flex fuel 3.0 in Explorers??? yes/no

[pjtoledo]

checking around for a rebuildable 3.0 for my 2000 Ranger. wondering if the Explorers had the flex fuel engine too. I know some Taurus' did.

 

[RonD]

No

3.0l didn't have enough horse power for weight of Explorer

They used 4.0l OHV and then SOHC, also V8s until 2010

In 2011 they were downsized and changed to Front wheel drive or AWD

The 3.0l Vulcan engine was designed in 1985/6 for cars, front wheel drive cars, like the Taurus and Sables, but found it's way into the Rangers in 1991, and Mazda B3000 in 1994

Look here for vehicles it was used in: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Vulcan_engine

End of 3.0l Vulcan was 2008 model year
Rangers had 3.0l Flex from 1998 to 2003 << I thought it was longer so grain of salt
Taurus 1996 to 2006
Sable 2002 to 2004


The heads and fuel injectors were the only differences on the 3.0l engine between gas only and flex fuel
Many have used gas only heads with E85(ethanol) and visa versa with no problems reported, so not sure that matters much.
And the Flex injectors are just larger in flow, GPM, not physical size, because more E85 needs to flow in to intake to get correct air/fuel mix because E85 has less power per gallon than gasoline

The head gaskets on car 3.0l engines are different because the flow of coolant is IN from the back of the engine and OUT thru the front of the engine, engines are mounted sideways in FWD cars
On Rangers IN and OUT are both at the front of the engine, so flow pattern thru the heads and block is different.
But many have also reported no problems using car engine in ranger without head gasket change, but..........you can't really tell if you are getting hot spots in the rear of engine, so I would change gaskets myself

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Mazda B3000 trucks also had a 3.0, I don't know if they were flex or not though.

 

[pjtoledo]

for some reason I thought 2Dr Explorers around '98-'00 had the 3.0.
that narrows the search some, thanks guys.

 

[adsm08]

No, Explorers never had the 3.0. The 4.0 was the only V6 ever used, but there was a flex fuel version of the SOHC engine.

 

[AllanD]

The only flex fuel 4.0SOHC I've ever seen with my own eyes was in one of those Little step vans the post offices used that are built on a second Generation Explorer chassis, though typically only 2wd...

I'd love to get my hands on one of them and move that body onto a 5.0AWD Frameset...


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[delaware74b]

My wife's '04 Explorer is a flex fuel 4.0SOHC. VIN code (K) and it has the drive by wire throttle body. 148K on the motor and tranny right now.