2017 Ford F-150 Adds Second-Gen 3.5-Liter EcoBoost, 10-Speed Transmission

The 2017 Ford F-150 will come with an all-new 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine, and the new mill will mate exclusively to a new 10-speed automatic transmission. Though official figures are still not ready, Ford expects considerably better fuel efficiency than the current six-speed automatic and the first-gen EcoBoost engine, which has been offered in the F-150 since 2011.    The new engine really is all-new, says Ford manager for V-6 engine programs Jim Mazuchowski: The heads, block, turbochargers, and pretty much everything else are all changed, even though displacement remains 3.5 liters. The biggest change is that the new V-6 now supplements its direct injection with port fuel injection, meaning there are two injectors per cylinder. In high-load situations, both injection systems work together for maximum power, but in low-load scenarios only port fueling is used, which Ford says improves efficiency.    The two turbochargers have lighter turbines for faster spooling, and they have Ford’s first use of electronic wastegate control. That means that under low-load scenarios, the engine computer can fully open the wastegates to reduce engine backpressure and pumping losses. Other efficiency measures include a roller finger-follower valvetrain and hollow camshafts that save a total of 4 pounds. Overall, the engine is “a couple pounds less” than the old EcoBoost, says, Mazuchowski, though an exact weight difference hasn’t been shared.