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3.0 Died after 115,000 miles


vender

Member
Joined
Dec 16, 2009
Messages
22
Vehicle Year
2000
Transmission
Manual
Hello all, I have a 2000 Ranger 4x4 XLT and the 3.0 flex fuel motor blew. I still cant believe it blew after 115,000 miles. The 3.0 have always done me well. Anyway looking for suggestions weather to rebuild or buy new or just scrap it. I am in Michigan. Any idea where I might be able to get a good rebuilt one. It is a manual trans. Any idea if the 4.0 will just drop in? I have not torn the motor down but it seems like a rod broke. I guess I could pull it and rebuild it. Man! Any advice? It is blowing oil out the tailpipe and sounds like metal is trying to come threw the exhaust and all the plugs are covered in oil.
Thanks
 
Damn, that sucks man. From what I have learned about later 3.0 engines is the cam sensor or syncro. it is odd to me that it would die that "young" mine has 352000 on it and runs like a new truck.
 
Yeah! I think I would assure myself that the rod truly was broken. If so then think of how many rods there are that don't break...you just won the lottery..
Big JIm
 
Honestly these 3.0's are almost bullet proof, my guess is the camshaft synchronizer broke / froze & took out the drive for the oil pump. As for a replacement its much cheaper to find a late model Taurus 3.0 & then swap the head gaskets to RWD along with all the accessories for the truck. I bought an 07 3.0 with 10k miles for $250, motor was clean as could be, did the swap & sold the Taurus parts, Wound up with about $150 or so in the entire swap.

On Jim's theory if you break more than one rod then your considered a multiple winner. :D

If thats the case I just did not feel that way when I sent 4 rods out of mine last Thanksgiving eve.

JP02XLT
 
Another option to consider would be a salvage yard motor... my friends and I have had real good success going that route, and there are some yards that will even install the replacement motor for a very reasonable price.
 
Man I had 200k+ on mine and it still rock and rolled even with being jacked up and large tires with stock gears. Very weird to hear one go so quick.
 
OK update. The metal trying to leave the exhaust sound has gone away. Still puffing out smoke and stumbling bad (cant drive it). So head gasket? One of the plugs broke off the ah electrode arm did not get waked but the ceramic tip electrode broke of in the cylinder. So I am thinking the noise was it trying to get out, and it did?
Thanks
 
what were you doing when this happened? what driving style? something had to cause the plug to grenade
 
I am going to try to post the pic of the plug. Not sure why the plug broke, could it be all the oil buildup on it? I was driving on the e-way then it started shutting off and on then died. My driving in the truck is lame. No speeding no revving no crazy driving. Thats what kills me, I baby this truck. I have a 69 Firebird for that. I am going to remove the heads today. Then I will know more.
 
The oil on the plug came about after the plug stopped lighting up! As long as the plug worked it was cleaning the oil off of itself with the constant buring of the fuel..
Big JIm
 
I am in the process of filing a claim with Bosch. My question is how could the electrode tip breaking of in the combustion chamber cause my issues?
 
If a large portion of the electrode broke off it could easily have made many marks in the top of the piston & head before its exit. It get caught in the exhaust valve & damage the head of valve & seat if it gets closed up on by the valve. About the only way to tell the amount of damage is to scope the cylinder through the plug hole to see what you can or pull the head. Either way you should be able to see the damage. I guess its better news than a rod, but not by much.

JP02XLT
 
I have never seen that happen, unless it was pinging or detonating really bad and melted the little bastard right off.
 

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