Can a Tune Fix the 10-Speed in a 2018 Navigator 3.5 EcoBoost? Gerardo's Day-Two Report

Gerardo G.'s 2018 Lincoln Navigator, tuned and back on the road in Laredo, Texas.

Customer story · 2018-2021 Lincoln Navigator 3.5L EcoBoost

Gerardo's Navigator had the power. What drove him nuts was the 10-speed hunting and shuffling through gears. Two days after loading our 93 PR-X, he wrote in to say the annoying shifts were gone and the big Lincoln felt lighter.

What's wrong with the 10-speed in a stock Navigator?

Nothing's broken. It's just calibrated to chase fuel economy and smoothness on paper, and in real driving that can mean early upshifts, late downshifts and a transmission that seems to second-guess itself. In a three-row luxury SUV, that's the opposite of luxurious.

Gerardo didn't ask us for a race truck. On his tune form he said the main goal was improving shift patterns and overall responsiveness. Everything else on the vehicle was stock apart from a thermostat and a fresh set of plugs he had on the way.

Did the tune fix the shifting?

“Day two driving with the 93 PR-X. I love it, very responsive, the truck feels much lighter, and best of all, the annoying 10-speed shifts are gone! I love what their tune does for the 10-speed transmission. It shifts like it probably should have from the start!”

Gerardo G., Laredo, Texas

Two days. That's how long it took him to sit down and write us. I'll take it.

“Like it should have from the start” is something we hear a lot about these 10-speeds. Once the shift tables and torque management are set up for how people actually drive, the transmission stops fighting you.

How much extra muscle does a tuned Navigator get?

On the dyno, our 2018-2021 Navigator 3.5L EcoBoost tunes add over 113 horsepower and over 190 lb-ft of torque. That torque number is a big part of why a full-size luxury SUV can suddenly feel light on its feet. Those numbers are on 93 octane. Ethanol blends like E30 or E85 can make more, and the file you pick matters too.

Can you run the tune before installing new parts?

Gerardo had a couple of good questions before his files were done. He wanted to know if he could run the tune before his new thermostat and spark plugs went in, whether the NGK plugs come pre-gapped, and what gap to run.

Josh from our sales team got him squared away. Yes, the tune is fine to run before those parts go in. The NGK plugs should come gapped at 0.031, and anywhere from 0.028 to 0.031 works, so check them when they arrive.

Asking before you wrench is always the right move.

How fast can you get an MPT tune?

He wanted the Navigator back on the road that day, so he emailed sales and asked if adding Rush My Tunes would get it done. Josh told him as long as it came in before 3 PM Eastern, we'd make it happen, then bumped the ticket's priority as soon as the order came through.

There was one small hiccup with the HP Tuners side. Gerardo had already set up his profile and uploaded his stock file, but he hadn't joined our tuning network yet, so Ross couldn't see his vehicle. Ross sent him the code to link up, and a few hours after the rush order, his 93 PR-X and 93 Daily-Tow were sitting in his TDN app, ready to write.

Standard builds take 3 business days, and Rush cuts that to a day. Gerardo's beat that by a lot.

What other 2018-2021 Navigator and Expedition owners say

The Navigator and the Expedition share the same twin-turbo 3.5 and 10-speed, so we grouped them together here. Every one of these notes came from a real owner, and every one of them made somebody here smile. I sorted their notes by the questions Navigator and Expedition shoppers bring up.

Is the difference really noticeable in something this big?

A beast in Sport mode. In a family hauler. I love it.

Does it stay civilized around town?

What if I need help after I install it?

From Gerardo's submission

“Day two driving with the 93 PR-X. I love it. Very responsive, the truck feels much lighter, and best of all, the annoying 10-speed shifts are gone! I love what their tune does for the 10-speed transmission. It shifts like it probably should have from the start!”

Gerardo G. from Laredo, Texas · 2018 Navigator 3.5 EcoBoost

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Here's what Gerardo got from us for his Navigator.

MPT Tune

MPT Custom Tune, 18-21 Navigator 3.5L EcoBoost

Custom calibrations for the twin-turbo Navigator, built around your notes. Gerardo runs a 93 PR-X and a 93 Daily-Tow, with 90 days of preference-based tuning and data log support included.

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Tuner

HP Tuners RTD+ Gen 4

A small module that lives in the OBD2 port. Your files show up in the TDN app on your phone, and you flash from there. No laptop needed.

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Accessory

NGK Ruthenium 95605 Spark Plugs (1 Step Colder)

Sold per plug and pre-gapped at 0.031. It's one of the two plugs we recommend for EcoBoost engines, and it doesn't need any tune change.

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Service

Rush My Tunes (24-Hour Turnaround)

Moves your build to the front of the line, with files delivered in 24 hours or less on business days. Gerardo added it so his Lincoln could hit the road sooner.

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Mods

Reische 170° Performance Thermostat (RP-FORD-50)

The same thermostat Gerardo ordered from us. He noted it on his tune form, so his files were built with it in mind. It's fine to run the tune before it goes in.

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Navigator 3.5 EcoBoost tune questions

Will a tune stop my Navigator's 10-speed from hunting for gears?

A tune can stop the 10-speed in a 2018-2021 Navigator from hunting for gears, and that was the whole point for Gerardo G. from Laredo, Texas. Two days after loading our 93 PR-X, he said the annoying shifts were gone and it shifts like it should have from the start.

How much horsepower does an MPT tune add to a Navigator 3.5 EcoBoost?

Our dyno-tested 2018-2021 Navigator 3.5L EcoBoost tunes add over 113 horsepower and over 190 lb-ft of torque. Those figures are on 93 octane. Ethanol blends like E30 or E85 can make more, and the file you choose matters too.

Can I install the tune before my new thermostat and spark plugs go in?

You can install the tune before a new thermostat and spark plugs go in. Gerardo asked us that exact question, and Josh confirmed it was fine. Just let us know about the parts on your tune form.

What spark plug gap should I run with an MPT tune?

The spark plug gap to run with an MPT tune on a Navigator is 0.028 to 0.031. The NGK 95605 plugs we sell come gapped at 0.031, so double-check them when they arrive.

How does the HP Tuners RTD+ load the tune?

The HP Tuners RTD+ loads your tune through the TDN app on your phone. Upload your stock file, join our tuning network, and your MPT files show up in the app to write to the vehicle. If you skip the network step, we can't see your vehicle, so that's the one to remember.

How quickly can I get my Navigator tune?

Standard MPT tunes are built in 3 business days. Add Rush My Tunes and they're done in 24 hours or less on business days. Gerardo added it in the morning and had his files that afternoon.

Can MPT remove the speed limiter on a Navigator?

Removing the factory speed limiter is one of the things our Navigator tune can do. Gerardo asked for a higher limiter on his tune form.

Ready to fix your Navigator's shifting?

Your Navigator can shift like Gerardo's. Want to talk it over first? Call 407-636-7077 or email us.

Shop the 18-21 Navigator 3.5 EcoBoost tuneDownload the PDF: Gerardo's 2018 Navigator story