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So I was excited to see the new numbers when I heard that TRD finally made a supercharger for the 05+ Tacoma. The wife doesn't want a big truck, but I need something that will tow the track toy around. I always loved the Tacoma/4Runner look, and it's always been a truck I admired. Well, 334 lb/ft of total torque was not exactly what I was hoping for with boost between 6-9 psi and a "OE" tune. Sure...it's up from the measy 266 it comes with. So I went over to Ford's website and totally glanced over the 2.7L..."knowing" it was too small for any real towing...then I happened over the tow rating...8800 lbs. WOW. A 2.7L? Really? So I looked at the specs...375 lb/ft of torque from a boosted 2.7L V6.

To make matters more in Ford's favor, the Tacoma would require premium octane once supercharged, while the Ford takes Regular. I don't know if you guys are seeing the price gaps between 87 and 93 octane around here...but I recall the days when it was only 10c jumps between regular, midgrade, and premium...those days are sadly gone. Kuddos to Ford...thank you for employing Germany to do your engineering.

The F150 might be a little big for my wife...but I think she can adjust!

Plus the Toyota supercharger is LOUD. I had one and hated it.

Also, the Tacoma rear suspension sucks. Way too soft. You gotta stiffen it up if you add any significant tongue weight.

--Donnie

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We just bought a Fiesta ST for the wife and it makes 197HP from the 1.6L and over 200 lb ft. The owners manual also recommends 87 octane but it does state performance will be a bit better on 93 octane.

I do have reservations about doing any decent towing with a twin turbo V6 though, turbo gas motors have never really been a good idea for towing because of the risk of EGTs getting too high. I assume Ford has worked around that somehow since they seem to be selling a lot of these.

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2017 Autocross Chief of Tech

2000 E Street Miata
2015 Focus SE EcoBoost 6 speed
2015 Fiesta ST (Wife's ride)
2012 Yamaha FZ1 sorta crotch rocket? All I know is 150HP and 487 lbs is fun!

If you're planning on towing, why wouldn't you just get the V8 that's better suited for it?

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In need of car.

You can get a slightly used commercial van cheap.
Put a "Free Hugs" sign on the back and you are ready to roll.

Guess I'm shooting 50% since I own one of each. I won't tell you which one came home from the dealer at 6 miles on the odometer with a CEL though.

Why is a V8 more suited? Technically speaking....

Wife might object to a van

I'm guessing the Ford had the CEL :p Gas cap?!

I wish it was the gas cap, but it was a knock sensor CEL wiring harness installed on a Friday afternoon. Took 2 trips to the dealer to diag. First and last new car purchase most likely.

Generally speaking, a turbocharged engine is going to spend a lot of time making boost while towing. Historically, this isn't a good combination, as it leads to detonation and breaking down the oil very quickly.

But, you made me do some research. I didn't realize that Ford had dropped the bigger v8 and only offered the 5.0L, which really is a v8 designed to be in a car. On paper the 3.8 v6 does compare well to that v8. Owners are complaining that the gas mileage while towing is pretty dismal and is worse than the v8. But most trucks spend most of their life not towing, so that probably isn't that big of a deal, especially if it gets better mileage during the daily commute. I would still be concerned about longevity of the turbocharged gasoline engine due to the amount of heat that they produce while towing. On the other hand, Ford is putting a lot of eggs into this basket, so they must be pretty confident that they have solved that issue.

P.S. as the owner of both a Ford and a Toyota, I agree with you completely. Toyota sucks, Ford is awesome!

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In need of car.

You can buy a chevy with the 5.3L V8 and get pretty close to the same mileage as the ecoboost F150.

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2017 Autocross Chief of Tech

2000 E Street Miata
2015 Focus SE EcoBoost 6 speed
2015 Fiesta ST (Wife's ride)
2012 Yamaha FZ1 sorta crotch rocket? All I know is 150HP and 487 lbs is fun!

If I didn't hate GM (love the cars, I dont care for the company) I'd be looking at Z71s, but...for now...Im a Ford man

Is there really that much difference between a direct injected turbocharged gas engine and a diesel?

Spark plugs and compression ratios first come to mind

Gasoline motors are having their static compression numbers increase and diesels are dropping their static compression, in both cases it's to increase power and fuel efficiency.

I have no formal training in this, so take this for what it's worth (maybe less than nothing) *

But, my understanding is that diesel fuel does a better job of dealing with heat than gasoline. It has a higher boiling point and it carries heat out of the engine better. Diesel engines are typically built heavier than their gasoline counterparts which also helps to deal with the heat from high pressures.

I did read that the weight difference between the turbo 6 and the v8 is only 25lbs. Which would indicate that the turbo 6 block is a sturdy block, it's probably iron instead of aluminum? Of course the v6 will carry a weight penalty for the turbo and cast parts to support it.

*I recently read that the best way to get an answer on the internet is to post something incorrect, instead of asking a question. People are more likely to correct you than they are to answer you. So here's a chance for someone to show their expertise at my expense.

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In need of car.