Head Compatibility question

[tattooedthomas117]

What are the differences if any between a set of 2000 3.0 ranger heads and a set of 2002 ranger heads. I would like to send out the pair of 2000s to get machined and freshened up so I have very little done time with the truck if I ever have to change head gasgets. I just need to know if the 2000 heads will be okay to use on my 02. Any info would be greatly appreciated thank you very much

 

[Earl43P]

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/3_0-build.shtml

Flex fuel or not?
THAT is the question......

If they are both Flex-fuel (methanol), then they are the same heads.

 

[RonD]

I have not read about any problems using either head design, flex or gas only, on a truck that will be using gas only.

Head gaskets are the same for flex or gas only, by years

Don't reuse head bolts.

Main difference in flex fuel trucks is the Fuel Sensor, to determine methanol content, computer software to use this sensor and larger injectors to add the extra fuel needed when using E85 methanol, as much as 34% more fuel is needed.

 

[tattooedthomas117]

I'm not sure what the 2000 is but I know that the 2002 is not flex fuel and it would only be having gas ran through it not the methenal fuel. Thank you so much for the information

 

[JP02XLT]

The difference in the 02 heads is valve stem size and the beehive style springs, I have ported both and cc'd the chambers & the runners, there is no difference in the castings.

As for the flex fuel issue 2000 & up DO NOT have a sensor, it is all done by the ECU using calculations (estimates of the fuel in the tank) based off of readings from the O2's. There is another flex fuel thread on here with more detail.

JP02XLT

 

[tattooedthomas117]

So would the heads be safe to use on the 02 engine

 

[JP02XLT]

Yes, keep the 2000 springs, retainers & rocker arms together & they will be fine, same goes for the 02 set, keep the parts together and dont interchange parts to the heads and you will be fine

JP02XLT

 

[RonD]

..................
As for the flex fuel issue 2000 & up DO NOT have a sensor, it is all done by the ECU using calculations (estimates of the fuel in the tank) based off of readings from the O2's. There is another flex fuel thread on here with more detail.

JP02XLT

Good info, always wonder why they had that sensor in the first place, $650 to replace.
Since Model-T days and carbs you just changed to larger jets, on EFI the "jet size" is adjustable on the fly, so never saw the reason for that sensor.

They really just needed the larger injectors and computer software that allowed longer dwell time on injectors when methanol % went up.
Gas only ECU adjusts fine to 0%, 10% and even 15% methanol mixes.
With stock(gas only) injectors you should be able to run up to 40% methanol, although you may get the 0171/0174 lean codes because of the high fuel trims with gas only computer software.

 

[JP02XLT]

Ron the ECU 00+ model strategy they use for E85 is called adaptive learning, I had a really good article explaining this that I found from Ford engineering, short explanation is that they use the O2 signal, re-fuel data, and some other information to approximate the ethanol content in the tank & adjust to a 14.7 AFR, it is a guess at best. In my case on a supercharged engine it is a nightmare. I will see if I can find the article and post it.

I have ran blends of up to 50% E85 and premium and the ECU gets lost, I get poor performance, very rich and at times, mostly idle & low RPM I get the 171/174 codes. I have even seen this on straight 93 octane, this has to be the dumbest idea that Ford has came up with as the adaptive learning really has very few true data inputs to determine what is in the tank.

So far the best all around performance I can get from blending is with 89 octane with 20% E85, runs great, hardly ever throws the codes & does not go into that extreme rich mode while cruising at 60+ mph like it does with the blend & premium.

JP02XLT

 

[JP02XLT]

Here is a good read on Ford's Flex fuel strategy

http://www.underhoodservice.com/get...e-modifications-allow-for-alcohol-based-fuel/

JP

 

[Earl43P]

Ron the ECU 00+ model strategy they use for E85 is called adaptive learning, I had a really good article explaining this that I found from Ford engineering, short explanation is that they use the O2 signal, re-fuel data, and some other information to approximate the ethanol content in the tank & adjust to a 14.7 AFR, it is a guess at best. In my case on a supercharged engine it is a nightmare. I will see if I can find the article and post it.

I have ran blends of up to 50% E85 and premium and the ECU gets lost, I get poor performance, very rich and at times, mostly idle & low RPM I get the 171/174 codes. I have even seen this on straight 93 octane, this has to be the dumbest idea that Ford has came up with as the adaptive learning really has very few true data inputs to determine what is in the tank.

So far the best all around performance I can get from blending is with 89 octane with 20% E85, runs great, hardly ever throws the codes & does not go into that extreme rich mode while cruising at 60+ mph like it does with the blend & premium.

JP02XLT

The 2000 EVTM (3.0, page 24-8 and 24-9) shows pin 34 to the EEC is from the Flex Fuel Vaporized Sensor. I'm going to guess they deleted that sensor in 01?

 

[JP02XLT]

Yeah it seems no one can pin point a date as to when they dropped the fuel density sensor.

JP02XLT

 

[stmitch]

My 2000 definitely has the sensor. JP's 02 does not. That should narrow the dates down a bit.

 

[JP02XLT]

Stmitch I was referring more towards month of manufacture of say a late 00 model or early manufactured 01, that seems to be where the gray area is of which does or does not have the sensor.

JP02XLT

 

[stmitch]

Yeah, I was just being a smartass.

I'd guess that the change took effect for the 01 model year, when they changed the intake manifold, EGR, and other significant changes, but that's just a guess.