Ford 1.0L EcoBoost I-3 Engine Specs, Problems & Reliability
The Ford 1.0 EcoBoost is a 1.0-liter inline three-cylinder gasoline turbocharged and direct fuel injected engine, the smallest engine of the Ford's EcoBoost family. The 1.0L EcoBoost firstly became available in 2012 in the Ford Focus and C-Max. Currently, this power unit has a wide range of applications in deferent power versions. The engine fits very well in many types of vehicle - from the small hatchback Ford Fiesta to a mid-size car like Ford Mondeo (D segment). Ford also introduced naturally aspirated versions - the 1.0l Fox engine with direct fuel injection or multi-port fuel injection (PFI).
The 1.0 EcoBoost engine has an open-deck design cylinder block made from grey cast iron. Cast iron block is heavier than aluminum ones but reduces the amount of energy needed for warm-up by up to 50%. That has a positive effect on emissions. The crankshaft also made of cast iron, has 6 counterweights and 4 main bearings. The unique unbalanced flywheel and front pulley allowed refusing use of a balance shaft. The engine operates smoothly without spending energy on the balance shaft rotation. Inside the engine block, there is cast aluminum, low-friction coated pistons and forged connecting rods. Ford engineers also improve the lubrication system to increase the efficiency of the engine. The 1.0l EcoBoost is equipped with an electronically controlled variable displacement oil pump.
On top of the block, there is an aluminum alloy 12-valve cylinder head. The exhaust manifold is integrated into the cylinder head which lowers the temperature of the exhaust gases and warms up the engine more quickly at cold starts. There are 4 valves per cylinder: two on the exhaust side and two on the intake side. The Direct Acting Mechanical Bucket (DAMB) valvetrain uses polished solid buckets (tappets). The engine has belt driven intake and exhaust camshafts (DOHC engine). The low-friction timing belt-in-oil drive with dynamic tensioner provide quieter and more efficient running (about 20%) with the reliability of a chain. The timing belt warranty is 10 years or 120,000 miles (200,000 km). The 1.0l EcoBoost is equipped with Ti-VCT (Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing).
The engine has a Bosch high-pressure direct fuel injection system. Each cylinder has a 6-hole solenoid injector which injects the fuel directly in the combustion chamber supplied by a high-pressure fuel pump. The max fuel pressure is 150 bar. The one thing, which makes Ecoboost engine so powerful, is a turbocharger. The 1.0-liter version has a water-cooled, small, low-inertia, high-speed Continental turbocharger. The charged air goes in a composite intake manifold through the air-to-air intercooler with an additional electric fan. The engine itself is cooled by a split cooling system with two thermostats and two circuits, one for the top end and turbocharger and one for the engine block. That system also includes an electric water pump used for cooling the turbocharger even when the hot engine is turned off.
The engine operation is managed by Bosch MED17 control unit with CAN-Bus and individual cylinder knock control. For emission reduction, there is a close coupled three-way catalyst system with a heated universal oxygen sensor and catalyst monitor sensor post catalyst. The engine complies the Euro-5 and Euro-6 European emission levels.
The 999cc engine, the smallest and most advanced Ford EcoBoost engine, was awarded several times in the International Engine of Year Award as the Best Engine Under 1.0 L. It combines an ultra-low friction, high-efficient, and durable design which delivers power and performance allowed to rival a traditional 1.6-liter gasoline engine. The Ford experience gained in engine downsizing technology formed the basis of the new three-cylinder EcoBoost engine - 1.5l I-3 EcoBoost Dragon.
Engine Specs
1.0 EcoBoost Engine Problems and Reliability
First of all, the engine has only direct fuel injection and no fuel in the intake ports. The fuel in the ports acts as a natural cleaner. Without it, soot and carbon layer covers the intake valve stems and restricts the airflow through the ports. Dirty intake valves have problems with a tight closing, which leads to loose of engine power and serious damage of valves and valve seats. As a rule, it will inevitably be detected in engines with big mileage.
The engines produced before 2014 had a problem with a bottom hose of the coolant system that would split and dump the coolant off, while the temperature sensor shows a normal temperature. A lot of engines were browned up until Ford changed that hose by redesigned one. That coolant issue is the biggest one. There is a pipe that runs from the expansion bottle to the engine that can also crack and lose its coolant. So keep an eye on coolant level.
High-mileage engines can suffer from issues with fuel pressure. The low fuel pressure produced by fuel pump doesn't allow the engine to achieve its full performance numbers. Replacing the worn cam bucket with a new one can increase fuel pressure and performance.
The 1.0 EcoBoost engine got a bad reputation at the start of its life. But many issues were fixed and reliability was improved. Blown head gaskets and coolant leakages happen rarely. Many car owners report mileage of 80-100k miles without any engine problems. Together with its strong sides such as extremely low fuel consumption, high torque, and low emissions tax, the engine is a good choice in modern reality for a compact city hatchback or even bigger car.