Advice? Rebuild, repair, swap, or sell?

Hi everyone! I am very new to The Ranger Station. I ran into some trouble with my 3.0L and I thought I would ask for some advice.

Here goes my story.



I bought the truck sometime in August. It is a 1999 3.0L 4x4 XL Ranger. I knew the engine felt a little weak, but I thought that was just because it is running on 33" tires without any extra gear reduction. Knowing it was a little sluggish on the throttle, I bought the truck anyways for $3700.

Ive done minor work on it since. I put new brake drums in the rear. Had new rubber brake lines installed (the originals were old and cracking). Did an oil change. Fixed a leaky rear differential cover. Replaced a bad belt and belt tensioner. Bought 2 new tires (only 2 of them were really worn). So far I have probably spent about $1100 on a truck that cost me $3700.


Here comes the sad part. There is something wrong with the cooling system. It is a new issue (started about 3 weeks ago) and I have not overheated yet, but I suspect that will happen very soon.

The first symptom was bubbles in the coolant overflow tank. I was afraid of a blown head gasket. Everything on the forums pointed to a blown HG, or cracked heads. I decided to do the easy stuff first before dumping the money on HG replacement. I did a full coolant system flush, replaced the thermostat, and the radiator cap. Nothing fixed it.

I think the issue has gotten worse. If I make a 20 minute drive, the coolant overflow tank will go from the cold fill line to spilling over the top. When the engine has fully cooled, the coolant does not get sucked back into the radiator. To me this sounds like there is air pushing the coolant out. Another sign of a blown HG. Also, after a drive I can hear the bubbles in the overflow tank from sitting in the cab.

I did some more research and found a guy that got new heads and bolts for $350. http://www.fordrangerforum.com/general-tech/45720-coolant-pushed-resavoir.html That sounds like a very good deal to me. The problem is that I have no experience with engine work and I need to have a working vehicle before the Christmas season starts.

I called around at several local auto shops. One shop thinks that I have cracked heads and estimated $2000 for repairs. Another shop thinks that its just the head gaskets and estimated $1400.

If I go for cylinder head repair, do you think I should rebuild the whole engine, or focus only on the heads?

I have also thought about engine swaps, but that seems like way more work than I am capable of doing at home. The 4.0 is a desirable engine, but maybe another 3.0 would more practical, easier, and cheaper.




For those of you who have done this kind of work before and are familiar with these engine, what would you suggest I should do? Your input is very much appreciated!

Thank you for your time and patience reading though my wall of text!

Manual or Automatic? (Just 'cause I am curious).

Changing to a 4.0 involves changing the transmission as well as bell housings are different. And as yours is '99, the 4.0 computer PATS would need the reprogramming or the PATS module, tumbler and key from the donor vehicle.

<And I love the 3.0/hate the 4.0; so would keep the 3.0 regardless. But then, I never was afraid of a few rpms.>

I would be tempted to do a cylinder leak down test, it should tell you exactly where issue is/if you have additional issues...

Are you doing the work yourself or getting it done? I get nervous that the lower price is to get your truck in the door; then the price goes up once the engine is apart and you are committed.

If you are doing it yourself, and as your truck is running, I would take it to an exhaust shop and have them undo the exhaust pipes - I just don't have the right tools (read big impact/extensions/universals/deep impact sockets) to undo them myself. And doing it with wrong tools was PIA (sawzall under truck cutting exhaust pipe while missing important (expensive) pieces wasn't fun.

I had a spare 3.0, so, my solution was to pull the dead one, and drop in the working one. I found it...convenient...to remove the fan, rad and a number of accessories. Was a long day's work for my son and I (honourable mention to wife who was spotter during actual removal/installation to ensure nothing was still connected/catching.)

But for my next one, I will just be pulling the heads/doing gaskets as short block is still good (I don't know why, but I am more nervous about that than the swap).

When doing this kind of work, I take lots of pictures, and use a stack of freezer/clear "leaf" bags, each labelled with the location the parts came from.

Note: It will be cheaper to get re-manufactured heads or engine than it will be to rebuild. Plus you get a warranty.

Well, needing a working vehicle that you don't have puts you in the soup for sure!!

There are no easy answers. Sounds like head gaskets for sure. But, once the heads are off the mechanic is in charge and he doesn't want you coming back on him, so it will be first class all the way.

Doing it yourself is kind of, sort of easy, if you have the time to learn as you go. I will take you longer because you are learning. By that I mean stuff like breaking a few bolts because they have been there for 20 years. Buying tools as you go along, etc. If you have new heads you will be in a lot better shape. The bolts you break will not be the really important ones. But, there is a lot of stuff under the hood and if you do not document it well, you will be like some of the folks asking what is this and where does it go. And for sure you will need a manual for guidance.

Some folks work on their trucks because they have no choice. Some for fun. Some would rather do something else to earn the money to have someone else do it.

Good luck!!!
Ed

Thank you both for your replies!

My truck is an automatic.

Did you swap in a 3.0 in one day? If so, that is very impressive!!

