Home What Is A Ford EcoBoost Engine And How Does It Work?

What Is A Ford EcoBoost Engine And How Does It Work?

The Ford EcoBoost engine has been a game changer for Ford. The technology brought a level of efficiency and power not seen before in Ford cars and trucks. Ford made tough decisions to break the status quo. This included positioning the twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 as a worthy alternative to the traditional normally-aspirated V8 engines in the F-Series pickups. An EcoBoost 4-cylinder would even replace the normally-aspirated V6 base engine in the Ford Mustang.

The Birth Of The Ford EcoBoost

Facing rising gas prices and tough new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, Ford Motor Company set out on a bold journey to develop a line of smaller, more efficient engines incorporating direct injection, variable valve timing, and turbocharging. The technology would offer an ideal combination of higher fuel efficiency, increased horsepower, and an abundance of low-end torque.

The Ford EcoBoost engine first debuted in 2009 and was exclusive to the Ford Taurus SHO. This original twin-turbo 3.5L V6 EcoBoost put out a stunning 365 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque. Ford would reach a significant milestone for 2011 by offering the EcoBoost as an option on the F-Series pickups. Adapted for truck duty, the 3.5L V6 EcoBoost cranked out a robust 365 horsepower and a staggering 420 pound-feet of torque. EcoBoost technology was the most critical powertrain advancement in the history of the Ford F-Series. Learn more about how EcoBoost engines compare to a larger displacement engine.

The Ford EcoBoost Torture Test

Standing behind EcoBoost meant dispelling any myths about shorter longevity or less reliability of smaller-displacement turbocharged engines. Since the 1980s, automakers largely avoided the widespread adoption of turbocharged engines over these concerns. To prove that the technology could be durable and reliable, in 2011 Ford publicized a remarkable torture test on a randomly selected 3.5L EcoBoost engine from the assembly line:

Ford first placed the engine numbered 448AA on a dyno for 300 hours, replicating ten years or 150,000 miles of hard use.
Next, Ford shipped this engine to the Kansas City F-Series plant and installed it in a production F-150 4x4 pickup truck.
Upon installation, Ford drove the truck 1,900 miles from the assembly plant to the Pacific Northwest. They put the F-150 into service as a logging skidder, pulling 22 individual logs (110,000 lbs. total) up a 10% grade.
Afterward, Ford drove the F-150 3,300 miles to Homestead Miami Speedway. The truck pulled a trailer around the track, loaded with the maximum payload of 11,300 lbs. It was driven at full throttle for 24 hours, stopping only for fuel, for a total of 1607 miles.
Following the Miami pull, Ford drove the F-150 2,500 miles to the Arizona desert. The truck pulled a 9,000 lb. trailer up a 6% grade for 10 miles, beating both Chevy and Ram in a head-to-head test.
Engineers then pulled the engine from the F-150 and installed it in Mike McCarthy’s Baja race truck. He drove the truck over 1,000 miles for 38 hours straight in the Baja 1000.
Ford engineers then pulled the engine once again and performed another dyno test. The dyno revealed that this EcoBoost engine produced the same horsepower and torque as it did when new.
For the finale, engineers performed a live teardown of EcoBoost engine 448AA at the NAIAS in Detroit. All the internal parts were measured and were still within the factory tolerances.

How Ford EcoBoost Works

Image Credit: FullRace

Ford conceived the EcoBoost engine with a goal of providing robust performance and improved fuel economy from smaller displacement engines. Ford took a three-pronged approach to meet this objective, with turbocharging, direct injection, and variable valve timing.

Turbocharging – Conventional engines lose some energy in the exhaust. EcoBoost uses a turbocharger to capture this energy and us it to pressurize intake air, allowing the engine to generate more power from fewer cylinders. Turbocharging allows a reduction of engine mass and friction for better fuel economy.
Direct Injection – High-pressure fuel is injected directly into the combustion chamber. Precise fuel regulation cools the combustion charge to allow a higher compression ratio. Direct injection gives EcoBoost increased power and efficiency over traditional port fuel injection.
Variable Valve Timing – EcoBoost optimizes intake and exhaust valve timing according to the engine load and speed. Variable valve timing improves fuel economy, increases low-end torque, and reduces harmful emissions compared to conventional engines with fixed valve timing.

EcoBoost combines these three technologies to offer the best of both worlds. Optimal fuel economy is achieved in everyday driving, with plenty of horsepower and low-end torque available on demand. EcoBoost provides power for faster acceleration and passing, or hauling and towing, without the penalties of large-displacement engines. Learn more about the future of EcoBoost in this article.

Find Ford EcoBoost Parts At Blue Springs Ford Parts

Ford's EcoBoost is a great engine, but is not completely without flaws. A shudder issue was discovered in some 2010+ models - read more about it here. Ford has since addressed the issue - but If you find you're having issues or looking for Ford EcoBoost parts, shop BlueSpringsFordParts.com today.

We've been selling quality OEM Ford, Lincoln and Mercury parts for 30 years and have the knowledge to help you get the right parts. We are Centrally located in Missouri, so shipping is fast, coast-to-coast. If you have any questions about parts needed for your vehicle, don’t hesitate to contact us.