I have a 97 ranger ext cab with a blown engine. I am looking for a salvage engine and was wanting to know what years will work. It is a 3.0 with vin u. I have found several taurus engines pretty reasonable but they are newer. Need to find out what I can use. I can swap over all external as long as the long block will work. Any help will be appreciated.

For a 97, if you are just swapping blocks, you should be able to go with 96,97,98,and 99 years.
I am currently putting a 97 engine into my 98 ranger.

For the most part the 3.0 Vulcan block didn't change much, I think mounts were the biggest thing that may have changed, and some sensors.

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1999 Ranger 3.0FFV-ExtCab-4x4-My 99 Build
1998 Ranger 3.0-ExtCab-4x4-PROJECT TRUCK-My 98 Build

Thanks, I just found a 92 aerostar engine. Not sure if that is going back too far or not. Shows to be a different casting no. Also has a distributor. Not a bad deal was reman and all new a/c starter, and alternator. Just need to make sure it will work. Salvage yard showed that nothing older than 95 will interchange??

Aerostar? U got me, know nothing about them.

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1999 Ranger 3.0FFV-ExtCab-4x4-My 99 Build
1998 Ranger 3.0-ExtCab-4x4-PROJECT TRUCK-My 98 Build

You can use a Taurus/sable engine, but the head gaskets are different and need to be changed to ranger ones. I'm not sure if it is a direct swap between an older one with a distributor or not. I would imagine it is though as long as you just use the long block and swap everything over.

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1999 Ranger XLT 2WD
3.0L, 5 speed, 3.73
Thrush Welded dumped, Airbox mod, Throttle Cable mod, HWBP mod, Explorer OHC, Explorer tach cluster, a few audio upgrades, more to come...

The blocks and heads are the exact same in every year. Head gaskets have to be swapped and all accessories. I'm doing the swap this weekend, picked up a 3.0 out of an 03 Taurus with 30k for 500 bucks.

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That's one nice thing about the 3.0l, plenty of salvage Taurus/sables out there.

Sent from my iPhone 4 using FRF App

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1999 Ranger XLT 2WD
3.0L, 5 speed, 3.73
Thrush Welded dumped, Airbox mod, Throttle Cable mod, HWBP mod, Explorer OHC, Explorer tach cluster, a few audio upgrades, more to come...