The 1992 Ford Ranger was available with two V-6 different engines. The 3.0-liter engine was introduced in 1991, and replaced the 2.9-liter engine. The 3.0-liter engine came in the base model and had a power rating of 145 horsepower and 160 foot-pounds of torque. The optional 4.0-liter engine produced 160 horsepower and 255 foot-pounds of torque. Both engine types required multiple torque applications to attach the cylinder heads to the engine.
Both engines require head gaskets between the engine block and cylinder head. Head gasket failures are commonly a result of inadequate cooling system maintenance. While ethylene glycol does not degrade with time, the protective additives are consumed by the engine. For best results, replace the coolant according to the maintenance schedule.
The torque specifications for the 3.0-liter engine require two steps. In step one, the bolt torque should be between 33 and 41 foot-pounds. For the second step, further tighten the bolts to 63 to 73 foot-pounds of torque.
The bolts should be torqued in a specific sequence to evenly distribute the pressure across the cylinder head. With the cylinder head facing you, the first bolt to torque is on the bottom, the second from the closest to the front of the engine. Bolt two is on the top, third from the front of the engine. Bolt three is on the bottom, third from the front of the engine. Bolt four is on the top, second from the front of the engine. Bolt five is on the bottom, closest the the front of the engine. Bolt six is on the top, closest to the front of the engine. Bolt seven is on the bottom, farthest from the front of the engine. Bolt eight is on the top, farthest from the engine.
The 4.0-liter engine requires three complete torque steps to correctly tighten the head to the engine. In step one, the bolt torque is set to 22 to 26 foot-pounds of torque. In the second step, the bolts are tightened to 52 to 56 foot-pounds of torque. In the third and final sequence, each bolt is turned an additional 90 degrees, which is the same as 1/4 turn. Follow the torque tightening sequence for each of the three steps.
The bolts should be torqued in a specific sequence to evenly distribute the tightening across the cylinder head. With the cylinder head facing you, the first bolt to torque is on the top, second from the front of the engine. The second bolt is on the bottom, third from the front of the engine. The third bolt is on the top, third from the front of the engine. The fourth bolt is on the bottom, second from the front of the engine. The fifth bolt is on the top, closest to the front of the engine. The sixth bolt is on the bottom, closest to the front of the engine. The seventh bolt is on the top, farthest from the front of the engine. The eighth bolt is on the bottom, farthest from the front of the engine.
