When people think of turbo engines, they think of muscle cars or supercars, but today, these engines can be found in different pickup trucks and off-roading vehicles. Manufacturers are now using turbo engines to increase the power of small engines and increase fuel efficiency. One of these manufacturers is Ford, which released the 3.5 EcoBoost engine.

After the success of the Ford 3.5 EcoBoost, the 2.7 EcoBoost engine was released. This is a twin-turbo engine with 2.7 liters, making it release up to 335 horsepower and 400-pound feet of torque. Although the 2.7 EcoBoost is not as powerful as the 3.5-liter version, it still has impressive power and is affordable.

 

In this guide, we’ll take a look at the Ford 2.7 EcoBoost, its common problems, and whether it is reliable or not.

Ford 2.7 Specs

Before we go further, let’s look at the background information of the Ford 2.7 EcoBoost, which is a twin-turbo, direct-injection gasoline engine used in Ford vehicles.

  • Horsepower: 315 – 335 
  • Displacement: 2,694cc
  • Torque: 350 – 400 lb.-ft
  • Aspiration: Twin Turbo
  • Compression 10.3 to one.
  • Block Material: Compact Graphite Iron.
  • Bore by Stroke: 83mm by 83mm
  • Production: 2015 till date.
  • Cylinder Head Material: Aluminum 
  • Configuration: V
  • Fuel Type: Gasoline
  • Fuel System: Direct Injection/Port Injection
  • Valves per cylinder: 4
  • Number of cylinders: 6
  • Type of internal combustion engine: Turbocharged, Four-stroke.
  • Valvetrain layout: DOHC

There are 1st and 2nd Generation 2.7 EcoBoost engines, with the second one offering more than the first. The 2nd Generation engine increased the horsepower to 400 and added port injection to the direct injection fuel system.

The 2nd Generation 2.7 EcoBoost also includes lightweight cams, an EGR system with high pressure, and electronically-controlled turbo wastegates. It can be found in F-150 models after 2018 and Bronco models after 2021.

Popular Cars with the Ford 2.7 EcoBoost

Both generations of the Ford 2.7 EcoBoost engine can be found in different models and vehicles from the same manufacturer. The 1st Generation is usually found in:

  • Ford Edge Sport 2015 – 2018.
  • Ford Edge ST 2019 till date.
  • Ford F-150 2015 – 2017.
  • Ford Fusion Sport 2017 – 2019
  • Lincoln Continental 2017 – 2020.
  • Lincoln MKX 2016 – 2018.
  • Lincoln Nautilus 2019 till date.

If you purchase any of these models, you can get the Ford 2.7 EcoBoost as standard or optional.

Common Problems with the Ford 2.7 EcoBoost Engine

The Ford 2.7 EcoBoost engine is great but it’s not perfect. It has not been around for so long, but it doesn’t have a lot of problems too. There have been reports of the oil pan leaking, defects in the valve guide, carbon build-up, etc., but issues like this are common with new engines because of wrong assembly or parts failure.

The 2nd generation 2.7-liter engine is more reliable than its first because it prevents carbon buildup and has two ways to inject fuel. It’s important to note that, if you want to prevent these common problems in your EcoBoost engine, you need to maintain it properly, clean the injector regularly, and use high-quality synthetic oil.

Here are the common problems explained:

  • Valve Guide Defect

This defect is common in the engines built between April 2016 and January 2017. Because of the valve guide defect, oil leaks into the combustion chamber and burns off, thus increasing the consumption of oil in your Ford vehicle. If you see blue smoke coming out of your exhaust pipe, it’s a sign that you have a valve guide defect. Your valve guides can also be worn out, causing your vehicle to idle roughly – another sign.

If you take your Ford to a dealership and ask for a Technical Service Bulletin, they will fix a valve guide problem right away. This is because it was common among 2.7 EcoBoost engines of that time.

  • Oil Pan Leaks

Another problem is the oil pan leaking which you can experience if you’re using the 2.7 EcoBoost released between 2015 and 2017. It is caused because the oil pan does not connect with the engine properly. As the oil pan is made of plastic, it requires a sealant to connect with the engine, but when the sealant fails, it begins to leak.

If you see oil leaking from your Ford car or dark spots on the ground where you park it, that’s a sign that the oil pan is leaking. You can also take your vehicle to the repair shop or dealership for an oil change if you suspect the oil is leaking even if it’s not leaking out. There’s a Technical Service Bulletin for this problem too.

  • Carbon Build Up

This mostly affects 1st Generation 2.7 EcoBoost engines because they are direct injection engines. Practically all types of direct injection engines experience carbon buildup. It was because of this problem and the way it affected driving that Ford added the port injection to the 2nd Generation engines.

Carbon buildup makes the cylinders in the engine receive less amount of air. While some people’s vehicles survive without taking care of the carbon buildup, others have affected drivability. Some signs include stuttering engines, misfires, idling roughly, and power loss. The most effective way to fix it is to clean the ports and intake valves.

How Reliable is the 2.7 EcoBoost?

Very.

Generally, the Ford 2.7 EcoBoost is amazingly reliable, as most car owners with this engine don’t have any problem with it throughout the time that they use it. Most of the common problems were found in the earliest models of the 2.7 EcoBoost, and this gave it a bad reputation when in fact, it is one of the most reliable engines you can find out there.

2.7 EcoBoost owners also have some power over how reliable their engine ends up being. They require constant maintenance and using high-quality oil. Owners should also allow oil to warm up before pushing the vehicle hard, and fix issues as soon as they notice them.

Just like how many people were impressed with the 3.5-liter version, the Ford 2.7 EcoBoost engine has proved to be excellent and reliable.

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Pavlo Prannyk
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