I wasn't able to do a leakdown test, but I used a kit like this http://www.autozone.com/loan-a-tools/block-tester/oem-block-tester/391378_0_0/?checkfit=true
to test for exhaust gases in my coolant system. It tested positive which means that I do indeed have a blown head gasket or a cracked head. Either way, the heads need to come off.

Are there any places you could recommend for remanufactured heads? Im hoping that I will be able to just have my current heads inspected and machined to save time and money. But if they turn out to be cracked, then I will need new ones for sure.

Thank you for the advice about the exhaust shop! I would really hate to have disabled the truck only to realize that I should have had a shop remove the bolts first. Im just not sure how I would get it home after the shop takes them off...I do have an impact driver so maybe its something Ill be able to do at home anyways.

After calling even more shops, I am hearing a lot of prices around 1800. It doesn't seem like anyone is giving me a low price to get me in the door, unless they all are doing it. However, I am still concerned about bringing it to a shop and then getting the price increased because of some new issue.


All things considered, I think my current plan is to attempt the headgaskets myself and if I fail, I can have a shop take over as a backup plan.

I have no experience with engines, but Im pretty good with mechanical stuff and I can learn quickly. Does head gaskets sound like something do-able for an amateur like me within 10 days?



One last thing, I noticed a large amount of rust inside my block when I changed the thermostat. A friend told me I can flush it out with this stuff and it should be clean after http://www.amazon.com/Workshop-Hero-WH290487-Rescue-Remover/dp/B005JVNQPQ
What do you guys think about that? Is this amount of rust a serious issue, or nothing to be afraid of?

And, yes you can pull the heads and put it back together. Take pictures and document stuff so you can put it back together.

Like I said before, take your time. But, you need a book for sure. Something like a Haynes at least. For instance, can you reuse the headbolts or are they torque to yield and need to be replaced (IDK if they are or not). Engine specific stuff like that. And general stuff like keeping the rockers and push rods in order so they don't get mixed up and can go back into the same place they came from. It is probably a different skill set than you have used before; but, it is not hard to learn.

And be really careful about over heating until you get it fixed, because that will really screw it up (however, it probably was overheated at some point to take out the head gaskets).

You have the exhaust shop take the bolts out and put them back and make sure they know why you are having done so they leave them loose. Then you take them out again. The reason they break when you take them out is that they have been there for over 15 years and you don't usually have the "right stuff" to get them out. And the ones I would have that shop take out are for the Y-pipe. Leave the exhaust manifolds in place and have the machine shop you take the heads to remove them. At least have a pressure test done by the machine shop so you know they are not cracked. Personnally, I would listen to the machinist for what needs to be done.

One complication I see is they made a number of changes to the 3.0 in or around 99, so you need to determine which engine you have. But, you don't' have to worry about that until you are ready to put it back together. If you have a problem with that, ask here and you will get help.

That is one nasty cooling system. Coolant should be changed every three years or so. That stuff looks like at least ten years...........

And more info here: http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=164579

Tricky, where u located? I have a 3.0 out of my 1994 ranger just sitting in my shed. 155k on it. Am in nj if u are anywhere close let me know n u can have it for cheap.

Head gaskets are a pretty easy job on the 3.0, but it takes a decent amount of time so shops will charge a bunch. Doing it yourself would be the best option, but it doesn't sound like that's feasible.

You'll have to decide if it's worth the cost, but a 3.0 is a sturdy, dependable engine when it's healthy. They typically last several hundred thousand miles. If you like the truck, and can see yourself keeping it for a long time, I wouldn't worry about paying to have the head gaskets done.

prymetime1 said:

Tricky, where u located? I have a 3.0 out of my 1994 ranger just sitting in my shed. 155k on it. Am in nj if u are anywhere close let me know n u can have it for cheap.

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I am in California haha. Couldn't get much farther from NJ. Thank you for the offer!

I have a Ford service manual which I have been using for all the small stuff. I will definitely use it for the heads.

From what I have read, replacing head gaskets doesn't seem as daunting anymore. Plus, I am really liking the cost a lot more than paying a shop! As a student, I really need watch my wallet. Thankfully my friends have already agreed to help me out with this big endeavor.


I have decided to buy new remanufactured heads because they come with a 1 year warranty and its much quicker than reusing my existing heads since I would have to get them inspected and possibly machined anyways.

Dover Cylinder Heads in Georgia sells remanufactured heads and they have them posted on Ebay here. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-Ranger-3-0-V6-OHV-Cylinder-Head-Kit-1998-thru-2007-/291631396034

When I called the company, they were certain that these heads would fit my ranger, but from looking at the tech article on the 3.0 I am a little doubtful of that. http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/3_0performance.shtml

The tech points out that there is a difference between the flex and non flex heads. I have a flex truck, but I always run gasoline because E85 is a little harder to find. It seems like either head type is acceptable, but which head would be better for my truck and will there be any difference in things like power and fuel efficiency?

