Toyota Epic X22

[cadunkle]

I am not an ecoboost owner, but have to say that this engine has way better torque curve than any NA V8, and right where a boat needs it, 1600rpm and up. 400+ ft pounds at 1600rpm.

These engines are built like diesels. Bedplated crank, heavy duty pistons with oil injectors, etc. Turbocharging and direct injection have been in long haul trucking where durability is pretty important. And for the record, there are already plenty of ecoboost engines out there with well over 100K miles and running like new.

I remember when everyone was claiming the end of the world when electronic fuel injection was introduced into boats. Now, every boat has it and the systems are much more maintenance free than a carb.

One thing is constant.......Change.

That's a bold statement. The 460 in my truck makes well north of 500 ft/lbs of torque off idle, right where a tow pig and toy hauler needs it. Torque falls before it's wrung out at 5500 RPM, probably around 4000. Used to have a different cam in it that was like an on/off switch at 3000 RPM and pulled hard to around 6500 RPM. Changed the cam because while having very aggressive ramps the duration was more moderate and I expected power to come on earlier and more steadily. Don't get me wrong that cam was fun driving around unloaded and made great power chirping 38" tires on the 2-3 and 3-4 shift, but no good for towing as I'd have to wind it out in granny gear to get rolling and wind out every other gear or RPM would drop below 3000 and it's be a long slow pull up to where the power came on. So it got a significant drop in HP to trade for a tall and flat torque curve.

Maybe the bottom end of that little ecoboost is built tough, maybe not, I don't know the details. Oil jets for the bottom of the pistons is a good sign given it runs a fair amount of boost. I'd be curious what size main and rod journals it has and long term bottom end durability at both stock power levels and at big boy power levels. I got a turbo diesel this past year and am thoroughly unimpressed. The thing is a dog, no torque down low and no power up top. I rarely drive the 460 truck anymore but every time I do, it makes me hate the diesel. It's so darn slow, no torque and you gotta get way into the pump to accelerate as quick as just cracking the throttle on the 460 truck. The 460 truck is turning 35" tires while the diesel is turning stock tires (probably 31" or 32"), so I can only imagine the difference if it was a totally even playing field. I'm sure if I put a larger turbo and more boost to it it would be alright but that requires fabrication work and pulling the engine to install head studs and whatever else goes along with it. Only saving grace of the diesel is it'll burn anything flammable of similar viscosity to diesel (which means free fuel). The 460 needs 91 octane minimum with a less than optimal timing curve and prefers 94 octane. If burning pump fuel the slight increase in MPG of the diesel is negated by the higher price, they cost the same per mile to drive.

EFI? No thanks. I owned a vehicle with EFI once and it was the only vehicle I had to pour gas down the intake when it was below freezing to get it to start. Never again. All my carbed vehicle start just fine regardless of temperature and even the diesel was fine down to negative single digits this winter. I can't be inconvenienced with an engine that is mechanically healthy but won't start and hence won't get me to work because of a sensor or electronics issue. As my time on the water is valuable and I primarily boat on a busy river with lots of big ship traffic I won't take the risk of breaking down for no good reason in the middle of a shipping channel, so no EFI on my boat either. Holleys are simple and reliable, they just plain work and aside from a few a few rare issues of plugged air bleeds from inadequate or failed air filtration (i.e. not a carb problem) I've never had any issues with them. You can keep the change, I'll stick with what works for greater reliability and lower TCO.

[mtndreamer]

I find it hard to believe your 460 will out tow your turbo deisel, I'll never go back to gas in a pickup. I put 40 k on my lly Duramax a year it averages 20.2 - 20.7 between mostly highway and some city, turning 37 " mud tires with a bully dog PMT and a 4" turbo back exhaust. The truck has 300k on it and it runs like the day i got if with 30k. The motor hasn't even been touched . The 460 on 35" tires cant get better than 10mpg. Your diesel must be older, these new trucks make serious power and even more serious torque. Im not sure I understand the EFI comment either, I would much rather have to not monkey around with the carb on super hot days in the summer, or have my boat run differnent in the spring than in the heat of the summer, or monkey around with the closed float design of the marine 4160 carb. my next boat will for sure have efi. Just my opinion

[cadunkle]

I haven't towed with the diesel yet but I'm not expecting hooking 5000 lbs out back to miraculously give in an extra 100 ft/lbs. Maybe this summer I'll do a 0-60 time for each truck towing. Both trucks are '86, the diesel has a banks turbo and they claim something like 260 HP and 500 ft/lbs which is close to what stock powerstrokes made over the years. I haven't driven the 460 truck in a couple months so once again the diesel is feeling alright, not fast, not quick, but alright. Kind of like you get used to the little six banger in a Falcon, doesn't feel fast but after driving it every day long enough it feels normal.

The 460 gets about 10-10.5 MPG towing and 12.5 MPG unloaded. Nothing to write home about but not bad for a 6000 lbs lifted truck. I built the engine for torque and efficiency. It's night and day driving the 460 vs the 6.9. It'll take a good amount of time and money to make this pig perform anywhere near what I'm used to. It is a simple reliable workhorse that's cheap and easy to maintain if you don't mind the lack of power.

Not sure what's wrong with your boat, but I've never had any issues with my vehicles requiring monkeying around or running differently early or late in the season. I don't have issues with closed bowl 4160 carbs because I only run 4150s with externally adjustable floats. The car has a 750 CFM 4150 VS, the truck a 750 CFM 4150 DP, and the boat an 800 CFM 4150 DP. They all just work with no issues. I don't touch EFI, too unreliable and expensive. I need my stuff to just plain work.

If the State didn't back me into a corner I'd be perfectly happy to keep on with my gas truck as I didn't want or need the extra expense and waste of time dealing with another truck that performs nowhere near what I already had and will take a lot to be equivalent.