As some of you may recall, I posted a thread back in 2012 when we got our first batch of EcoBoost's. Link
Time for an update.
I talked to the fleet manager yesterday. He said he doesn't like them in the fleet, because he has to deal with increased maintenance. They have had a few issues, mostly carbon build up and turbo issues. Now, he's not a Ford hater, in fact he's about as big a Ford fan as you'll find, and is a trained Ford technician. He recently bought a new personal vehicle, a 2014 F150 but he went with the 5.0L, even though he's an RVer (tows a TT).
To combat the carbon issue, they are using several BG Products for intake cleaning, apparently designed for the purpose. They use it at exactly 1/2 the interval that they do with the non-turbo cars.
The EcoBoost cars are popular with the front line members, they like the power and the awd.
All are around 60,000 - 75,000 miles, and are used hard as you can imagine. Lots of idling, lots of abuse. I was in one the other day that had 4100 hours on it and almost 2500 of that was idling hours. It was a cold winter.
We have an F150 (k9), and several Taurus Police Interceptors that are EcoBoost, the rest are NA awds Explorer (Police Utility) and Taurus cars. The Crown Vics are slowly being phased out as they get miled out. That makes me sad.
My friend stopped to tell me something and his was ticking. I never heard that sound earlier.
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I looked at your link and you say you're a LEO. Does that term refer to any law enforcement officers, such as jailers, dog catchers, meter maids, crossing guards and building inspectors, or just to coppers?
As a retired LEO myself, I can also surely attest to the abuse most fleet vehicles in that profession take.
Mind you, I was of the mind set that the vehicle was actually part of my life line, so to speak, that would get me or whomever I was working with to safety and or emergency aid should the need arise. So I therefore always checked fluid levels and made sure my vehicle for the day was good to go.
But so many others just jumped in and drove them. Never checked anything, never took care of them at all. I once got a vehicle that had absolutely no oil on the dipstick it was so low. Or fluid levels gone or way down in other parts of the engine system.
It is nice that you do have the hour meters on them. Mileage in these vehicles as any basis for scheduled service is just not usually a workable option, as the vehicle for our agency would sit a lot, idling all day in the hot southern summer heat, running the AC for the agents.
And I know most all in the profession miss the Crown Vics. I had one assigned to me as the only user of the vehicle later in my career, and enjoyed it immensely.
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We would put on about 130 miles per shift chasing our radio. That amounts to about 400 miles a day and about 150K miles per year. They surveyed them out at about 1 1/2 years. Wonder how these new ones hold up? We had the old plymouths with the 440s and 4 barrel carb. You could hear the carbs sucking air before you could hear the siren Wonder how these small vehicles are for jumping in and out.
turbo vehicles typically don't like idling, and respond with carbon buildup and turbo bearing oil leakage. Don't know how that plays out with Ford Ecoboosts, that's just an industry wide tendency that may or may not apply here.
Didn't take that new member long to get added to my blocked list...25 posts...
"Parking control officers" is what my city chief corrects anyone who calls them
'Meter maids'...she has a few full time officers and the rest cadets
LEO spans anyone who 'enforces' a 'law'...from US Marshals, to DA's & staff, to
any 'authority' that 'enforces laws'...including dog catchers. Hope that Proverbs 26,4
person (now blocked) never has to have the need for a LEO...
Folks who are not gearheads, nor boy racers, fall for the small displacement MPG
and their high MPG when not on the turbo...that a small displacement forced fed
big block (up to 2 atmospheres) amounts of air requires a good design to keep
it living a long life (which it appears Ford has done most that I can see so
far).
thanks for posting...local police chief knows nothing about automotive and now
has several Ecoboost Fords...just waiting for how they do here in my city
Local fire department switched to Ford Expeditions for a few years and are now
going BACK to Suburbans
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1996 GMC SLT Suburban 3/4 ton K3500/7.4L/4:1/+150Kmiles orig owner...
1980 Chevy Silverado C10/long bed/"BUILT" 5.7L/3:73/1 ton helper springs/+329Kmiles, bought it from dad...
1998 Mazda B2500 (1/2 ton) pickup, 2nd owner...
Praise Dyno Brake equiped and all have "nose bleed" braking!
Previous trucks/offroaders: 40's Jeep restored in mid 60's / 69 DuneBuggy (approx +1K lb: VW pan/200hpCorvair: eng, cam, dual carb'w velocity stacks'n 18" runners, 4spd transaxle) made myself from ground up / 1970 Toyota FJ40 / 1973 K5 Blazer (2dr Tahoe, 1 ton axles front/rear, +255K miles when sold it)...
Sold the boat (looking for another): Trophy with twin 150's...
51 cylinders in household, what's yours?...
ScottG wrote: Doesn't seem like it relates to the kind of use folks here would give it. Its problems are probably related to the endless hours of idling.
Can't sit there and idle when you have to chase your radio. But that was SO CA LA. 40 to 50 calls a shift in a one man unit. Can't drive and write so that is mostly done after shift. See the local stuff but then the pay is lower. Loved EMs two man units. Asked a local LEO how many 187s a night? a night? Only had one in a year. Guess we're off subject. Miss it. Been retired 20 years.
A family member is a city LEO. His police force have Ford Interceptors (Taurus police packages) with the non turbo 3.5 V6 and AWD. Even though the Crown Victoria police package is only RWD, although a small V8....he prefers the older CV's, due to comfort, especially with a duty belt on...which is always.
Interesting that your police Fleet Manager bought a F150 with the 5 liter V8. Another buddy bought a new 2013 F150 and chose the 5 liter V8, over the 3.5 liter turbo. He's a bit of a hot rodder (regular drag racer at the local drag strip) and felt the 5 liter would be less trouble than the turbo V6. He also prefers the V8 exhaust note.
He occasionally tows a tandem axle car carrier...with race car on the trailer... with the F 150 and finds the 5 liter, does the job with no difficulty.
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Wonder how these small vehicles are for jumping in and out.
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