Manual or the 2.7

[JT1]

Up until yesterday I was set on manual....but I read an article about how the smaller engine will probably go out quicker than the v6 d/t workload.
Automatic it is.

I wouldn't put much stock in that. I could say the 2.3 has 33% fewer moving parts to fail. Also, we are talking about what, 24? cubic inches difference in displacement.

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[Rick Astley]

Crawler gear sounds perfect for traffic. Roll along at 1 mph. ?

EXACTLY!!!! This is massively under-rated or not considered at all.

Had a 4WD Honda civic wagon for about 5 years that had a 6-speed manual (Super Low 1st gear) which had about a 75:1 crawl ratio. You could literally roll through stop-and-go freeway traffic in SL1 without touching a pedal for mile after mile. Sure there would be times traffic was 10-15 car lengths ahead, but you always catch back up.... Not like you're going anywhere quickly!

The Bronco's 95:1 crawl ratio should be a little slower than the ~3 mph which Civic rode at. Which is probably even better now that Seattle is so overpopulated and traffic is utterly F'd.

 

[Rick Astley]

I wouldn't put much stock in that. I could say the 2.3 has 33% fewer moving parts to fail. Also, we are talking about what, 24? cubic inches difference in displacement.

2.3 ltr = 140.35 cubic inches

2.7 ltr = 164.5 cubic inches

In forced induction the cubic inches are drastically less important than the maximum PSI that the block and head allow you to run at.

In my Mitsubishi Evo with only a cast iron 2.0 ltr it could handle about 30-40 psi without breaking a sweat. The Mustang 2.3 has a standard max of 20 psi and is widely regarded to have a max PSI of 25 before pistons and valves start docking each other.

The 2.7 has a few cases of going to 30-33 psi before those motors blew up. The 2.7 runs a max of only 17-18 psi in 2-10th gear (1st gear is retarded to only 12 psi).

So one could infer that the Mustang/Ranger 2.3 running at 20 psi is indeed putting slightly larger strain on the motor than the 2.7, however, that drastically over-simplifies things as the 2.3 was built with that 20 psi in mind and it's also generating that from a single turbocharger and has different fuel injection methodology. They have both been engineered from the beginning to their respective PSI/HP/TQ/RPM/Mileage specs and there are no conclusive signs from either engine that a drastic design flaw exists in either.

What you gain in simplicity with a single turbo setup in the 2.3, you also lose a bit with acute psi management and the more efficient fuel delivery system of the 2.7. Both motors have proven themselves to be stout, reliable and performing to specification.

Let's not go into the transmissions!

 

[JT1]

2.3 ltr = 140.35 cubic inches

2.7 ltr = 164.5 cubic inches

In forced induction the cubic inches are drastically less important than the maximum PSI that the block and head allow you to run at.

In my Mitsubishi Evo with only a cast iron 2.0 ltr it could handle about 30-40 psi without breaking a sweat. The Mustang 2.3 has a standard max of 20 psi and is widely regarded to have a max PSI of 25 before pistons and valves start docking each other.

The 2.7 has a few cases of going to 30-33 psi before those motors blew up. The 2.7 runs a max of only 17-18 psi in 2-10th gear (1st gear is retarded to only 12 psi).

So one could infer that the Mustang/Ranger 2.3 running at 20 psi is indeed putting slightly larger strain on the motor than the 2.7, however, that drastically over-simplifies things as the 2.3 was built with that 20 psi in mind and it's also generating that from a single turbocharger and has different fuel injection methodology. They have both been engineered from the beginning to their respective PSI/HP/TQ/RPM/Mileage specs and there are no conclusive signs from either engine that a drastic design flaw exists in either.

What you gain in simplicity with a single turbo setup in the 2.3, you also lose a bit with acute psi management and the more efficient fuel delivery system of the 2.7. Both motors have proven themselves to be stout, reliable and performing to specification.

Let's not go into the transmissions!

correct 100%, we also don't need to get into valve sizes/shrouding with the smaller bores of the 2.7 or any of that. Neither of these engines are designed to be high rpm screamers. They are both perfectly fine for their intended purposes.

 

[Wanted33]

I voted manual, but Lord knows I'm like an old woman at the local bargain barn looking at house dresses. I just can't seem to make up my mind.

 

[dnvrBronco]

Manual was the way to go until I-70 turned into a parking lot on weekends or powder days. Manual for the trail, Auto for the way home. 2.7 for me.

 

[ragingclue]

EXACTLY!!!! This is massively under-rated or not considered at all.

