I have an 06 Navigator 5.4 3valve with the usual thirst for premium fuel. Just curious if Ford specifies 91 or more for the Expedition. Same motor same hp and torque rating. Cant imagine the Ford having to use Premium. Thanks
Dom

 

Straight from the 2006 Navigator owner's manual:

Octane recommendations

Your vehicle is designed to use “Premium” unleaded gasoline with an (R+M)/2 octane rating of 91 or higher for optimum performance. The use of gasolines with lower octane ratings may degrade performance. The use of gasolines labeled as “Premium” in high altitude areas that are sold with octane ratings of less than 91 is not recommended. Do not be concerned if your engine sometimes knocks lightly. However, if it knocks heavily under most driving conditions while you are using fuel with the recommended octane rating, see your authorized dealer to prevent any engine damage.


Straight from the 2006 Expedition owner's manual:

Octane recommendations

Your vehicle is designed to use “Regular” unleaded gasoline with pump (R+M)/2 octane rating of 87. We do not recommend the use of gasolines labeled as “Regular” that are sold with octane ratings of 86 or lower in high altitude areas. Do not be concerned if your engine sometimes knocks lightly. However, if it knocks heavily under most driving conditions while you are using fuel with the recommended octane rating, see your authorized dealer to prevent any engine damage.

 

i have had several premium fuel vehicals. for everyday driving i run mid grade 89 octain. now in my 00 navigator when i tow i use premiun since i am hard on the gas and asking for all the power.

 

Yah I dont mind putting in super I just thought it a little strange that ford would rate the two at the same hp and tq and tune the lincoln to need more octane. At least they could claim a little more power to make me feel better.

 

They call it a Lincoln Navigator instead of a Ford Expedition for just that very reason.

 

Thought the navigator had the 4v while the expedition has the 3v in those years? Probably gas more to do with the 4v having higher compression which would be my assumption of why it is designed for 91 octane.

 

they used the 4v from 2000-04

 

This is pretty much a load of crap.

In 2007, both the Expy and the Gator were specified to use 87 octane.

There were no compression or other engine changes between '06 and '07. In fact, the engine is still the same in '10.

So why does the '06 need premium while the '07 does not?

My guess is that Lincoln just forgot to update the Owners Manual from the previous generation 32V Intek motor. Finally, someone caught the typo.

BTW - My '01 AWD 32V Intek Gator would have left my '07 2WD 3V Gator in the dust (if I still had it), even on regular 'ole 87 octane pump gas.

 

I run the same as some above, I run 87 octane when just driving around town, with no knocks or pings. When I tow my travel trailer with the Navigator I make sure and put 91 octane in it for the power, if it does indeed give it more,.....that I dont know.

 

Don't shoot the messenger! That's really what's in the 06 owner's manuals for both vehicles.

 

Now thats the debate I was looking to stir up. That was also my thought that Ford just Put the premium on the Navi to make ya feel like ya got something better.

 

This is just speculation on my part and another angle of it.

Maybe Ford found that running higher octane in the engine got it a slightly better fuel mileage rating for the EPA when they put it to the mileage tests. Just a thought. If they got only 10mpg on 87 octane but got 11mpg on 91 or better octane, maybe they then specified that in their owners manuals to satisfy the EPA controls over mileage.

 

Good point. I get in the mid 16s mixed driving. Have to see what I get with something a little lower on the gas.

 

No offense intended.

Notice that I said "this", not "you".

 

Could be, but 2006 2WD Expy is EPA rated at 12/17. 2006 2WD Navigator is EPA rated at 11/16.

2007 2WD Expy is rated at 12/18. 2WD Gator is 12/17 (6 spd auto in 2007).

So switching to reg gas in 2007 really did not hurt MPGs in the Gator.

So I am not sure this is the reason.