CHOOSE THE RIGHT GASQ: I have a 2003 Dodge Ram 2500 with the 5.7-liter engine. According to the owner's manual, you shouldn't use gas containing methanol. I have noticed that most of the gas stations have a decal on them stating, "Contains less than 10 percent methanol." I only use major oil company brands such as Sunoco, Shell, etc. The truck has 88,000 miles and I've had no problems with it. Is this something I should be concerned with?
A: A methanol mix in retail gasoline doesn't sound right--ethanol, yes. I was lucky enough to get ahold of Joanne Shore, senior analyst with the Energy Information Administration. According to Joanne, aside from alcohol-burning race cars, she's unaware of the use of methanol in retail fuels. Either you misread the ethanol tag on the pump, or it's something we can't explain. Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol, is produced from wood, coal, or natural gas. Methanol is more volatile an alcohol than ethanol (produced from corn) and has been used to produce methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE), an oxygenate that blends with gasoline. But MTBE was discontinued years back due to groundwater contamination issues. What we see now in more than half the gas pumped across the U.S. (and increasing with federal regulations) is E10, a 10 percent ethanol/90 percent gasoline blend which accomplishes two things. One, it boosts octane and decreases emissions. Two, it slightly reduces dependency on foreign petroleum. E85, the much harder to find 85 percent ethanol/15 percent gas mix, is what only flex-fuel vehicles are equipped to run on. Ethanol does have its drawbacks. Alcohol contains less energy per gallon than gasoline, so it takes more fuel to produce the same amount of power in a gasoline structured internal-combustion engine, meaning less mpg. That's why flex-fuel vehicles use larger fuel injectors and a sensor to determine the ethanol-to-gasoline ratio in the tank. Another downside is the corrosive properties of alcohol. Modified fuel lines, rails, pumps, and tanks are required to avoid corrosion of gasoline-based fuel systems. E10 is considered to be harmless to a gasoline-burning engine, but I have my doubts. Examples from several sources, including myself, indicate significantly quicker fuel contamination and component corrosion with E10 as compared to pure petroleum gasoline, especially with carbureted vehicles unused for relatively short periods of time. The scary part is that a number of states are looking to up the ante to E15 or even E20, while automakers protest knowing the effect it may have on non-flex-fuel systems.
MORE NAVIGATOR SPEEDQ: I just imported a used 2006 Lincoln Navigator Ultimate 4x4 to Germany. Two issues I would like to ask you for your expertise. Speed governor: If the autobahn is packed, it is helpful to maintain the same pace as the rest on the left lane to avoid getting pushed into the right lane between trucks traveling at 55 mph. The truck seems to be capable of much higher speeds than the governed 100 mph. Question #1: What's the easiest way to disable the governor? Voiding the warranty isn't an issue, as it won't be recognized for a vehicle registered in Germany anyhow. As to maintenance, I understand there's a major scheduled maintenance every 15,000 miles; however, there are services in between identified in the service manual. Here, we service every 5000 miles, changing the oil and following a recommended multipoint inspection. Question #2: Does engine oil have to be changed every 5000 or 15,000 miles? 5000 seems ridiculously low.
A: As far as kicking up the powertrain control module's speed-limitation programming is concerned, it's not going to happen with Ford's approval, but you can accomplish the task with Hypertech's Max Energy Power Programmer. This box can do a lot more than raise the speed limit--up the rev limiter, optimize for 87- or 93-octane fuel, calibrate the speedo for aftermarket tire sizes and gear ratios, and so on--but you can use only the tools you desire without affecting other OEM parameters. Important note: Manufacturers have speed limitations set to prevent the vehicle from traveling above the maximum speed ratings of the original tires for prolonged periods of time. With that said, check the speed rating of your tires and upgrade accordingly to the match the modified speed limitations. As far as service, I suggest sticking to the manufacturer's specified oil change intervals, regardless of what the Joneses are doing. The 5000-mile recommendation on your Navigator is the upper end, under ideal, normal driving conditions. In more severe conditions, prolonged idling and lots of dust, the interval is 3000. My advice is to adhere to the severe schedule, regardless, if you plan on keeping the car or truck for a long time.