Had a 4WD Honda civic wagon for about 5 years that had a 6-speed manual (Super Low 1st gear) which had about a 75:1 crawl ratio. You could literally roll through stop-and-go freeway traffic in SL1 without touching a pedal for mile after mile. Sure there would be times traffic was 10-15 car lengths ahead, but you always catch back up.... Not like you're going anywhere quickly!

The Bronco's 95:1 crawl ratio should be a little slower than the ~3 mph which Civic rode at. Which is probably even better now that Seattle is so overpopulated and traffic is utterly F'd.

Oh man I used to commute the length of the Ike (the Chicago one) every day in my Mustang with 3.31s.... Every day I wished I had a crawler gear. I'm too lazy to do the math but 1st on that thing was a little long, and the Coyote didn't particularly like to lug. Now I'm in a situation where there's never any traffic and I might finally be getting a Ford with Getrag crawler gear. Weird how it works out I guess.

 

[Rick Astley]

Up until yesterday I was set on manual....but I read an article about how the smaller engine will probably go out quicker than the v6 d/t workload.
Automatic it is.

Since CousinItalian isn't siting the source of his post, I think I found what he's talking about....

https://www.motorbiscuit.com/the-ford-bronco-model-you-need-to-avoid/

Now, i'll go out and say that MotorBiscuit seems to be a fairly sensationalist site with TONS of clickbaiting and catchy titles, plus circular links to spawn those clicks.

The real reference is to everybody's quasi-mechanic Scotty Kilmer's (of youtube and self-promoting podcast fame). You can build your own impressions of Scotty, but they seem a perfect match at least in terms of sensationalist titles and blatant lack of factual information, MotorBiscuit and Scotty Kilmer.

 

[NoName57]

manual is a gimmick for boomers come at me

Is someone mad because they don't know how to shift gears?

 

[Jdc]

Whoa. Surprised it’s so close. I would have expected the automatics to be winning by a mile.

sticks are for my sports cars. A daily truck is auto. Live on the East coast so wheeling all the time ain’t a thing for me.

also having multiple cars allows you to DD an auto for confort and ease of having other drive if needed; while having a other stick cars for fun.

This a forum for enthusiasts. When the Bronco goes on sale, the automatic sales will easily outpace the manual

 

[Jdc]

manual is a gimmick for boomers come at me

one of the funniest comments I've read on this forum

 

[indio22]

Oh man I used to commute the length of the Ike (the Chicago one) every day in my Mustang with 3.31s.... Every day I wished I had a crawler gear. I'm too lazy to do the math but 1st on that thing was a little long, and the Coyote didn't particularly like to lug. Now I'm in a situation where there's never any traffic and I might finally be getting a Ford with Getrag crawler gear. Weird how it works out I guess.

I used to drive from the western suburbs, I290 into the city then under on Lower Wacker, along LSD up to Loyola University lake shore campus. In my 3 speed manual CJ5. And that clutch was a workout, due to the cable linkage and age. Especially with traffic. I probably got some left leg nerve damage from that thing. So what am I going with in the new Bronco? Manual trans of course! Especially if the 2.3L/manual combo is several thousand lower cost than the 2.7/auto.

 

[indio22]

Is someone mad because they don't know how to shift gears?

To be fair to the younger gen, it's more difficult to text and take selfies while manually shifting gears.

 

[vrewald14]

Since CousinItalian isn't siting the source of his post, I think I found what he's talking about....

https://www.motorbiscuit.com/the-ford-bronco-model-you-need-to-avoid/

Now, i'll go out and say that MotorBiscuit seems to be a fairly sensationalist site with TONS of clickbaiting and catchy titles, plus circular links to spawn those clicks.

The real reference is to everybody's quasi-mechanic Scotty Kilmer's (of youtube and self-promoting podcast fame). You can build your own impressions of Scotty, but they seem a perfect match at least in terms of sensationalist titles and blatant lack of factual information, MotorBiscuit and Scotty Kilmer.

Scotty Kilmer's opinions carry as much weight as the 8.5x11" sheet of paper on my desk...

And that "motor biscuit" article is just awful. Essentially all 1 sided opinions with little to no data or facts to back anything up... Keep scrolling at the above link and you'll soon know why "The Ford Bronco is Overhyped Compared to Jeep" and why "The Jeep Wrangler is better for off-roading than the Ford Bronco ".

Stay away from sources like these people. Appreciate your keeness in trying to find factual support for both sides of the question @Rick Astley .

 

[vrewald14]

SOOOOO... Now that we're all getting a "GLIMPSE" of what the auto / 2.7L prices COULD be from all these surveys... is anyone changing their mind?

Asking $3,500 additional for the auto + 2.7l definitely makes me happy that I've been after a manual since day 1.... That can buy me a lot of cool accessories!

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