First time posting here I have a huge dilemma and not sure what best option is. Recently purchased 2002 Ranger V6 3.0 4x4 Manual transmission with 148,XXX miles and drove it from CO to AZ about an 11 hours drive with some breaks in between (around 1,200 miles). Truck made it back to Az with no issues at all. Few days later noticed idle was running high when switching gears, cleaned IAC valve and it had no gasket in the IAC valve so added one and the idle was back below 1000 rpm. few days later driving on the freeway dropping off a friend check gage light goes off and my coolant temp was past the red mark pulled over and radiator cap with red tip was bubbling. I shut down the truck waited for a bit turned it back on and was back normal temperature, dropped my friend off and drove back home with no issue. Next day driving to servicing appointment to get parking brake installed car overheats once again pulled over in freeway waited for a bit but it was still overheating i did the mistake to drive the truck off the nearest exit and shut off the car completely and got it towed to the repair shop few days later service tech did a block test and it failed. Told me id have to take it to another shop to get both head gaskets repaired. I’ve already purchased this truck. Shops are quoting me around past 2k to get them replaced but not sure if it’s worth getting both head gaskets replaced or just to sell the truck. Really hate to let it go because the truck is amazing. Any suggestions would be appreciated don’t have too much knowledge on repairing stuff unfortunately. Another thing is the first gear sometimes is a bit hard to go into gear at complete stop sometimes i’m pushing a bit harder just to get into 1st but other gears work just fine and going into second then 1st seems to work or when truck is still rolling going into 1st is easier.

 

Welcome to the forum

The high RPMs when shifting gears is normal, its an Emissions thing, anytime speed is above 5MPH

You blew a head gasket when it overheated that first time, most likely, Previous Owner could have put Block Sealer in it to sell it but I would expect that type of fix to have shown up "on the trip to AZ", but maybe not
Anyway it doesn't matter at this point

The Ranger is 20 years old so will require more fixes than say a 5 year old vehicle, that's just the way it works
Miles are low for 20 years old, but time is time and that's what matters for alot of repairs

If YOU think a vehicle will last you 5 more years without major repairs then you can do the math
$2,000 / 60 months = $33/month to drive it with new head gaskets
And after 5 years vehicle should still have a value, same as if head gaskets didn't blow, so basically a "rent to own" for $33/month, lol

If you sell it now, with blown head gaskets, you are going to take a hit, "mechanics special", so need to factor that in to have a recovered value, cash in pocket, after the sale
And what you can buy with that cash in pocket to replace the Ranger

You have an M5OD-R1 transmission, very reliable model, the "hard to shift when stopped" means the clutch system may have air in it, not a transmission issue, shop can bleed it for you, if you keep it, so not a big deal, not a transmission issue

$33/month is not much if you like the Ranger you have, and you think it will last you another 5 years

If possible get an itemized list of what the shop will do for that $2,000
For that price you should get 2 new heads, because at 148k miles you want new valves not just new head gaskets
Parts should be about $1,000 and $1,000 labor

 

I agree with Ron
If you are mechanically inclined it is not as big of a job as you might think.

BUT---- if you do want to sell it I'm not far away and may make a deal with you.