Gar
New Member
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2008
- Messages
- 5
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 0
- Age
- 70
- Vehicle Year
- 2000
- Make / Model
- Ford
- Transmission
- Automatic
I have a 2000 Ford Ranger 4x4 with automatic transmission and the 3.0L "flex fuel" Vulcan engine. My son recently drove the engine without oil and destroyed it.
I am looking for a junkyard engine replacement. I have been unable to find a rear drive 3.0L.... much less a Vulcan engine but I have found a multitude of 3.0L junkyard engines from Tauruses and Sables, all front drive, some with coil pack ignitions and some with distributors (my Ranger is a coil pack engine). I have been told these engines will not interchange into a Ranger for a variety of reasons all the way up to a Ford service manager who said the motor mount holes on the engine block are not the same. This really does not make sense since I do not think Ford would cast two different 3.0L engine blocs just to fit one into a front drive car. I know that the actual mounts are different but I can use the ones off of my old engine.
I can also find plenty of 4.0L engines out of Explorers but , again, I am told these will not fit. I also realize at the very least I would have to change the computer and possibly the wiring harness, which would be cost prohibitive.
Can anyone tell me ,definitively, if any will work, which years, and what all will have to be changed? I would really appreciate hearing from someone who actually has made the swap, if it is possible. The 3.0L engines look identical to me except for intake, exhaust, timing chain cover,motor mounts and water pump, all which I could take off of my old engine. Also, if I can't use a front drive 3.0L, can I transplant a non flex fuel rear drive into this truck without changing the computer? Hope someone knows for sure as I have dozens of opinions with no real hard experience.
I am looking for a junkyard engine replacement. I have been unable to find a rear drive 3.0L.... much less a Vulcan engine but I have found a multitude of 3.0L junkyard engines from Tauruses and Sables, all front drive, some with coil pack ignitions and some with distributors (my Ranger is a coil pack engine). I have been told these engines will not interchange into a Ranger for a variety of reasons all the way up to a Ford service manager who said the motor mount holes on the engine block are not the same. This really does not make sense since I do not think Ford would cast two different 3.0L engine blocs just to fit one into a front drive car. I know that the actual mounts are different but I can use the ones off of my old engine.
I can also find plenty of 4.0L engines out of Explorers but , again, I am told these will not fit. I also realize at the very least I would have to change the computer and possibly the wiring harness, which would be cost prohibitive.
Can anyone tell me ,definitively, if any will work, which years, and what all will have to be changed? I would really appreciate hearing from someone who actually has made the swap, if it is possible. The 3.0L engines look identical to me except for intake, exhaust, timing chain cover,motor mounts and water pump, all which I could take off of my old engine. Also, if I can't use a front drive 3.0L, can I transplant a non flex fuel rear drive into this truck without changing the computer? Hope someone knows for sure as I have dozens of opinions with no real hard experience.