Also, the tech points out that in 1999, Ford went to 5.5 inch bolts. Should I make sure that I get the longer bolts from Dover Cylinder Heads, or will it not make a huge difference?

Sorry about all the questions, I am just trying to get everything sorted out. Thank you all for your replies! You have been very helpful so far!

Glad to hear you are going to tackle it!!!

I don't think the heads make much of a difference for flex or non-flex. My understanding is that the real difference between the two is in the injectors. It takes more E-85 for the same power, so they used bigger injectors.

Bolts, you have to get the same length bolts that you take out. My understanding that the bolt length changed "sometime in 99" so it is possible the have either engine block. That may be incorrect; but, the bottom line is you have to use bolts of the same length as you took out.

As I understand it, you also have to use gaskets that match the heads you install. As I under stand it, those changed in 99 also (again- I have heard!!).

tricky said:

Dover Cylinder Heads in Georgia sells remanufactured heads and they have them posted on Ebay here. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-Ranger-3-0-V6-OHV-Cylinder-Head-Kit-1998-thru-2007-/291631396034

When I called the company, they were certain that these heads would fit my ranger, but from looking at the tech article on the 3.0 I am a little doubtful of that. http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/3_0performance.shtml

The tech points out that there is a difference between the flex and non flex heads. I have a flex truck, but I always run gasoline because E85 is a little harder to find. It seems like either head type is acceptable, but which head would be better for my truck and will there be any difference in things like power and fuel efficiency?

Also, the tech points out that in 1999, Ford went to 5.5 inch bolts. Should I make sure that I get the longer bolts from Dover Cylinder Heads, or will it not make a huge difference?!

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You can use either the flex fuel head, or the regular gas head. There are differences in the shape of the combustion chamber, but Ford eventually did away with the special flex fuel heads, and used the regular gas head on all 3.0s, including flex fuel engines. There may be a small reduction in compression when using the regular gas heads, but it's shouldn't be enough to have a noticeable impact.

Definitely get the correct length bolts. If the bolts are too long, they won't clamp down enough to keep the head where it needs to be. If they are too short, they will be weaker since they won't have as much thread holding them in. Measure the first head bolt you remove and compare with the new bolts before you get too far into things to make sure you've got the right size.

Tyler:

I have some impact tools (⅜” drive 18V Dewalt) which really speeds up removal/installation time - just break them loose with ½” drive breaker bar and then run them out with power.

I hope to do the heads on my 4.0 over a long weekend. Known parts (bolts/gaskets/new heads) pre-purchased (I would order the other size of bolt and return the size I didn't need if I was on a schedule). Exhaust loosened; antifreeze out/intake off Friday. Heads off early Saturday - determination if block is ok. Assuming so, cleaned up, new gaskets & heads installed, torqued, intake replaced. Let silicon set over night; add fluids, check for leaks, review everything is where it belongs. Start up, check that everything is ok. Warm up, shutdown - let completely cool. Then start up, and short run. If everything is still ok; pack up tools and enjoy fizzy adult beverage.

Extra day for when something goes wrong/comes up.

My garage might be better equipped than yours/I've done it before, so you might need tool/part on Monday and not be able to button it up before 2nd weekend, so I would say 10 days is reasonable.

Exhaust bolts:
Problem I have with bolts which are stuck is: When I am really cranking, I tend to be applying bending force in addition to rotating and that breaks bolts. Shop with their big impacts can apply just rotational force and the odds of breaking are lower... And they have other tools e.g. torches which I just don't have (Isn't enough room in 2 car garage for ALL the toys we had in the shop at the farm...) Once they have been apart; tools I have can take them apart 2nd time.

Forgot:

Every cast iron engine I have worked on has rust in block. How much depends on how often the previous owner changed anti freeze. It only lasts ?5? years but like brake fluid, not many people change it religiously...

Taking opportunity to flush block just before isn't bad idea.

Don

Thanks everyone!!

I placed the order for the heads on Monday. They should arrive by Wednesday.

Ill keep you updated with how things go!


Don:
I do have a pneumatic impact driver so the bolts shouldn't be a huge problem as long as I can fit the the tool in there. Fingers crossed!

The antifreeze that I drained out was pretty nasty, so it looked like it hadn't been changed in far too long. Heres a picture of the original, and 1st, 2nd, and 3rd flushes. I gave up after 3 full flushes because I had already used 10 gallons of water.

Man, you have to get that brown crap out of there. Keep at it until it is clear. It looks like someone may have mixed coolant types.

Do the work yourself. Buy the heads and bolts for $350, and a head gasket kit and call it a day. Another option is to pull the heads and have them pressure tested at a machine shop. It's cheap $35 for a pair for me at my local shop. If they check out good then head gasket may be all u need. If the head needs to be milled though I would say get the new heads. Piece of mind when u know the valve seals, seats, valves, guides, and springs are all new, engine will run better too.

Doing the heads is not that hard. Buy a Haynes manual for $20, a decent set of tools for $50 and you'd have those heads changed in no time.


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