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Dilemma: Manual 2.3 VS Auto 2.7

rdass623

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i like a few before me am only here because of the availability if the manual transmission. in my lifetime, i have owned two cars with automatics. it used to be common to be able to do the cogswapping, but now it is almost a rare ability. but as a retired LEO, i am also aware the manual transmission is kryptonite to most who are stealing cars. autos are better for towing, but i will still have my Taco...
 

Cridlon

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Looks like it is time to

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Dads_bronze_bronco

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@Cactus Jack - I drove a 2 door 2.7 Squatch OBX on Saturday. I had been set on a 7MT 2 door BL - resigned to the 2.3 engine though. I know some of that was 2 door versus 4 door, but wow, I am wavering. $3K more I know, but hmmm...

Also:
- Squatch rides better (less truck like) than BL non-squatch
- MTs are noisier than KO2s
- Drove two different 2.7 10ATs (2 and 4dr) - the auto felt good on the 2 door, and undecided on the 4 door. 🤷‍♂️ Same 45 lb tire pressure, same Normal and Speed GOAT modes.

So, I know I am at least adding Mansquatch on October 13th.

What to do, what to do ...
 

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Sardine

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I'm getting the 2.7 and auto for the fuel economy. The reason being is if I had a manual I would definitely not granny it and my fuel economy will be complete garbage. I already have two other stick shift cars (240Z and MR2 Turbo) so when I get the itch I just drive those. :)
 

zombie

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I'm getting the 2.7 and auto for the fuel economy. The reason being is if I had a manual I would definitely not granny it and my fuel economy will be complete garbage. I already have two other stick shift cars (240Z and MR2 Turbo) so when I get the itch I just drive those. :)
Buying a Bronco based on fuel economy...?
 

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Have driven manual pretty much my entire life, but might just jump ship and go auto.

The reason is simple, I want the more powerful 2.7

The only thing that makes me question that decision is whether or not the manual 2.3 will be fast enough.

With a Ford Performance tune, it could make 345 HP and 385 lb-ft torque, which comes very close to 2.7L output figures.

I’m afraid if I go manual 2.3, I’ll wish I had more power, but if I go auto 2.7, I’ll wish I had a manual.

When will we have the opportunity to drive Broncos?
I will be doing the 45min test drive on an off road park the 29th.Check with Ford on locations near you .I am in CA , S F Bay Area , I know lucky me 😫Walnut Creek Ford has two test drive rigs , a four door big bend and a 4 door wildtrak I believe it was , it has the Sasquatch package .
 

Therackmount

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I will be doing the 45min test drive on an off road park the 29th.Check with Ford on locations near you .I am in CA , S F Bay Area , I know lucky me 😫Walnut Creek Ford has two test drive rigs , a four door big bend and a 4 door wildtrak I believe it was , it has the Sasquatch package .
Yeh , saw stickers on 4 door 2.3 , said 21/22 , I suspect it will be less. I think what I am going to do to improve gas mileage is get a set of more street tread tires , maybe 31" or 32" on some 17 " or 18" rims and put my 35" squatch tires and rims on when I hit the mountains during archery Elk hunting season .There are a couple Boulder patch roads I go up to get to my hunting spots In Oregons Blue Mountains. I am not a serious weekend rock crawler , but I go into some nasty country a few times a year , big tires and lockers make all the difference, my old 87 wrangler without lockers isn't worth a shit 4 wheeling , lucky I have a Rhino side by side.The Jeep has nickel and dimed me for years , always something going out on it , not much left to replace , it's going soon .
 

rutherk1

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I would have bought he 2.3 even if I went auto. Nothing to back this is but I feel like the 2.3 is going to be the better engine. Less complicated. Single turbo. Less plumbing. Less cam phasers. It has plenty of power. The 2.3 and 2.7 horsepower numbers aren’t hugely different. The 2.7 has more torque but with the gearing options on the 2.3 manual, you won’t be missing anything.

If you want an MT, get the MT. 2.3 is a perfectly fine option. It’s not like you are going to be racing anyone either way. Both engine options are going to be slow.
 

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BDSteelies

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I'll post a suggestion for this below.

For the record, the most torque you can possibly get in any Bronco is the 2.3 in crawl, that should be overwhelmingly advantageous with a calculated 20,000-something ft lb tq (obviously traction limited)





When something like this pops up a few months after posting things it gives a great example of how we can use these forums to expand the tribal knowledge base when people give inputs.

As mentioned, i've been consistently critical of the automatic transmission in Ranger as I believe it spoils what is otherwise a very competent, powerful, and robust drivetrain. I specifically avoid mentioning the ecoboost Mustang as the motors are different enough in their application and build that Ranger is, to me, the best example.

What is available to us that we can manually engage on Ranger to get a valid idea of what a manual Bronco might be like?

