only it seems that no one has bothered to demonstrate to Ford that they haven't won at Marketing in over 60 years. Or that marketing gambits and catchy names don't compensate for product inferiority. You can print all the MPG numbers you want in advertisements. Doesn't change the reality your customers face when they drive the car every day.

I'm a repeat Ford owner, and a Ford fan in general. I know the brand. And there are two things they consistenyl excel at: selling horsesh#t with shiny wrappers and being utterly clueless about the success of their own products.

I honestly cannot believe there haven't been more high-profile lawsuits by owners against Ford over Ecoboost sixes. Everyone went after Kia like crazy for minor fuel economy claims. The Ecoboost's claims are way more out of whack with reality than any Kia ever was!

[kouki munster]

From what I could dig up a few months ago, the issue is being attributed to moisture being condensed in the intercooler and getting sucked into the engine causing it to misfire which puts the ecu into limp mode.(basic run down of the issue) Ford is attempting to fix the issue with some baffling in the charge pipes and a plate to block off part of the intercooler. A few of the people having the issue claim that the block off/baffle has fixed it.

[float_6969]

That's hard to believe. Its would take A LOT of water to cause the engine to mis-fire.

[Bubba1]

That's hard to believe. Its would take A LOT of water to cause the engine to mis-fire.

Keep in mind, we are talking about Ford, a company that broke the model record for recalls with the Focus. It would not surprise me if Ford addresses the problem by adding local bus schedules to the last few pages of their owner's manual instead of a voluntary recall and fixing them right.

[JTR32gtst]

Why is it hard to take two very long time technologies: internal combustion engine, forced induction, and make it work? Nissan has boosted engines from 25+ years ago, no issues, same for Toyota, hell even GM had a boosted car in the 80's called a Citation. But Ford, a long time auto maker, leading in truck sales, cannot put a turbo on a motor? I put a turbo on my Toyota 22re motor mating two different systems and it ran/still runs!

This is the reason I will never own anything GM, Ford, Daimler-Chrysler.....ever.

[MinisterofDOOM]

hell even GM had a boosted car in the 80's called a Citation.

The Citation was never turbo'd, but there was a "high output" model of the n/a V6 pretending to be sporty compact.
However, GM sorta kinda did INVENT turbocharging of production cars. So they still warrant a mention.

Olds Cutlass is generally regarded as the first production car with a turbocharged engine (little tiny 3.5 liter V8).
GM quickly followed up with a turbo variant of the air-cooled, rear-engine Corvair WHICH WAS BADASS.
And of course there were the turbo Regals of the '80s.
And they've got the excellent turbo 2.0 four in modern cars.
And the turbo 3.6 in upcoming models.

Pretty strong turbo history from GM (especially if you consider how advanced the Olds and Buick turbo cars were in their day). Up there with turbo-happy manufacturers like Nissan.

The key thing is that GM puts a lot of engineering behind their turbo engines. Ford just takes engines that were dated when they launched a decade ago and bolts on some turbos. Then they build a marketing campaign about how these engines are going to change the world, without worrying about how well they actually work. Because Ford.

[gwoods]

whoa whoa MOD I think SAAB gets the credit for sorta kinda inventing turbocharging of production cars.

The Ford Fusion and Escape both Eco-boosted and not were on my sisters short lists of practical cars she could learn to hate quickly. Although the Altima she eventually purchased is a CVT at least its not a motor too small with a turbo. I had zero interest in driving any of the cars we looked at but back to back drives of both Fords a Toyota Highlander and the Altima on the same route same day... the Altima was the only vehicle able to accelerate UP a freeway on ramp and reach freeway speeds before reaching freeway. Real world MPG in the Altima 2.5S with the CVT are over 30mpg... not sure what the Ecoboost returns when its working.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Saab's first turbo offering came LONG after GM's first turbo models (and long after other manufacturer's had started using snails as well).

And yes, Ford's turbo FOURS are great. The upcoming (in the US) 3-cylinder Ecoboost engines are supposed to be pretty decent, too. The fact that Ford applies the same name across three engine families further prooves their marketing ineptitude. "Ecoboost" as a single term means nothing. It's an ad buzzword that does nothing to help clarify what's actually going on under the hood.

[Jesda]

GM does get credit for inventing the turbo but Saab refined and tamed it with computers and sensors, making it viable and reliable across a global lineup of coupes, convertibles, and sedans, some of which could out-accelerate a Viper or 911 from 60-100mph. Saab played a major role in eliminating common forced-induction issues with detonation and heat dissipation.

And GM learned quite a bit from its EU operations which included Saab and Opel/Vauxhall. Olds and Buick divisions were innovative as well.

Why is it hard to take two very long time technologies: internal combustion engine, forced induction, and make it work?

Well, it's not too hard. I'm driving a quarter century old 900 turbo. My other regular driver, at least for this month, is a 2008 Mini Cooper Clubman S. It's impressive how quick and lagless the Mini is.



I don't think this particular Ecoboost issue has anything to do with forced induction.

[Bubba1]

Well, it's not too hard. I'm driving a quarter century old 900 turbo. My other regular driver, at least for this month, is a 2008 Mini Cooper Clubman S. It's impressive how quick and lagless the Mini is.

Jesda. I Think I mighta accidnetly hit edit instead of quote, but I think I still captured your post. Sorry about that.



I agree with you, GM was the pioneer. I think the first production turbocharged car was a 1962 Olds. And the turbocharged Corvair Corsa that came out a couple years later , was a brilliant piece of engineering. Love to own one now.

I think Saab can be credited with refining them, but certainly not inventing them.

But the big question is how does one make an Ecoboost car faster? answer: instruct the tow truck driver to accelerate..."

[WDRacing]

Condensation causing a problem? I would think that's only possible if the MAF is routed in a blow-thru setup. Where the condensation is passing over the hot wire.

Otherwise, that's total BS. Water injection has been used on naturally aspirated and forced induction vehicles without issue for decades.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

Otherwise, that's total BS. Water injection has been used on naturally aspirated and forced induction vehicles without issue for decades.

Yup! Again, back to the Saab

[float_6969]

Condensation causing a problem? I would think that's only possible if the MAF is routed in a blow-thru setup. Where the condensation is passing over the hot wire.

Otherwise, that's total BS. Water injection has been used on naturally aspirated and forced induction vehicles without issue for decades.

Exactly what I was thinking when I said it didn't make sense to me. It would take A LOT of water to cause a mis-fire. I didn't think about the blow-thru setup though. That would probably cause issues.

This whole water thing seems stupid though. Where is the air being picked up so that the engine is ingesting SO MUCH water that it could cause ANY issue?

[Jesda]

Looks like Ford needs to open a test facility in Miami.

[IBCoupe]

Looks like Ford needs to open a test facility in Miami.

Gulf of Mexico. At the bottom.

[float_6969]

LOL