On this blog, we extensively research your queries about various automobiles. Today, we’ll look at the Lincoln Continental and see what kind of gasoline it needs. We looked through the 2017 – 2020 owners’ manuals to find the answer. Here is a quick response:
Lincoln Continental, manufactured between 2017 – 2020, take regular unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of 87 or higher. Premium gasoline with an octane rating of 91 or higher is only recommended in high-performance situations.
Using the right fuel is essential to get the best performance of your car. However, this doesn’t tell the whole story. Below, we will detail what kind of gasoline should and shouldn’t be used in the Continental. Furthermore, we´ll discuss this car’s fuel tank capacity and gas mileage. Read on!
Want to save money on gasoline? earn up to $0.25/gallon every time you fill up? GetUpside is a free-to-use cashback app for US gas stations. Use coupon code “THEDRIVERADVISER25” and earn an additional $0.25/gallon the first time! Click here to download the app for Android or iOS.
Fuel Requirements Based on Engine Type
As stated, 87-octane gasoline is recommended for Continentals that were made between 2017 – 2020. It´s important to clarify that this advice holds for the 2.7L and 3.0L twin-turbocharged EcoBoost engines and the 3.7L V6 Cyclone.
Since the Continental is a luxury vehicle, we´re sure many people will wonder if it isn´t a better idea, in general, to fill up Continentals with premium gasoline anyway. However, this is not typically necessary, and it certainly won´t harm your vehicle but will hurt your wallet.
Using premium gasoline when regular gasoline is recommended doesn´t do many positive things for your car in day-to-day use. This is because the tenth generation of the Continental wasn´t designed to use premium gasoline and, therefore, won´t be able to derive many benefits from it in terms of a longer lifespan.
However, there´re instances in which Lincoln recommends premium gasoline with an octane of 91 or higher. One of these instances is when you´re towing since the higher octane level can provide the little extra power needed to make this happen easier. Another situation is very hot weather. Besides these situations, regular gasoline is the way to go.
What Type of Gasoline Can A Lincoln Continental Take?
Furthermore, different types of gasoline are and aren´t appropriate to use in your Continental. Below, we´ve outlined all these types so you know exactly what can and can´t be used.
Reformulated Gasoline
First, we have to talk about the use of reformulated gasoline. This is a type of gasoline that burns cleaner than non-reformulated gasoline. For this reason, it´s mandatory to use in some regions of the United States.
Similarly to other Lincoln cars like the MKZ or the Aviator, among others, the Lincoln Continentals can run on reformulated gasoline just fine. If you have the choice between these two types of gasoline, it´s best to go with reformulated gasoline since it doesn´t cost anything extra but does help the environment and the air quality in your region.
Gasoline/Oxygenated Blends or E-85
Secondly, there´re oxygenated blends of gasoline. Oxygenated gasoline blends typically contain ethanol or methanol, both of which are bio-sources of gasoline. Using both of these substances comes with strict rules that must be followed.
First, methanol cannot be used in any model year of the Continental. Methanol is a very corrosive substance that will damage the internals of your engine and fuel system.
On the other hand, there´s ethanol which is commonly used in the United States. Continentals manufactured between 2017 – 2020 can take gasoline with a maximum percentage of 15% ethanol. Therefore, E10 and E15 are completely fine to use.
However, E30, E50, or E85 (also referred to as flex-fuel) can´t be used and will damage the engine’s internal components and the fuel system beyond repair.
Addition of Cleaning Agents
The use of cleaning agents or octane boosters is something that you´ll hear about from time to time. Therefore, it´s good to know that Lincoln recommends against the use of these cleaning agents. This is because cleaning agents often use silicones or metallics that will damage your engine’s fuel system and the internals.
Instead, Lincoln recommends the use of TOP TIER gasoline. TOP TIER retailers sell this type of gasoline. This group of retailers is an alliance that provides gasoline that contains all the suitable cleaning agents your car needs and in a larger quantity than what´s stated by law. You can find a TOP TIER gasoline retailer at toptiergas.com.
What If The Engine Makes A Knocking Noise?
If you hear a knocking noise coming from your engine, then it´s most likely the case you´ve used gasoline with a lower-than-recommended octane rating. Also, you could have used gasoline with a higher-than-recommended percentage of ethanol.
You must stop the vehicle immediately and call your dealer or mechanic if you hear a loud knocking noise from your engine, especially right after refilling. Your car needs to be towed away and drained from its gasoline, and your fuel filter will also need to be replaced.
Continuing to drive with a loud knocking noise will result in irreparable damage that is not covered by any warranty.
Also read: 7 Common Problems Of A Lincoln Continental
What’s The Gas Mileage Of The Lincoln Continental?
As you would most likely expect, the fuel economy of the Lincoln Continental isn´t that great. Below, we´ve outlined the MPGs you can expect to get with different engine types, as well as the difference between the FWD and AWD versions.
AWD Fuel Economy
| Engine | Combined MPG | City MPG | Highway MPG |
| 2.7 V6 twin-turbo (AWD) | 20 | 17 | 25 |
| 3.0 V6 twin-turbo (AWD) | 19 | 16 | 24 |
| 3.7 V6 (AWD) | 19 | 16 | 24 |
FWD Fuel Economy
| Engine | Combined MPG | City MPG | Highway MPG |
| 2.7 V6 twin-turbo (FWD) | 21 | 18 | 27 |
| 3.7 V6 (FWD) | 20 | 17 | 26 |
What Is The Tank Size Of Lincoln Continental?
Lincoln Continental, manufactured between 2017 – 2020, have a fuel tank capacity of 18 gallons or 68.1 liters.
Sources
- http://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/Catalog/owner_information/2018-Lincoln-Continental-Owners-Manual-version-1_om_EN-US_07_2017.pdf
- https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/PowerSearch.do?action=noform&srchtyp=ymm&path=1&year1=2020&year2=2020&make=Lincoln&model=Continental++FWD
- https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/PowerSearch.do?action=noform&srchtyp=ymm&path=1&year1=2020&year2=2020&make=Lincoln&model=Continental++AWD
Hi! My name is Stefan; I’m the owner and lead writer at TheDriverAdviser.com.
I’m an active writer on this blog myself, as well as a novice car mechanic. For the really technical stuff, I find writers with experience as a mechanic or who have studied mechanical engineering.
Read more about our fantastic team on our about page!