97 ranger 4.0L OHV Head Questions?

[Nerd Racing]

Ok guys one of you probably knows the answer to this one without thinking...

my dad's ranger blew a head gasket and the heads warped and cracked.

We are looking for replacements and they are either listed 90-94 or 97 and up, or some are listed 90-2000, or even 98-2006?

The engine is a 4.0L OHV Pushrod engine with the aluminum lower intake and a plastic upper intake plenum.

The combustion chambers are "heart shaped" and the exhaust ports measure 1-11/16" or 1.6875"

Are these the early heads or newer casting heads? Which should we buy? Will either work?

Thanks!

[bhazard]

They switched to the SOHC after a certain year.

[Nerd Racing]

I know that, see thread title, but thanks for the quick reply.

[bhazard]

I'm just saying... the later heads are most likely 4.0 SOHC heads, I'm not sure if the SOHC completely replaced the pushrod version or if they ran together for any amount of time...

[Nerd Racing]

I've been told both answers, hopefully Jim will chime in here shortly.

The whole truck is a mix of transition years parts between 96 and 98 parts. Gotta love that.

[bhazard]

Jim as in fb71? He seems to have been MIA for a while now...