If you're concerned about towing w/ this truck, don't be...

Back in December I upgraded. Sold my 2003 F150 Lariat Fx4 5.4L V8, & bought a 2013 SCrew 2wd w/ the 3.7L (non-ecoboost) V6 with towing package.

Let me tell you, this truck pulls my bass boat better than my '03 w/ the V8 ever even thought it could pull. Not to mention, it's so much more comfortable to drive.

I initially picked this truck b/c I've become a commuter, and I just hate cars. So I had to pick something I knew would get me a little better MPG, but still be a truck, and still pull my boat (18' BassCat).

I have not been disappointed at all. I'm averaging 19.5-20mpg with a mixture of interstate, and in town driving each day. If I get on the interstate and stay there, I get 20+ on average. If I do all my driving around town, I'm still seeing 16.5-18ish depending on driving situations. Towing the boat, I can't really say as I have not towed it for long periods of time where I burned enough gas to calculate, but according to the computer I get around 14-15.

I'm really enjoying this truck. I thought it would be hard to go from always having driven V8's down to a V6 but.... I was wrong. Combining the power this little V6 makes with the way it's geared, I would chose it all day long over my 03' 5.4L V8 to pull the boat with.

So if you occasionally Tow lighter loads, but don't really have a Need for a V8, and don't want the EcoBoost, then find you a truck w/ this V6 in it.... You wont be disappointed. Especially at the gas pump.


Oh, and Aprox weight of the boat is a little under 1200lbs.

 

The 3.7 is a good engine. Just never hear much about it. Glad you like it!

 

I'm only a couple years out of the registered Hereford cattle business, and the veterinarian that I primarily used has the 3.7 in his single cab truck. He's pulled and hauled some major loads of hay etc with his. I was looking for a truck with the 3.7 when we bought the 5.0 Oklahoma Edition. Having said that, under similar driving patterns as you describe, we're getting within a mpg of you in city and mixed, and actually have gotten numerous 21+ trips with mostly highway, even with half ton payloads. Towing up to six or seven thousand pounds, the worst mpg has been over 12.

 

You must have done something to it... Im not calling BS but I've been around too many V8's to believe 21+ MPG from the factory.

 

These new engines are pretty good for fuel mileage. I think Patrick (Patman) has gotten 23 or so on a highway run with his 5.0. Bluejay also gets good mileage with his.

My Eb has popped off several 22mpg on highway trip's and always see's the 20mpg mark. usually 18 around town.

 

Several 20+ trips one 23 and one 25 mpg highway trips. Need to screen shot a more recent spreadsheet.

Pink is cluster mileage (reset every fill up)
Red is hand calculated

 

Were those 2 downward spikes when you were towing?

 

Yes. Towing somewhere around 8k lbs
https://www.f150online.com/forums/20...l-mileage.html

 

I can back him up. I had a 2011 5.0 and now have a 2014 5.0. I get 20 to 21 using cruise control on the highway set at 70 to 72. I frequently get over 20 running 75. I get 17 around town. My truck averaged 18.8 over 13,000 miles. The 2011 averaged 18.5 over 85,000. The 5.0 gets very close to the EB in mpg.

 

I havent towed with the truck yet, but I have hauled heavy, down to the spring bumpers and was impressed with how easily the 3.7 did the job. To be honest, when I test drove the truck, I was skeptical about it, thought I would need the 5.0 to be happy, I was surprised. It still surprises me, sometimes. I've also seen about 24mpg if you hold your foot just right on the highway. For an engine that smokes a 302/305 from yesteryear, i cant complain..........

 

The 3.7 has been a solid performer. You almost never hear of someone experiencing a problem with it and it gets the job done. Same with the prior 4.2.

 

Hmm.. If I had known all that I might have opted for the 5.0 then...

Maybe I'll keep an eye out for one to pop up for sale.

 

Service guy at my dealer told me I need to check out the 3.7/3.5 NA engine before I buy. He said it's been bullet proof.

 

Completely stock. However, unlike many, ours is 2 wheel drive. I do have the oil changed at the dealer, where I always have them put in the BG additive because it's only a $10 upgrade there as opposed to $30 or $40 at some locations. We do have Michelin tires.

How much experience do you have with the current generation of V8s? The truck has no power steering pump. It's electric assist. It has electric fan. Every power sapping device that can be removed from the serpentine belt has been.

 

I had one for about a year. Awesome truck. Awesome motor. Pulled a 17' Bass Tracker beautifully, and I got 18-19 mpg around town before I added bigger tires. Then I bought a much bigger boat (around 5k pounds with fuel), and spent a summer dragging it around miserably before trading it in. I think somewhere around 3k pounds is when you start to notice. If I hadn't picked up the bigger boat, I'd still have the 3.7. Except for the fact that I hated the crew cab, It was solid. Glad yours is doing well!