1997 Ranger Head

[NomadRider]

Ordered a head for my '97 2.3 from a seller on Ebay. Unfortunatly I think I got the wrong one.

They have you specify which head you need when you order. I wasn't sure what I needed so I sent them a message with the year or the truck, and all of the numbers I could locate on the old head. After that I recieved a reply through Ebay stating that I needed the large spring head. So I went with the information I had from them and ordered what I thought was right. Sometime after they sent that message, they sent another message through an aol account stating that I needed a small spring head. The problem there was that the aol account wasn't cleared through my spam filter and it got tossed in the junk folder without me seeing it in time. About 1 day after I ordered the head I found the junked message. Then I sent the seller a message stating what had happened. I recieved a reply stating that I would recieve the small spring head.
Now looking at the 2 on the work bench I don't think it is right. Valves springs are a larger diameter, and a few holes are slightly off, are the most obvious things I see. ARRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm kinda in a bind right now because I need the truck to be running.

Guess I should contact the seller and stick this new head back in the box. I need to vent some of the anger I'm feeling right now I'll try to post how this gets resolved

 

[NomadRider]

Here's the whole history of the messages sent and recieved. Maybe someone here can help me decide for certain what head I need.

My 1st contact I sent this message: Through EBAY

I have a 1997 Ford Ranger 2.3. Is there some way that I can determine if this is the right head for my truck? I looked on the head that I have here and there were a few numbers on it. Top center under the cam it has 24E7. There were also numbers in the area of the spark plugs on the exhaust side, back to front, RF , f57? , 6096 , e11c. I don't know if any of those will be of any help. The valve springs are approx 1 inch in diameter. I wil most likely be purchasing a head for this truck in the next couple of days and I want to make sure I buy the right one

They Replied: Through EBAY

you need the large spring head . when you are raedy to buy just buy the head you are looking at and let us know you need the large spring

I ordered based on this information.
At some point they sent this message from an aol account that was filtered by my spam filter:

sorry i gave you the wrong info you have the small spring head

I didn't get that message right away because it was sent to my junk e-mail folder as spam. When I did get it I sent a message through EBAY:

Sorry I just got the 2nd e-mail message from you saying that I needed the small spring head. When I made the paypal payment I stated that I needed the large spring head because I was going by your 1st e-mail. As I understand it now I need the small spring head. Sorry for any confusion, My spam filter allowed the e-mail that was sent through ebay but sorted the one from the aol address into the junk folder and I just now saw that one.

They replied through EBAY

no problem you will get the small spring head thanks

I got the head and well it doesn't match up to my stock one. So I sent them another message today through EBAY

With the 2 heads side by side on the workbench there is a visible differance in the size of the springs. On the head I recieved they are larger. Also a few bolt holes are in differant locations on the two heads. Is this the right head?

They Replied

you need the large springs just put in your paypal notes need large spring or just let us know by phone 1800XXXXXXX thanks (name deleted)

Now what? I'm more confused than before.is this the head that I need or what? Ill get a list of numbers off the head they sent me.

 

[NomadRider]

Numbers from the head I recieved

22j4 top center under cam

plug areas on exhaust side back to front RF,F27E,6090,A11B

 

[TireIron]

heres a question, does the new head have 8 spark plugs and does your intake manifold match the ports on it? if so then just use the new head, all 2.3/2.5 heads will physically bolt up to the block. So as long as it has 8 plugs and intake manifold matches then you can use it. (this is as long as the head is complete with new valve and springs and nothing needs to be swapped over)

 

[NomadRider]

heres a question, does the new head have 8 spark plugs and does your intake manifold match the ports on it? if so then just use the new head, all 2.3/2.5 heads will physically bolt up to the block. So as long as it has 8 plugs and intake manifold matches then you can use it. (this is as long as the head is complete with new valve and springs and nothing needs to be swapped over)

Yeap 8 plugs and the intake ports are the same, atleast the gaskets appear to be the same.
I'll look more closely tommorrow before work then I'll go get myself a gasket set 8 new plugs, wires, headbolts and fluids. I picked the truck up for $1350 with 145,000 miles on it. It's at 170,000 now and is solid. I figure there's plenty of miles left in it. A new battery 4 tires and a timing belt are all it needed for the last 25,000 miles.

 

[mlunsford]

mine has 211K miles and still going

 

[4b316]

The big spring head has a water port for the intake,does it not?The small spring head does not.The ports are quite a bit smaller on the small spring also.Did you get a new cam and followers with the new head?If not,your 97 cam and followers will not work as the valves have bigger stem dia.on the big springs.pack it up and send it back if you have this situation.you also will have a problem bolting up your brackets and such as the big spring had different coil brackets