When my 2000 3.0 flex fuel engine bit the dust I discovered that replacement engines were hard to find. After researching the topic on these forums I decided to try using a Taurus 3.0. I purchased a 2002 Taurus 3.0 flex fuel engine, a head gasket set, an oil pan gasket, and a water pump gasket. The head gaskets are different between the two engines and must be replaced. I found it easier to pull my water pump and clutch fan as a unit and mount it to the Taurus timing chain cover after the engine was installed. I had to swap the oil pump pick up tube and oil pan; swap exhaust manifolds, engine mounts, flex plate, intake manifold, and the oil pressure sending unit. I left the Taurus crankshaft position sensor installed in the block and used it. Everything bolted up with no surprises and I’m back to driving my truck again.

 

Do you think it runs better? Id imagine they have a different cam in them.

 

The truck is running great. The salvage yard did confirm that the Taurus block and heads were the same as the Ranger but I never checked if there was a different cam.

 

I would think it would be, Just because why would a taurus need the low end but then again thinking about it. My 3.0 is a dog till eh 2500-3000rpm when it picks up. maybe they are the same

 

Can you tell me what exactly you meant when you said the head gaskets are different and must be replaced? Do you mean the "intake manifold to head" gasket or the "cylinder head to engine block" gasket? It doesn't sound like you swapped heads. I am considering this swap too and just wanted some clarification. Thanks

 

The cylinder head to engine block gaskets are different and must be replaced. I did use the Taurus heads but I pulled them and replaced the head gaskets. At the time I compared the two gaskets and found the coolant openings were not the same. My truck has been back on the road for over 8 months now and is running great.

 

how can the heads and block be the same, but the Head gaskets be different?

 

I have been doing a little more research and found that the intake manifold on the Taurus had the thermostat in the back instead of in the front like the Ranger. The Taurus head gaskets block off certain coolant passages to redirect the water flow through the block and heads differently than the Ranger. This is why it is best to replace the head gaskets with the Ranger style even though the heads and block are the same.

 

interesting. the 3L duratec guys borrow Taurus blocks so always looking for more information.

 

Hmmm.... Interesting.

 

Interesting as long as you know reference is apples and oranges
Ford Taurus used BOTH 3.0l OHV Vulcan and optional 3.0l DOHC Duratec
So apples and oranges when talking about swapping parts between 3.0l's, OHV and DOHC engines have no interchangeable parts

Ranger only used the 3.0l OHV, and yes car 3.0l OHV had a different head gasket because engine was mount sideways, not front to back

 

I did the same swap and was going to buy head gaskets and tool the old to the parts store with me. Same gasket for the heads. Put new.manifold gaskets on tho.

 

Don't know who told you the head gaskets are the same for the Taurus and the Ranger, but they were wrong.

Ranger

Taurus

 

I took the 2000 Ranger Gasket to the parts store and asked to see the gasket for the 2002 Taurus Motor. They pulled the gaskets and I lined them up - and they were identical. So there was no difference in them other than the intake manifold for the ranger being switched around.

 

Then I would have to guess your 2000 Ranger had the engine replaced with a Taurus engine, and whoever did it, didn't change the head gaskets, and that's why you put another engine in it.

 

Uhhhh... No.

 

The 3.0l Vulcan head gaskets are different for truck and car

Car engine is transverse mounted, so coolant enters at the front and exits at the rear of the engine
Truck engine is longitudinal mount, so coolant enters from the front, makes a U turn, and exits at the front
So the head gaskets have different coolant passages opened and blocked for this difference in flow, simple physics and not an arguable point

2011Supercab is correct


Now the 3.0l did have a left and right head gasket, most "V" engines have same gasket for both sides, so maybe parts guy got confused

Anyway you can look at the end of this article to see the differences in the SETS of gaskets: https://www.therangerstation.com/tec..._0-build.shtml

Your engine should be OK, might get a hot spot but I have read of people not changing gaskets and they said "so far so good" but they may not have reported back after a few months if it was NOT "so good" lol, hard to say
Just keep an eye on the temp gauge and you be the judge

 

I'm no expert, but I have been extensively researching the subject of using Taurus parts to give my ultra anemic 3.0 a booster shot and I can comfirm the following:

Taurus has a bigger throttle body, 4 nozzle injectors instead of 3 that are used in tbe Ranger & the ecm has a more aggressive tune. I am currently trying to figure out if the Taurus ecm will interface with the rest of the electronics, as of now I believe it will according to a Taurus forum post from a Ranger owner that had done a complete swap and was trying to figure out why his Ranger was suddenly so aggressive and another forum poster told him its because the engine thinks its still in the Taurus.