Time to replace our E250 camper van with something that I can stand up in. I want to know everything I can about the Ford Transit as it seems like they are the best of the newer full-size van crowd.
How stout are the 3.5 EB engines? The 3.7 appeals to me too for non-turbo simplicity (no DI too), but does it get better MPGs than the EB? Very curious about the 5 cyl diesel option as well. Someone told me they are good for 500k miles.
Sounds like you can get an LSD in some of them, is that correct?
What issues should I be on the look out for?
In reply to CyberEric :
In terms of the V6s, there are far more 3.5 turbos out there in F150s and Transits than the 3.7. And while I have tested both, and have seen that the 3.7 can get better mileage on the test, I also think that if you plan on driving over 50mph, the extra drag of a stand up Transit will mean higher load. The turbo can run more stoich under boost than the NA motor car. And we see that really clearly with our Turbo Escape compared to previous versions.
I've also done some testing for both engines as a ~10k box truck- which are the models used for RV makers. And a friend of mine did tell me that the 3.7 NA is pretty popular for the RV crowd thanks to the fuel economy.
So, all in all, that ends up being a less than helpful post. LOL.
In reply to alfadriver :
Haha, well thanks for the response nonetheless. Most of the driving will be on interstates, so around 70mph. It seems like 7 out 10 Transits came with the 3.5 turbo, so that will most likely be the engine I end up with. How reliable are they turning out to be? I normally tend to veer sligthly away from turbos and DI, but I might not get that option this time. I am religious about 3-4k oil changes, I imagine that helps, but I would love to hear anything about caring for these turbo charged engines.
Also interested in any wisdom you have about the 3.7 and diesel.
I remember you offering a lot of helpful wisdom about the 4.6 in my E250. Thank you.
Buddy has the mid roof 250 transit (which is pretty darn tall, in my opinion) and we've used it twice for road trips. I find the 3.7 to be positively gutless. Maybe I'm just expecting too much.
In reply to Spearfishin :
Yeah, that's my suspicion about the 3.7 pushing around 7-8k lbs (I'm guessing).
I have a 4.6 E250 (7300lbs) that has a bit more torque (less HP) than the 3.7, and that's not exactly a rocket ship, though it will merge with traffic no problem. That's all I need really. I'm one of these people who will go with the small/slow option if the motor is rock solid. That said, I do like the ability to pass and merge when needed, and the 4.6 will not pass most on a grade. And I do wonder about "working" a weaker engine extra hard vs a more powerful one less and the impact of that. Eh.
Thanks for sharing.
Edit: Just looking at this one here, and according to the VIN, it's a 3.7, although the guy told me it's Ecoboost. Go figure.
https://thevancamper.com/post/11075/price-reduced-2016-extended-height-and-length-ford-transit-for-sale
We bought one brand new a few years ago. 3.5 ecoboost, limited slip, not much else. It was fast and towed great, but kept going back to the dealer for fixes (including a whole new rear axle at like 30k miles IIRC) so we sold it when covid hit. We test drove a diesel, too, but just couldn't stand how slow it was.
FWIW, at least when we were shopping in 2017ish there seemed to be 100 3.7-powered vans for every turbo or diesel one.
In reply to CyberEric :
Given how many 3.5 out there, it sure seem that it's pretty reliable over time.
One thing I do know, the Transit still uses the original DI only 3.5 when the F150 got an update in '18- it went to PFi-DI for more power and torque. Not that the older engine is bad- it's capable of taking a massive amount of abuse based on some of the meetings I was in.
Tom Suddard said:
We bought one brand new a few years ago. 3.5 ecoboost, limited slip, not much else. It was fast and towed great, but kept going back to the dealer for fixes (including a whole new rear axle at like 30k miles IIRC) so we sold it when covid hit. We test drove a diesel, too, but just couldn't stand how slow it was.
FWIW, at least when we were shopping in 2017ish there seemed to be 100 3.7-powered vans for every turbo or diesel one.
This seems to be a fairly common experience. My friend got one for his contracting business. A VERY well laid out platform that's walk-in with tools and supplies neatly arranged on both sides of the isle. It'd make a hell of a good small RV or moto van. The 3.5 was an absolute ripper even laden with all the contractor junk inside. But as you pointed out, it spent a very good portion of time in the shop. It just was not robust. Quite unfortunate as it was such a fantastic platform.
Every full sized Transit that I have seen except one was a 3.7. The lone Ecoboost was also the only non commercial one that I've seen, so this may be related.
I think anyone who complains that the 3.7 is slow because it can't do a rolling burnout at 65 or whatever should be given an AT&T E250 to drive. They all had 4.2 V6s and were usually loaded well beyond their 9000lb-ish GVWR.
