Turbo Upgrades

Ford’s 2.7 EcoBoost twin-turbo V6 engine has been a mainstay in their lineup since its introduction in 2015. Depending on the model, it outputs an impressive 315-335 horsepower and 375-415 lb-ft of torque. But for those looking to get even more out of their EcoBoost, twin-turbo upgrades are the way to go. With a 2.7 EcoBoost turbo upgrade, you can make more than 600 wheel-horsepower.

2.7 EcoBoost Info and Turbo Upgrades Basics #

First, let’s talk a little bit about the 2.7 EcoBoost and what installing upgraded turbos entails. The 2.7 EcoBoost is a 2.7 liter V6 engine that utilizes twin-turbochargers. It has direct injection fueling and Ford first released it in 2015. Ford made the block from compacted graphite iron (CGI) and the heads are aluminum. In 2018, Ford introduced the second generation of the engine which added numerous upgrades. Most important was the addition of port fuel injection to supplement the direct injection. 

Depending on the year, make, and model, the 2.7 EcoBoost outputs 315-335 horsepower and 350-415 lb-ft of torque. The first generation had a 10.0:1 compression ratio, which increased to 10.3:1 for the second generation. The OEM turbos are JT4Z-6K682-B & JT4Z-6K682-A turbos that combine for 17-18 PSI at maximum boost. Ford gave them slight upgrades for the second generation to improve spool and increase consistency. 

When upgrading the twin-turbos on the 2.7 EcoBoost there are many things to keep in mind. First off is the budget. A turbo upgrade will cost $5,000-$10,000 at a minimum. That includes not just the kit itself, but all supporting mods, installation labor, and other minor upgrades. If you plan on using the stock turbo housings, you will be limited by turbo-size, but stuffing in larger than stock turbo housings is a difficult fit.

Turbo Upgrade Horsepower Gains  #

Depending on the size of your turbos, you can make anywhere from small to massive gains with upgraded 2.7 EcoBoost twin-turbos. On the low-end, upgraded OEM turbos are capable of ~400 wheel-horsepower with ethanol-blended fueling. On the high-end, stage 4 turbo swaps can increase power up to more than 600 wheel-horsepower while still using the OEM turbo housing.

2.7 EcoBoost Power Limits #

It’s important to keep in mind how much power a stock 2.7 EcoBoost engine can handle with turbo upgrades. The stock engine makes 335 horsepower and 434 lb-ft of torque in its most powerful version. That equates to around 300 wheel-horsepower and just under 400 wheel-torque. As we mentioned, you can push more than 600 wheel-horsepower with the right turbos, which is roughly double the power of stock. 

As far as the engine itself goes, the CGI block and aluminum heads are good through 600 wheel-horsepower. Past 600 wheel-horsepower you are getting into uncharted territory, but the block should be capable of at least a little bit more. The limiting factor on the 2.7 EcoBoost is going to be the internals. The internals are not forged, and they will let go around 500 wheel-horsepower on most builds.

That’s not always the case, as there are some stock engines running more than 550 wheel-horsepower. However, for the most part, the rods and pistons are not reliable past 500 wheel-horsepower for any serious length of time on the EcoBoost. If you plan on exceeding that, getting forged pistons, connecting rods, and head studs are smart upgrades. 

2.7 EcoBoost Turbo Upgrade Supporting Mods #

While turbo upgrades are certainly fun, you definitely don’t want to make that your first 2.7 EcoBoost upgrade. Upgrading the turbos should be one of the final parts of your build, and you will want to make sure you have all the right supporting mods to maximize horsepower and safety. 

First up is upgrading the exhaust. The stock downpipes are already restrictive with just the OEM turbos. If you plan on pushing even more air into the engine, you need to upgrade the downpipes and rest of the exhaust to reduce exhaust back pressure and decrease restriction. Check out our 2.7 EcoBoost downpipes guide and 2.7 EcoBoost exhaust guide for more info.

Next up, you will want to make sure you have an upgraded intercooler. Intercoolers are crucial on twin-turbo applications because of the excess heat generated by both blowers. Like the downpipes, the OEM intercooler is already somewhat overmatched even with the stock turbos. Getting a larger intercooler will allow for superior cooling, which will help reduce detonation and increase power. Check out our 2.7 EcoBoost intercooler upgrade guide.

Finally, if you plan on upgrading the turbos, you will need to find a tuning solution. Without tuning, the OEM calibration will not be able to handle upgraded turbos. The engine will likely struggle to idle, will run lean under boost, and can detonate and eventually suffer catastrophic damage. We have a 2.7 EcoBoost tuning guide you can check out to learn more about tuning.

Best 2.7 EcoBoost Turbo Upgrades #

The best 2.7 EcoBoost turbo upgrades are: 

• CRP Engineering Stage 2-4 turbo upgrades
• PureTurbos OEM turbo upgrades

1) CRP Engineering Twin-turbo Upgrades #

There are only a few 2.7 EcoBoost turbo upgrade kits on the market, and by far the most popular is from CRP Engineering. CRP Engineering covers the 2.7 EcoBoost-powered F-150 from 2015–2020, and has three different options for each year. These are stage 2, stage 3, or stage 4 turbo upgrades. On the low-end, the stage 2 upgrades produce a maximum of 450 wheel-horsepower. On the other side of the spectrum, the stage 4 turbos pump out as much as 600 wheel-horsepower.

CRP takes OEM Ford JT4Z-6K682 A/B turbos and upgrades the internals to make them spool quicker and produce more power. These include a performance 6+6 blade 43m/56mm CR billet compressor wheel and high flow 45mm MAR CR 8 blade turbine for the stage 4 setup. You can either send CRP your own OEM turbos and have them make the changes, or you can buy brand new upgraded OEM turbos from CRP, instead. 

Keep in mind, buying brand new turbos is about a $2,000 increase in price, which basically doubles the price of the kit. You will need separate ECU tuning with the CRP kit, but they can produce some incredible power.

2) Pure Turbos Upgrades #

The only other reliable 2.7 EcoBoost turbo upgrade kit on the market is the Pure Turbos kit. Like the CRP Engineering kit, Pure Turbos is an upgrade for the OEM Ford JT4Z-6K682 A/B turbos. Pure Turbos takes the OEM turbos and swaps out the internals to make them perform better and spool quicker. These are basically the same upgrade as the CRPs, but they are smaller and do not produce as much power. 

However, Pure Turbos also covers the Edge and Fusion vehicles, which the CRP turbo upgrades do not. Pure Turbos estimates that their upgrades can produce as much as 550 wheel-horsepower with ethanol and proper tuning. Like the CRP turbos, the Pure Turbos kit will also require separate engine management.

2.7 EcoBoost Turbo Upgrades FAQ #