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Ecoboost to Hemi w/ 8 speed?

9K views 47 replies 22 participants last post by  AirborneSilva 
#1 ·
Anyone done this if so can I get your opinion on the difference with power and mpg. I currently have a FX4 crew 3.73 eco thinking of coming back to mopar.
 
#2 ·
I had a 2012 fx4 scab and traded fo a 2013 sport crew. I couldnt be happier. However, the eco was faster on the low end but for me, looks, options, comfort, I made the right decesion. One of my issues with the eco was mileage. On the Ford forum like here you here mileage anywhere from 12 to 23. Honestly, the hemi is a bit better on mileage (8 speed) but it is close by maybe 0.5 mpg driving the same route to work. I only have 600 miles on the ram so that will improve a bit. I babied the eco trying to get every last mpg I could and that made the truck less than fun to drive. I dont baby the ram and love the hemi sound. The 8 speed is smooth as silk and if mileage is important the active grill louvers will improve the engine and transmission warm up time in the winter. Other things I like about the ram is the higher quality of the leather, sport looks, touch display, headlights, im happy. Glad I went back to mopar even if I did get killed on trade $'s.
 
#3 ·
i got crazy mpg with my '09 on this trip across country
i didn't hand calculate it, but i saw 20 mpg more then once
i usually get 17.4 mpg in the flat desert
i have the HEMI with a 5 speed auto & 3.55 rear differential ratio

i can only wonder about the 8 speed with the 3.55 or the better highway ratio of 3.21 & not towing
 
#9 ·
Last year I got my 12 in November when 13s were on the lot.

Express package with pwr locks, windows, mirrors, keyless entry, UConnect and the chrome clad 20s.
Maybe a few little things I'm forgetting. Anyway I got it for 21,7xx. Sticker was almost 28k. So they really like to move this older ones off the lot.

So you picked a good time to think about this.
 
#12 · (Edited)
I posted a quick review of my dad's 2013 F150 Platinum Ecoboost awhile back. In a nutshell I found the Ecoboost felt much stronger down low than my 5/6 speed Hemi with 3.55's but the interior of the 1500 vastly superior. I don't mean this as a knock to the F150, especially since I've had nothing but good luck with my own F150 (even with its pathetic 248 horsepower 4.6L V8). But unless I were in a stoplight drag race I'd choose my 1500 again.

For the (short) time I had it I didn't notice just phenomenal fuel economy, but in fairness I was more interested in playing with the Ecoboost's impressive low end torque b
 
#15 ·
I drove lots of trucks before settling on my ram. I was probably a total nuisance at the dealers, lol I also looked at the 5.0 and the ecoboost fords. Yes the ecoboost did move the truck out pretty quick, but in several test drives I also noticed some good turbo lag especially at those ~25mph break points, if I was cruising and needed power. the lag was significant. There, both the 5.0 and the ram hemis outclassed it IMO. True, when the boost came on the truck sure did move.

In the end, the 8 speed and the hemi I thought was far more refined in terms of power delivery and smoothness. Not that I would disuade anyone from getting the ecoboost if they desired it, but it wasn't enough of a boost for me to overcome the sticker difference. the 5.0 is clearly the lower performance of the three there, but I think it drove better. sure it didn't have the highway acceleration or the midrange grunt. The 6 speed works well with that motor. None of the ford powertrains came close to the smoothness of the Tundras I test drove, but the ram 8 speed was close enough to be on par. but in truth, for my type of driving, it's fine. Like has been said, the interior of the ram is quieter, (and the look of the truck a bit sharper IMO) However, if The dealer would not have been able to locate a deep cherry with a sunroof, I could have driven away in a 5.0 fx4 and been happy with it.
 
#21 · (Edited)
I dont know if the hemi/8 speed will beat an ecoboost in a drag race if they are driven properly. The '13 ecoboost/3.73 I had was a pretty quick truck when it wanted to be. But unlike having a large displacement V8 with the torque always there you knew you had a 6 cylinder and were at the turbo's, transmission's and computers's mercy driving around, not to mention the ecoboost's washing machine-like exhaust note wasnt really appealing.

I found the ecoboost to be a little boring, I know they supposedly toned down the '13s to help with the dreaded ecoboost full throttle shutdown in the rain but I wasnt super-impressed. Like a diesel they do tow well when heavily loaded, but around town there is some lag. I'm all for turbos/forced induction but IMO the ecoboost isnt 100% perfected yet. Your oil smelling like raw gasoline after a thousand miles is a little off-putting as well.

As far as fuel mileage I had to really baby the ecoboost to get the same mpg as the hemi rams I have owned in the city (13.3 mpg or so). Highway the ecoboost was maybe 1mpg batter, but once again you were scared to keep into the throttle for a long period of time with the ecoboost since the mileage dropped like a stone.

