What Is EcoBoost On A Car?

The EcoBoost engine is an engine designed by Ford that has three key features that seamlessly work together to power your vehicle:

• Direct fuel injection
• Turbocharging
• Variable camshaft timing

For those of you who want to learn more about the Ford EcoBoost engine and its many pros and cons, be sure to read on.

What is An EcoBoost Engine?

Created by the engineers at Ford, the EcoBoost engine is a unique V6 engine optimized for better performance and fuel economy than other engines of the same size. Though small, these are capable of producing immense amounts of power relative to the amount of fuel it consumes.

What makes the EcoBoost engine unique is how it is capable of using the force from the exhaust to funnel more air into the engine to generate even greater amounts of power. In addition, they also make use of three types of advanced engine technologies:

Direct Fuel Injection

What makes the fuel injection system of an EcoBoost engine so effective is how it sprays fuel directly into the combustion chamber. The fuel system is also capable of regulating the amount of fuel consumed by the engine, and it’s also capable of cooling the charge to prevent pre-ignition. This way, vehicles can reach higher compression ratios, meaning more power can be achieved by burning less fuel.

Turbocharging

EcoBoost engines are small and lightweight, and the turbocharger takes advantage of that by drawing the force of the exhaust to push more air into the engine. This means that the EcoBoost engine can deliver power beyond that of a regular V6 engine with great low-speed torque and excellent performance.

Variable Camshaft Timing

With the help of variable camshaft timing, EcoBoost engines can sync the intake and exhaust valves with the speed of the engine along with any load changes. This means your vehicle will have much better fuel economy and produce fewer overall emissions, making it easier on your wallet all while being better for the environment.

Ford EcoBoost Engines: Pros and Cons

EcoBoost engines might be considered top-of-the-line automotive technology, but they aren’t perfect. Despite the many benefits these specially-made engines have to offer, they also come with some significant drawbacks.

Fortunately, most of these drawbacks can be mitigated with proper maintenance and vehicular care, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist.

Pros

Excellent Fuel Economy & Performance

One of the biggest advantages of the EcoBoost engine is that it’s great at conserving power, only burning fuel when it absolutely has to.

Because it can use the force from the exhaust to funnel air into the engine, it is capable of maximizing your vehicle’s overall efficiency to ensure no power output is wasted. This also means less overall emissions, making EcoBoost engines better for the environment.

They also boast excellent performance thanks to its direct fuel injection system and variable camshaft timing.

By spraying fuel directly into the chamber in the form of a fine mist, EcoBoost engines ensure that the fuel combusts easily — all without wasting a single droplet. This means every little bit of fuel in the tank counts, boosting the power of your engine.

Low Running Costs

Another key advantage of the EcoBoost engine is that it’s smaller than other engines. On top of its already excellent fuel economy, this means EcoBoost engines are cheaper to maintain, allowing drivers to save money when they take their vehicles to the auto shop for servicing. Vehicles with small engines are also more attractive to insurance companies since they’re cheaper to insure.

Runs Quietly

Since the EcoBoost engine is a V6 engine, this means it runs quietly compared to other engines in the market. You’ll have a much better time driving vehicles with EcoBoost engines in the long run since you won’t have to worry about droning noises. This means you can kick back and relax, and the people around you will appreciate the lack of noise pollution as well.

Cons

Engine Leaks

Despite the fact that EcoBoost engines have top-of-the-line fuel injectors, every engine suffers from oil leaks at some point. It just so happens that EcoBoost engines leak oil more frequently than most.

Unfortunately, these engines tend to have a lot of issues with the oil seals and gaskets so you need to check your oil levels frequently. Be sure to top off your vehicle as often as possible and inspect your engine regularly to make sure there aren’t any leaks.

The Ford 2.7 Ecoboost has had problems with both oil pan leaks and coolant leaks, meaning you’ll need to pay extra attention to your vehicle’s oil and coolant reserves.

Overheating Engine

Because EcoBoost engines are small, they tend to overheat quickly. This isn’t helped by the fact that these engines generate a lot of heat already. Fortunately, this is a problem that can be corrected by topping off your vehicle’s coolant regularly. Installing a radiator or a cooling system can also help prevent your EcoBoost engine from overheating.

This problem is commonly found in the 2.3 EcoBoost, which has a history of problems with the engine running hot. This also applies to the 1.0 EcoBoost.

Takes Time to Reach Full Power

EcoBoost engines take some time to charge up before reaching their full power, meaning you’ll need to drive around for a while for them to reach their optimal temperature and RPM. This makes vehicles with EcoBoost engines unideal for short drives.

In addition, the timing chain system and the variable valve timing phasers are also prone to failure. This, combined with the fact that they cannot be used for short drives, means EcoBoost engines have the tendency to fail.

Turbocharger Malfunctions

When oil leaks, the turbocharger inside your vehicle’s engine starts to act up and lose power. Since the turbocharger is such an important part of the EcoBoost engine, failing to repair a damaged one can cause a lot of damage to your vehicle.

In addition, a failing turbocharger makes loud, high-pitched noises that are distracting and unpleasant. If you want to ensure your turbocharger runs smoothly, invest in quality oil filters and get your oil replaced regularly.

The Ford 3.5 EcoBoost often suffers from problems with its turbocharger, causing the timing chain to wear away at a quicker pace than usual. This causes the engine to fall out of timing alignment.