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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-11-30</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001232523</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>RICHARDSON BRADLEY C</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1></rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity></rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState></rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode></rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>VP, Finance and CFO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Modine common stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-11-30</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>14.5435</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>35.7548</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>39381.1146</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">This total includes 68.8236 units of Modine common stock indirectly held in the Registrant's Modine 401(k) Retirement Plan account and 898.7696 units of Modine common stock indirectly held in the Registrant's Modine Deferred Compensation PLan account.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/D.R. Zakos, Attorney-in-Fact for B. C. Richardson</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-11-30</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