A few years ago, I had a 2019(?) T250 as a rental for a little over a month while my Ram 1500 was in the body shop getting fixed.
It was the extended long, medium roof version with the 3.7. Interestingly it was also AWD.
I found that it was perfectly acceptable to drive on my 55 mile per day commute. It was slowish but not dangerously slow. IIRC, I was getting about 16mpg but that was using a lot of throttle and speed to keep up with traffic on the expressway.
With the mid-height roof, I had more than enough room to stand up in it. I realized that it would make an awesome camping van. I looked at a lot of vans online and probably would have bought a decent used one but I had just gotten word that the Ford Maverick I had ordered was just built.
Maybe someday...
Thanks all, very helpful.
Tom, how much could the 3.5EB tow?
In an interesting development, my wife and I are now cross shopping vans with tiny houses! We can't decide if we want more space and less mobile, or less space and more mobile. Wondering if we could have both (being human after all) and if there's a van that could tow a 10k lb tiny house.
CyberEric said:
Thanks all, very helpful.
Tom, how much could the 3.5EB tow?
In an interesting development, my wife and I are now cross shopping vans with tiny houses! We can't decide if we want more space and less mobile, or less space and more mobile. Wondering if we could have both (being human after all) and if there's a van that could tow a 10k lb tiny house.
Pretty sure essentially every configuration of Transit is within spitting distance of 5,000 lb for tow rating.
In reply to Spearfishin :
The tow rating IIRC is more chassis based than engine based.
I am pretty sure that dually Transits exist but I think they have the same brakes as the non dually models.
In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :
I have seen those dually versions, thanks for the reminder. Maybe they can tow more than 5k? It's sort of a ridiculous idea, but thought I'd check.
Thanks Spearfishin.
In reply to CyberEric :
Edit: I was incorrect on the tow ratings.
This is directly from Ford's website:
Pete. (l33t FS) said:
In reply to Spearfishin :
The tow rating IIRC is more chassis based than engine based.
I am pretty sure that dually Transits exist but I think they have the same brakes as the non dually models.
More cooling than anything else.
In reply to stanger_mussle (Supported by GRM undergarments) :
Awesome, thank you. Seems there's no way a built out Transit with all that extra weight could tow a tiny house unless it was ~5k or less.
I've driven a 2015 midroof 3.5EB w/ lsd since new for work. It drives and hauls and trailers really nicely and is faster than it needs to be. It is pretty hapless off road or in snow w/o good tires. One minor pet peave is a lack of an easy access front tow point. I idle mine for 30-50 days/year running an inverter for an electric winch and working out of it all times of year and it's great for that. Mine needed a new rear axle at 90k, but otherwise was swell until 162k when a fuel injector stuck open and it scored a cylinder==>rebuilt engine. The first engine got 16-17 mpg going 74 mph. The rebuild gets closer to 14-15 mpg so far and has loud lifter tick.
If you don't tow much I might go 3.7NA if I were buying and maintaining (which I'm not). YMMV
Good to know, thank you for all that info. I'm thinking of leaning towards the 3.7. I like that it's not DI too. I am driving a 7300lb E250 with the 4.6 so I doubt I will notice much of a difference. I would really like to get an LSD for winter driving though, I wonder how many 3.7s came with one.
What was the problem with the rear axle? Sounds like you are the second person in this thread who has needed to replace an axle in one of these. Before buying, what should I be looking for to know it's starting to go bad?
In reply to CyberEric :
Whats wrong with DI to you?
If you want to tow 10k with a van you are gonna be in Econoline E350 Superduty territory with the diesel or the v10 or the Express with the HD V8. Transit or Sprinter won't cut it.
In reply to alfadriver :
I guess I associate it with dirty sludges valves. I'm open to your thoughts.
In reply to CyberEric :
As far as I'm aware, that's not an issue on Fords. Or at least a significant issue. Especially the 3.5l- there are millions of them out there, and I hear more about BMWs and other cars that might have them. Ford issues seem to be more water pump and cam phasers.
The water pump issue is really overblown IMO.
I have never seen a significant valve carbon (not sludge - it gets to be like charcoal in the ports) issue with Ford DI systems. They seem to stay pretty clean in there.
alfadriver said:
In reply to CyberEric :
The turbo can run more stoich under boost than the NA motor car.
I'd really like to know more about this. In my limited, old-school understanding turbos run rich under boost hence mileage suffers significantly if you're in boost. Alfadriver, I appreciate that you are a total subject matter expert in this area and I'm not doubting you. But I'd like to know how technology has moved past my outdated understanding. Direction injection? Electronic boost control? How does this play out in the market comparing torque, power and fuel mileage in, for example, a 1.6 turbo versus a 2.4 NA.
GRM, there could be a good story there.
