2001 3 Liter Common Issues

[JibbaJibba56]

Anyone know common issues for this engine model year/type. I owned a 4 cylinder up until November but now I got my eye on a 2001 3Liter Manual 2WD Edge with only 63K on it. The price is just right as I just sold my POS Saab. Thanks in advance

 

[bcost882]

most of the problems i hear about come from the newer 3.0L like 04 or 05 and up

 

[Big Jim M]

The only inherent problem I know of is you MUST learn how to fill the radiator! If not done right the engine overheats and burns headgaskets and cracks heads..
But aside from "pilot error" The little lady is a good ride.
Big JIm

 

[bcost882]

yea i was lucky when i had a moment of stupidity and was having coolant issues all worked out thanks to ^^^^^^^^this guy here

 

[JibbaJibba56]

so your saying coolant will tend to disappear so keep an eye on it?

also, looks like the new epa has this truck at a 17mpg average. Anyone got some real numbers?
I had the 2.5L 4 cylinder and it got 20 no matter what, but it also had 30" tires and a 4.10 rear gear for some reason...

 

[snomaker321]

so your saying coolant will tend to disappear so keep an eye on it?

also, looks like the new epa has this truck at a 17mpg average. Anyone got some real numbers?
I had the 2.5L 4 cylinder and it got 20 no matter what, but it also had 30" tires and a 4.10 rear gear for some reason...

one of the hoses is higher than the radiator so if you just fill it up it will leave an air pocket in your cooling system. As for mpg, look around on here. there are plenty of threads

 

[Big Jim M]

Nope! Nope! Nope!!

so your saying coolant will tend to disappear so keep an eye on it?

also, looks like the new epa has this truck at a 17mpg average. Anyone got some real numbers?
I had the 2.5L 4 cylinder and it got 20 no matter what, but it also had 30" tires and a 4.10 rear gear for some reason...

The coolant will NOT disappear... unless you get a leak. Which seem to be common in 10 year old fords. Once you see the coolant level has dropped it is necessary to find that little drip where the leak is and get it repaired..
If the coolant gets changed or the leak has lowered the level in the radiator the system must be filled with the heater ON and the radiator higher than the rest of the hoses...even if it means jacking up the front end to make it higher.
Then the engine must be run with the radiator cap off until the thermostat opens and allows all the air in the system to escape thru the radiator cap..all the while being refilled till it is brim full and the system is up to temp.
Done thisaway the coolant system works as designed.

Most driving to work and around town get Bout 15mpg. Hiway 20 is possible. On a slow trip I once got 22mpg but I was driving behind a mobile home and never got it to traffic speeds.

30" tires and 4:10 sounds good to me for a 4 banger. My ride has 4.0 liters and 4:10 with 31" tires and I'm happy as Lesbian with a bag full of new batteries.
Big Jim

 

[Beef52751]

I'm happy as Lesbian with a bag full of new batteries.

That is hilarious!!!

 

[JibbaJibba56]

The most common problem is cam sensor and drive gear, Ford did that in 95 3L's to present. When the sensor goes out the drive freezes and the oil pump will not turn and starves the engine for oil. They have been known to squeak before the go out, other times they just quit. The mileage does not matter...some have gone out at 100k or 15k.

Other then that the 01 3L's are good engines. Since you will get a 5spd that makes a 3L so much more fun to have. If the Ranger is an edge...you might have 4:10 gears if so you'll be happy with that. My 94 3L is a 2wd, 5spd, 4:10's with 31's and I love it. My 93 3L is a 4wd, 5spd, 4:10's and 31's it seems to drag a little more then my 2wd, but it's all good with the higher rpms. That's another thing like your 4cyl, the 3L's love the high rpms so don't be afraid to take it up when shifting or hwy speeds'.

high rpms and hwy speeds for the 2.5L with 4.10 and 30" rubber really didn't agree with each other. Interstate on ramp = Epic Struggle
Top Speed: 70 beyond that it was more of a massage chair than anything.

I miss that truck and wish I would have sold that damn Saab before the truck. I'd still have it if I did it that way....stupid, stupid, stupid

 

[fourwheelford]

You know I have had all the problems that one person can have with this truck but the one thing I can say is that I have had the coolant out of it several times and filled it back up without going through all the bs of jacking it up and letting it run until the T-stat opens. I just remove one of the hoses that go to the intake and run it until a constant flow of coolant comes out and top it off and I have never had a cooling problem with this truck. Knock on wood. Like said before watch out for the camshaft syncro, its not the sensor that you need to watch its the syncro itself, people always combine the two as if the sensor causes the problem but that is not the case.

My truck is a flex fuel 3.0 with 31's 4:10's and a four inch lift and its a pig and has had and has more problems than any other vehicle I have ever owned. I fix it and it breaks somewhere else and so on and so forth.