Weak Engine Braking??

[GordoJay]

I do agree the 3.5 Raptor is still a great machine to this day. Still has good power and performance and awesome range. The R to come was probably the reason why Ford didn’t bother to bump the power to even 500HP.

Sounds like the new rear suspension let them change the torque curve to put more down at the low end without having the axle wrap of the gen 2. So same hp, better performance? Works for me.

 

[zemuron99]

I agree, the engine braking on the Raptor is pretty poor. I came from a Taco, roughly the same size engine (3.5 L E'boost vs 3.4L 5VZ-FE), but a substantially lighter truck. Engine braking on the Taco was pretty good, the Raptor not so much. I think it comes down to the physics of the amount of energy contained in a moving 6k truck vs the compression/resistance that the E'boost can generate. To slow it down, the energy of the moving truck has to be dissipated somehow, either as heat in the brakes or energy consumed in overcoming the resistance of the engine. Even with fuel flow cut off, the E'boost just doesn't generate enough 'resistance' to dissipate all that momentum energy. I've locked out gears 6-10 more than a few times on long downhills and haven't really felt a lot of braking. Not sure I'd want to spin up the motor much beyond 4-4.5 K for too long unless I could feel my brakes starting to fade.

 

[pat247]

I will repeat Tow/Haul will give you true engine braking, this is explained in the f150 owners manual, for 2014 page 146. What the tow/haul button does basically is lock the tourque converter to the engine 1:1 reguardless of PRS or M mode, TH will also hold gears longer.

 

[K223]

I will repeat Tow/Haul will give you true engine braking, this is explained in the f150 owners manual, for 2014 page 146. What the tow/haul button does basically is lock the tourque converter to the engine 1:1 reguardless of PRS or M mode, TH will also hold gears longer.

I have noticed most of this in the times I have used this mode. Very true. Not great for on road unless your actually towing. But more value off road if your in it.

 

[jzweedyk]

On a side note, at least on Gen 2, when you downshift manually (with the paddles or button) the computer rev matches which doesn't help if you are downshifting for engine braking. But if you delete gears there is no rev matching.

 

[Old-Raptor-guy]

I would agree with this thread. I have a PSD also and a Raptor (fairly new to Raptor ownership) and in the Raptor I keep over extending my stops. Either ending up 1/2 a truck length into an intersection or going into a tight corner (off road) a little hotter than I like. It occurred to me this weekend that the issue is engine braking.

Which is ironic to me as many diesel owners bitch about engine braking and add "exhaust brakes" to some diesels.

Even in Baja mode that keeps RPMs relatively high.