  • You'll have to do the following process (based on my 2+ years of fiddling with our '19 Ranger Lariat)
    • Must be in sport mode ("S" in the gear selector)
    • lock out gears 7-10 so they can't be engaged
      • I realize gearing ratios for 10 closely spaced gears is NOT the same as the ratios used in Manual Bronco, if you want a true apples to apples comparison, then wait for Bronco to be released and give us your input!
    • As soon as you're in "S" toggle the gear selector (the "+/-" button on side of gear selector) so that your active gear is shown on the right cluster graphic
    • Tach should be default on the left cluster graphic in S mode, if not, bring the tach up so you know your engine speed. Sound alone will not work for this rig, the fan is louder than the engine.
    • Drive the Ranger hard, wrap it up to near redline in 2nd through 6th gear using the manual gear selector button.
      • This should get you pulling hard enough that it's awkward to be going so fast in a giant bread box, slow TF down there, chief!
      • If you aren't pulling hard up to about 70 mph and, predictably, a slower pull from 70 mph to 100 mph, then I don't know what's wrong with what you did, try again.

The 2.3 in Ranger is PLENTY powerful enough for use in Bronco. It's actually a sweet little motor with plenty of torque, power and capacity. It's not high strung in Ranger (at all) like it is in Focus RS and is a great cruiser or hauler. With about 6,500 lbs in total weight (trailer, bed weight and cabin plus humans) our Ranger has done flawlessly using the 2.3, they actually paired a great engine to the truck and the manual in Bronco resolves the only flaw, the horrific automatic transmission of soul-sucking numbness.... Excluding when it slams into 2nd gear and sounds like it just money-shifted itself into the scrap yard, that's not soul sucking, it just sucks.

All motors under 6.0 liters is small, IMHO, so the "big 2.7" argument falls on deaf ears here.



Ford Bronco Dilemma: Manual 2.3 VS Auto 2.7 Heads-God-Damnit-Stephen-Colbert




The tuning on Ford's 10-speed autos is quizzical at best. Obviously the only objective is to eek out that last 13/64ths of a mile per gallon in whatever testing parameters the NHTSA identifies. Nothing about it is making the vehicle drive properly.

Having an unloaded Ranger roll at 35 mph up a mild grade in 10th gear at 1,400 rpm, gasping for breath and losing momentum makes not one bit of sense. Yet that's the world we live in, and apparently the world Bronco owners touting the more-awesome-extreme-dragstrip-power 2.7 engine are pining for. Pity.
Ford Bronco Dilemma: Manual 2.3 VS Auto 2.7 1635061260123
 

AZ_Liberty

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I'm getting the 2.7 and auto for the fuel economy.
Assuming it's anything like my wife's F-150, Ford's shifting is dumb as a box of rocks. It hangs onto higher gears way too long, which keeps you in boost.

I get better gas mileage in a 14 year old 6000 pound Expedition than we do with her new 2.7 Ecoboost.

Sport mode will even improve gas mileage, because it holds gears longer. I have every expectation that the Bronco Auto will shift just as dumbly as the F-150.

I ordered the stick, because by God I HATE driving auto-magics. The only thing worse than an automatic transmission is those stupid gerbil powered rubber band CVTs.
 

mpeugeot

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If you have to have the manual, you will be able to make plenty of power on the 2.3 and it is the simpler, easier to upgrade motor. The extra displacement on the 2.7 does help spool turbos sooner and is likely to be the low RPM torque king, but power is a wash.

If you are driving mostly on the streets, the you have other options to improve acceleration too...

LOL, one option is to get the ultimate mall crawler OBX spec and slap some 235/40R18 Nitto NT01's on it. I am willing to bet in 4A with the rear diff locked on 25's, it would launch hard... Of course you loose about 4" of ground clearance, but it would be a hoot... Better than a Carolina Squat!
 

Sardine

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Assuming it's anything like my wife's F-150, Ford's shifting is dumb as a box of rocks. It hangs onto higher gears way too long, which keeps you in boost.

I get better gas mileage in a 14 year old 6000 pound Expedition than we do with her new 2.7 Ecoboost.

Sport mode will even improve gas mileage, because it holds gears longer. I have every expectation that the Bronco Auto will shift just as dumbly as the F-150.

I ordered the stick, because by God I HATE driving auto-magics. The only thing worse than an automatic transmission is those stupid gerbil powered rubber band CVTs.
I think maybe I worded my post wrong.

I’m getting the automatic because if I have it in manual I will be driving it harder than normal as I enjoy rowing gears a bit too much. So I might have a lead foot with the manual. It would tank the already low mpg.

The auto will keep me a little calmer, haha. And after driving a bunch of stick cars it does feel nice sometimes to just drive an auto and chill.

If I’m in the mood for driving stick I’ll drive my MR2.

That being said I’ll never consider an automatic if it’s a CVT. Those are garbage and I cringe that they even add fake gear shifts to them lmao.
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