According to this website in order to get 400HP you gotta use premium fuel.

I listened to an interview with a ford engineer and he said the bump in HP is 100% software related not anything mechanical.

 

Yes, I understand it's all in the tune, wondering what the manual says. Its probsbly the same exact motor as in the Platinum Explorer i just purchased for my wife, but detuned to make that transmission live. But thats 100 speculation on my part. Perhaps all the expeditions come with the same tune and using premium lessens the spark retard resulting in more power. I guess my real question is whether Platinum models truly have a different tune and what the manual indicates about type of fuel. Thanks

 

One major physical difference in the transverse Duratec series motors (2.7. 3.5, 3.7) is that the water pump is an "innie"....it is cam chain driven and fits in the valley, and requires that the whole timing cover come off to replace it. So it's like a $1500 job (10 hours of labor or something), and if the water pump leaks bigtime, it can kill the engine by dumping coolant into the oil. I know this is off topic but it sours me on the V6 in the transverse applications even though water pumps do not blow up often. This makes the engine shorter.

The inline Ecoboosts in the F150 and Expedition have the water pump externally mounted as in traditional engines because they're plenty short in those applictions. So replacement should be much cheaper and if seals blow, the coolant would not go into the engine oil.

Ecoboosts do vary in tune, as well as intake and exhaust manifolds required to work in their applications. From 2015 on, the Navigator was rated at higher HP than the Expy but either required or strongly recommended 93 octane fuel. This was the Gen 1 EB engine.

The Gen 2 Ecoboosts in the F series (2017+?), new Raptor, and the 2018 Expy use port and direct injectors in combination like Toyota's system, which can keep intake valves cleaner....another plus for the EB in the big trucks for now. The 2nd gen EB 3.5 has more HP and torque in all applications with different turbochargers and electronically operated wastegates. So there is more potential in the Gen 2 Ecoboost in general.

 

I was able to take a platinum model out for a test drive, amazing truck.

 

I just read that the F150 has had the King Ranch model elevated to the same price as the Platinum, with the KR aimed at rural buyers and the Platinum aimed at city buyers.

The Expy is obviously not as much a farm vehicle (except for trailer towing duties) and the lower sales volume prolly doesn't justify KR and Platinum both. I'm a bit leery of pursuing the 2018 Expy myself because it's even bigger than the 2017, but I'd sure bet it's a nice truck.

George

 

It doesnt feel any bigger than the 2017.

 

It's a few inches longer and a couple inches wider than the '17....and the oldie pushes my garage space really hard already. I'll keep my eye on the forums...

I'm probably more of a candidate for a new Bronco/Everest sized vehicle but have a soft spot in my head for the Expy

Thanks,
George

 

Regarding my question about fuel requirements on the Platinum, this is from Ford's on-line owners manual. I only saw a single manual, not one specifically for the Platinum. My guess is that the tunes are the same across all Expeditions, but using premium fuel results in more timing and more power.


Your vehicle is designed to operate on regular unleaded gasoline with a minimum pump (R+M)/2 octane rating of 87.
Some fuel stations, particularly those in high altitude areas, offer fuels posted as regular unleaded gasoline with an octane rating below 87. We do not recommend these fuels.
For best overall vehicle and engine performance, premium fuel with an octane rating of 91 or higher is recommended. The performance gained by using premium fuel is most noticeable in hot weather as well as other conditions, for example when towing a trailer. See Towing a Trailer.
Do not be concerned if the engine sometimes knocks lightly. However, if the engine knocks heavily while using fuel with the recommended octane rating, contact an authorized dealer to prevent any engine damage.

.

 

My guess is that Ford is just tweaking the ECM to get the extra 25 HP. Jumping from 87 to 93 octane will not get you that bump. There are aftermarket tunes out there for just about any turbo engine that will net you way more than 25 HP. But you risk being denied warranty claims if it damages your engine. This is Ford's way of doing a tune with a full warranty. Just my .02.

 

This is the same wording in the manual for my 2018 Platinum. I've been running 87 so far. I'm planning on 93 for the next tank to see if the difference is noticeable.

 

Was able to drive a limited max today so now i can compare btw the models. The first i drove was a plat swb 4x4 with tow pkg. The sec was a limited max 301 4x4 with spec edition pkg. The plat looks better, the billet style grille and satin chrome accents makes the expy one gorg truck in person. Any person who loves a denali will appreciate the look greatly. The ltd looks great as well, just not as great lol. Also, led headlights look amazing in person, kinda regrettin not opting for it on my order. Going inside the first thing i noticed was how different the seats felt. You can tell the massaging mechanism takes away the cushion of the seat, the limited seats have to be some of the best seats in any vehicle, they are supportive yet plush. The plat seat feels a bit flatter and less cushy, but the massage feature and nicer leather makes up for it. I do like the 360 camera in the plat, other than that all other features are the same(302 ltd gets 360 cam and ccd with 22in whls). As for the drive, first thing i noticed was the plat feels more spry, more gutsy off the line. The ltd isnt slow, but more reluctant. The plat is also slightly more quiet as well. The ltd sus tune feels closer to the ccd sport tune, but i liked it more the the ccd. The ccd feels a bit too loose in the rear and the shocks have a hard time controllin the 22in wheels. The ltd felt more tight and planted while still absorbing most road imperfections. They are both top of the class, ccd feels more cloudlike but more sharp and shimmery as well. Handling is pretty much the same, as is steering feel, they both feel heavier but way more solid than my 09 nav. In all, i def looking fwd to owning one, the wait is getting harder. My question is, is there a difference in drivAbility btw 2wd and 4wd?