I'm not slamming the Ford, having raced turbo V6 buicks and other small displacement forced induction combos for years its a great concept. But the direct injection complicates things a bit and until they figure out the stumbling and killing catalytic converters I'll stick to a good old naturally aspirated V8. If I didnt have a '12 Hemi Ram Laramie before the '13 ecoboost I most likely would have thought the ecoboost was an awesome truck. IMO the '13 F150 was a step down from the '12 Ram I had, with a 4K higher msrp to boot. The '13 ram is an upgrade form the '12 I had so it makes the Ford even more a step down.

But I dont tow or haul heavy, if you are towing a heavy trailer and insist on a 1/2 ton you can configure the Ford to have a lot more cargo capacity, of course you lose that car-like ride though..
 
#24 ·
Good write up. I know with mine I was always aware of of when those turbos spooled up and the fuel sucking results. I also couldn't agree more with the statement "I found the ecoboost to be a little boring". I just could never get into the truck like I am with the ram.
 
#30 ·
my choice was between 13 sport and 13 eco sport app. pk. the only plus for the f150 was longer box over the ram crew, what turned me off from the eco was the amount of trouble buds were having with the eco. I thought the ford looked to much like a work truck compared to the sport. as far as mpg the eco is really no better than the hemi and actually not as good as the f250 towing a 2 or 3 place snowmobile trailer. 100% please with the ram
 
#32 ·
eco vs 5.7 hemi

had an 11 eco with 373 anything over 100 kms would suck fuel like crazy not to mention the 6 month wait to get a new intercooler because of condensation/poor design got rid of it for a 13 5.7/8sp with 3.55's love it! better fuel economy overall and has just as much balls as the eco if not more
 
#36 ·
had an 11 eco with 373 anything over 100 kms would suck fuel like crazy not to mention the 6 month wait to get a new intercooler because of condensation/poor design got rid of it for a 13 5.7/8sp with 3.55's love it! better fuel economy overall and has just as much balls as the eco if not more
Problem is the 'fixed' '13 ecoboost I sold had the condensation stumble once on a rainy humid day with about 2000 miles on the clock when towing up a hill. While the '13s are far less common then the 11 and 12s Ford doesnt seem to have a handle on it yet. They just came out with a new TSB, the first TSB blocked the top of the intercooler, the new TSB blocks the bottom of the intercooler instead - along with another tune revision.

IMO its more then a condensation/water ingestion issue, most likely a weak ignition and high peak cylinder pressure. They revised the plug gap tighter in the later models but I still dont think its enough. I'm sure Ford will figure it out but its getting to be a pretty well known issue and resale is going to suffer if Ford doesnt get it 100% fixed soon.
 
#33 ·
I would think the Hemi 8Speed with 3:92's would be a tire shredder. If you're worried about resale of a Ram, do like me, keep driving it. As nice as the 20013/14 trucks are, my 05 with almost 200,000 miles fits me like an old sneaker. It's been pretty much trouble free, and still hauls azz. Yup, 3:92 gears!
 
#35 ·
I test drove a ram 1500 8 speed with 3.92 gears and nothing else compares!!!!!! I drove all the ford and chevs in the same class and in the end I ordered a 2014 Ram 1500 Big Horn Edition Hemi/8 speed3.92 gears. It honestly has neck snapping throttle response. should be here at the end of august 1013
 
#39 ·
yaya, I love the ram. I found out what the P26AB code is the coolant valve is stuck open thank goodness. I am glad it was not stuck closed. The F-up thing is the dealership I purchased the truck from said that the ECU was just coming out of transport mode. Even the tech said this and had paper work showing me this that the code was a transport code. I tried to get the paperwork but they will not give it to me. I am going to make a complaint at Chrysler they straight up lied to me.
 
#40 ·
2012 3.73 ecoboost to 2013 8 spd 3.92

No doubt the ecoboost is fun to drive and the mpg is tough to improve if you can't keep your foot out of it. I opted to go with the 13 ram laramie longhorn with 3.92 and 8 spd tranny and I love it. First, yes it has a growling v8 sound that the ecoboost misses...but there's plenty of torque and towing capability and the mpg is better. The interior of the ram kills ford in 2013 IMO, so it was not that difficult a choice. I personally wish the ram had the 700 watt sound system and uconnect has some popping noise on am channels and I'm not completely confident yet in the electronic part lasting, including the air suspension. I just bought, so if the new ram doesn't let me down ill stick with it. The nab and sound in the ford ic nicer, but the truck built by ram is nicer inside and out...the performance of the hemi is better than ecoboost, but the ecoboost is slightly more fun to drive.
 
#41 ·
my turning point between the two came down to seat comfort. the ford was a huge deal breaker for me. Still dealing with an old hip injury, the ford was just way too stiff in the wrong spots and seriously hurt me on only a 20km test drive. The ram however once I adjust it fits me like a hammock, couldnt be happier. I've never heard many complaints about the fords seats but for me they were terrible on my hip, in the end people just choose what suits them best :)

I have to agree though that something funky is going on in those ecoboosts that ford really needs to fix properly.
 
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