The 2.7-liter EcoBoost engine by Ford is widely used in various vehicles, with the F-150 being the most popular. This engine, featured in a video by ‘I Do Cars’, underwent a teardown that uncovered a melted piston inside the cylinder.
The engine in question was removed from a 2015-2017 F-150, but the reasons for its removal are unknown. Its mileage is also unclear, and it is uncertain if any aftermarket tuning was done to the engine. However, visually, it appears to be completely stock.
The video begins with the engine on a stand, still intact and showing no signs of damage. It still turns over smoothly and exhibits good compression. However, the discovery of an undone electrical connector on one of the spark plug coils raises suspicion. Additionally, it seems that the spark plugs from that cylinder bank had been removed and reinstalled at some point. Nevertheless, all the plugs appear to be factory original, indicating that the engine has likely traveled less than 100,000 miles.
The disassembly continues, with the removal of the wiring harness, intake plenum, and turbochargers. At this point, the connection starts to become clearer as one of the turbos shows small metal flakes in a mesh filter. The oil filter is also cut open, revealing more metal fragments. It becomes evident that a significant failure has occurred within the engine.
Removing the valve covers confirms that the dual overhead camshafts and valvetrain are in good condition, although additional small metal flakes are found in various locations. Furthermore, the removal of the timing chain cover uncovers sparkly metal bits in oily areas at the bottom. However, the components remain undamaged. Finally, the heads are removed, and the first one looks fine, just like the rest of the teardown.
The second head reveals the issue—a melted piston. Although the missing part of the piston is relatively small, it has caused extensive damage. The piston literally melted into the cylinder wall, resulting in damage to the valves and combustion chamber in that cylinder.
It is uncertain if the engine block can be salvaged, and the exact cause of this condition remains unknown. The video does not provide a definitive conclusion, except to say that there are several factors that could lead to a melted piston. Nonetheless, the teardown reveals that Ford’s 2.7-liter EcoBoost engine is generally well-built from a manufacturing standpoint.
It is worth noting that Ford issued a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) for the 2.7-liter EcoBoost engine during this period. The TSB addresses issues with faulty valves in the heads, which could cause rough running and excessive oil consumption. However, it is unclear if this problem is related to the specific engine failure shown in the video.