Before I pull the trigger on this radiator upgrade a little history I’m pulling some pretty heavy stuff on a trailer in some hilly country and I need to upgrade my cooling system there’s so much disparate information out there about what will fit and what won’t. I have a 97 3.0 single row radiator I want to put a Two row radiator in but they all seem to be listing them for the 4.0 motor. I did find one place that lists it for a 3.0 and i’ve read the forums. Some say it’s a plug and play others say it won’t fit. What I am looking for is someone who has actually done this swap that is put a radiator from a 4.0 Ranger of the same year in to a Ranger that has a 3.0. I am not interested in opinions or third-party information if you’ve actually done the swap please tell me what was involved did it fit did you have to modify it what were the mods etc. I Certainly will appreciate all replies to keep me from spending a bunch of money and then have to pay shipping to send it back.

Thanks, Larry

 

Yes, 1995-1997 Ranger 3.0l and 4.0l used same fitment for radiator, but I think in most years the V6s used same rad

Automatics came with dual core, and most replacement radiators will have trans-coolers because they can be used with either manuals or autos

If you have a manual you may need to hit a wrecking yard to get a fan shroud from a dual core Ranger
When I did my 1994 4.0l manual the dual core was thicker, of course, so my single core fan shroud barely fit and it was a pain to get fan clutch back on

So if you have a single core now then I assume manual trans, so get a fan shroud for/from an automatic

Also the lower rad hose was different, mine fit but was at an angle I didn't like so after awhile I got an "automatic" lower hose and thinner fan shroud from wrecking yard, and swapped them out

 

RonD:
I have an automatic Ron so won’t have to worry about that I was going to replace the hoses anyway so that will take care of that I measured or I’ve got about 3 inches between the front of the fan and the existing single core RadiatorSo I don’t think they’ll be a problem with that but what with the shroud will my shroud not work?

Larry

 

Thats odd for an automatic to have a single core radiator, didn't even know "they" made single core with a trans cooler, lol, obviously "they" did or you wouldn't have one

 

I forgot to tell you I installed my new cam sync a while ago took about 30 minutes no problem at all it doesn’t run like the same truck much much smoother lots more power the old one had been scrubbing the plastic a little bit top bushing well worn. No vibration when I start it now also doesn’t crank forever starts right up. I’m hoping the gas mileage will improve a bit it was sucking it up pretty good...
Larry

 

[QUOTE=Harmony162;2182106]I forgot to tell you I installed my new cam sync a while ago took about 30 minutes no problem at all it doesn’t run like the same truck much much smoother lots more power the old one had been scrubbing the plastic a little bit top bushing well worn. No vibration when I start it now also doesn’t crank forever starts right up. I’m hoping the gas mileage will improve a bit it was sucking it up pretty good...

I think the radiator had been replaced it looked fairly new when I got the truck about a year ago they just put the wrong radiator in there which should’ve had a dual core. Probably operating on the cheap
Larry