<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-07-29</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000067347</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MODINE MANUFACTURING CO</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>MOD</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001172676</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>RULSEH JAMES R</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1500 DEKOVEN AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>RACINE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>WI</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>53403</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Group Vice President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Modine common stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-07-29</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1922.5186</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>42.2151</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>38255.1979</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee stock option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>22.2091</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>1996-01-17</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2006-01-17</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Modine common stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>8195</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>8195</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee stock option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>24.6497</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>1997-01-15</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2007-01-15</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Modine common stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>8194</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>8194</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee stock option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>33.1306</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>1998-01-21</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2008-01-21</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Modine common stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>8195</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>8195</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee stock option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>32.4594</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>1999-01-20</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2009-01-20</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Modine common stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>8194</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>8194</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F6"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee stock option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>24.4056</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2000-01-19</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2010-01-19</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Modine common stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>8194</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>8194</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F7"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee stock option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>22.6972</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2001-01-17</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2011-01-17</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Modine common stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>9219</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>9219</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F8"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee stock option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>22.2384</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2002-01-16</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2012-01-16</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Modine common stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>20487</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>20487</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F9"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee stock option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>18.0894</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2003-01-06</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2013-01-16</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Modine common stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>11472</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>11472</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F10"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee stock option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>28.4764</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2004-01-20</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2014-01-20</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Modine common stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>12292</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>12292</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F11"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee stock option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>30.8194</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2005-01-18</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2015-01-18</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Modine common stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>10653</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10653</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F12"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Registrant disposed of 1,922.5186 units of common stock indirectly held in his Modine Stock Fund account (formerly known as ESOP) pursuant to a diversification election made under the Internal Revenue Code.  The transaction was pursuant to an irrevocable commitment to sell made by the reporting person to the Modine Stock Fund trustee.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">This total includes 1,559.9887 units of Modine common stock indirectly held in the Registrant's Modine 401(k) Retirement Plan account, 54.4738 units of Modine common stock indirectly held in the Registrant's Modine Deferred Compensation Plan account and 1,922.5183 units of Modine common stock indirectly held in the Registrant's Modine Stock Fund account.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">This option was previously reported as an option for 8,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $22.75 per share, but was adjdusted to reflect the stock dividend declared by Modine on July 21, 2005 in connection with the spin off and merger of Modine's Aftermarket Business in a reverse Morris Trust transaction.  As a result of the stock dividend, stock options granted by Modine were adjusted to retain their intrinsic value.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">This option was previously reported as an option for 8,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $25.25 per share.  See footnote 3 for explanation.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">This option was previously reported as an option for 8,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $33.9375 per share.  See footnote 3 for explanation.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">This option was previously reported as an option for 8,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $33.25 per shares.  See footnote 3 for explanation.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">This option was previously reported as an option for 8,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $25.00 per share.  See footnote 3 for explanation.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F8">This option was previously reported as an option for 9,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $23.25 per share.  See footnote 3 for explanation.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F9">This option was previously reported as an option for 20,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $22.78 per share.  See footnote 3 for explanation.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F10">This option was previously reported as an option for 11,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $18.53 per share.  See footnote 3 for explanation.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F11">This option was previously reported as an option for 12,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $29.17 per share.  See footnote 3 for explanation.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F12">This option was previously reported as an option for 10,400 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $31.57 per share.  See footnote 3 for explanation.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/D. R. Zakos, Attorney-in-Fact for J. R. Rulseh</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-08-01</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
