<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

<documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-05-07</periodOfReport>
<issuer><issuerCik>0000067347</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MODINE MANUFACTURING CO</issuerName>
<issuerTradingSymbol>MODI</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>1185590</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>RAYBURN DAVID B</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
<reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>President and CEO</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Modine Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-05</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>51.264</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>48129.143</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">This total includes 3,068.1930 units of Modine common stock held in the registrant's the Modine 401(k) Retirement Plan account, 5,604.8508 units of Modine common stock held in the registrant's Modine Deferred Compensation Plan account and 8,288.0992 shares held in the registrant's Modine Employee Stock Ownership Plan account..</footnote><footnote id="F2">These units of Modine common stock were purchased between 4/09/03 and 5/06/03 at various prices into the registrant's Modine Deferred Compensation Plan account.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>D. B. Rayburn</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-05-07</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

