Ford’s 2011 F-150 pickup is offered with four heavy-hitting engines: A 3.6L Duratec V6, 3.5L EcoBoost V6, 5.0L Coyote V8, and a powerful 6.2L Boss V8. All are very good options and cover the needs of most prospective truck buyers.
Key Points
- 2011 Ford F-150 trucks with the 3.7L Duratec V6 can tow a respectable 6,100 pounds thanks to having over 300 horsepower and nearly that in lb.-ft. of torque.
- Available in all trim and cab configurations, Ford’s 5.0L Coyote V8 is the exciting Mustang engine specially tuned for the 2011 Ford F-150.
- The 2011 Ford F-150’s premium engine is the 3.5L EcoBoost, bringing impressive towing capability and better fuel economy thanks to its twin turbos.
- 6.2L Boss V8 is the most powerful engine but has some problems reported by owners. You’ll only find this potent motor in upper trim levels, as well as the Raptor.
2011 F-150’s Base 3.7L Duratec V6 Engine Brings 6,100-pound Towing Capacity
Borrowed from the 2011 Ford Mustang, the 3.7-liter Duratec V6 is the base engine for the 2011 Ford F-150. It packs 305 horsepower and 280 lb.-ft. of torque. While less powerful than other 2011 Ford F-150 engines, the 3.7L V6 can tow up to an impressive 6,100 pounds. Though, it does have to work harder to achieve those performance numbers, which can negatively affect longevity if you frequently tow at max capacity. For this reason, this engine is best suited as a daily driver/occasional hauler.
In terms of fuel economy, the 3.7L V6 puts out 17 mpg in the city and 22 on the highway. This engine can also run on E85 fuel, which when running gets 12 mpg in the city and 17 mpg on the highway respectively.
The Duratec V6 is available on the XL, XLT, and STX trims.
With that, there are no recalls for the 3.7L V6 issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
2011 Ford F-150’s 5.0 Coyote V8 Delivers Desirable Power and Torque with Mustang GT Pedigree
The 5.0-liter Coyote V8 is famous for being in the Ford Mustang GT. In the 2011 Ford F-150, this V8 engine has been specially tuned to better suit the F-150 platform. It doesn’t have as much horsepower as it does in the Mustang, but still makes a more than adequate 360 horsepower and 380 lb.-ft. of torque. That means 2011 F-150’s with the Coyote V8 can tow up to 9,300 pounds, although that can vary depending on the configuration/trim.
The 5.0 Coyote V8 only loses marginally in fuel economy against the Duratec V6. It gets 15 mpg in the city and 21 on the highway. With E85 Ethanol fuel in the tank, it puts out 11 mpg in the city and 15 on the highway.
This engine is available on all trims and has no recalls issued for it from the NHTSA.
2011 F-150’s Efficient 3.5L EcoBoost V6 Brings Impressive 11,300 Pounds of Towing Capacity
Available on all 2011 F-150 trims except the SXT, the EcoBoost V6 is the best choice for buyers who want to save a bit of money on fuel. This twin-turbocharged V6 engine produces 365 horsepower and 420 lb.-ft. of torque. The V6’s flat torque curve makes the torque available early in the rev range, helping the 2011 F-150 get to 60 mph in just 6.1 seconds. That’s two-tenths of a second faster than trucks with the larger and more powerful 6.2L Boss V8.
In the fuel economy department, the gains are marginal. The EcoBoost engine gets 17 mpg in the city and 22 on the highway.
This engine also has no recalls issued for it by the NHTSA.
2011 F-150’s 6.2L Boss V8 Brings Power and Torque Boost but has a Couple of Common Problems Reported by Owners
With 414 horsepower and 434 lb.-ft. of torque, the 6.2L V8 is the most powerful engine offered in the 2011 Ford F-150. In fact, this is actually the engine that comes in the high-performance F-150 SVT Raptor. This V8 heavy hitter can propel the F-150 from zero to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds. That’s over one and a half seconds faster than Ford’s old 5.4L V8 of previous F-150 model years.
The 6.2L V8 has a couple of common problems reported by owners. At around 100,000 miles, it can start to burn oil. Owners have also reported issues with the engine’s water pump at both high and low miles. These issues can be prevented by following Ford’s recommended maintenance schedule every 5,000 miles
With all that power and torque, there is a significant loss in fuel economy. The Boss V8 gets 13 mpg in the city and 18 on the highway.
This engine is only available on the Supercrew versions of the Lariat, Platinum, Harley Davidson, and Raptor trims and has no recalls issued for it.
All 2011 Ford F-150 Engines are Reliable and Should Last 250,000 Miles without Much Issue
The engines for the 2011 Ford F-150 were built to last. They are pretty reliable, but because these have been engineered for the 2011 F-150, that reliability comes at a higher price for maintenance. The average annual repair price for the 2011 Ford F-150 is $833 per Repair Pal.
Additionally, many owners on the 2011 F-150’s Vehicle History owner review page attest to the reliability these engines bring to the truck’s package. With regular maintenance and care, these engines will easily last to 250,000 miles.
Whether you want a quiet, more efficient V6, or a big V8 with plenty of power, the 2011 Ford F-150 has an engine option to suit any pickup owner’s needs.
Photos: Ford; Deposit Photos
