Difference between 95 5.9 and 02 5.9

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bigoldarin

bigoldarin

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Can anyone tell me what the difference is between a 2002 5.9 and a 1995 5.9
Looking to replace the engine in my 2002 Dodge truck.I can get a nice low mileage 1995 but all of the yards tell me that it won't work in a 2002
I have worked on a lot of magnums and thought they were all basically the same
Something must be different I don't want to buy the 1995 and then find out that I can't use it
 
Besides front accessories and how they attach, the only thing I can think of, off the top of my head is the early block has the provision in the block to oil the LA heads, which is not used with the Magnum head.

The balance of the engine should be the same. Attaching points are the same. Perhaps someone else may chime in and know something that we are missing.
 
The basic long block should be the same, unless I'm missing something; but you will have to swap over your existing sensors, fuel rails, throttle body, injectors, possibly the distributor, etc. since a lot of things changed over the years like connectors, sensor ranges, fuel return styles, and such. Not to mention the overall change from OBDI to OBDII.
Depending on the application of the two engines, there can also be differences in the accessory mounts. There will be a difference in the harmonic balancer, as the '95 used a two-piece balancer/pulley and the '02 is a single piece- but that shouldn't keep you from using it since they are functionally identical.
 
I forgot to mention, the oil pans and pickups can differ slightly depending on the original application.
 
Other thing different is EGR. The ‘95 will have it but the ‘02 won’t as it went away when OBD2 was introduced. So you will need to use your intake and exhaust manifolds from the ‘02.

I put a ‘98 5.9 in my ‘91 Dakota using a ‘92 harness and PCM. No issues or missing holes.

Treat it like you are just getting the long block and it will swap fine.
 
That! ^^^^^^ is the way to do it.

A direct engine swap probably has a bunch of PIA short comings and No Go issues. Swapping your engines parts into a short or long block is the way to go.

Smart thinking @DionR
 
DionR said:
Other thing different is EGR. The ‘95 will have it but the ‘02 won’t as it went away when OBD2 was introduced. So you will need to use your intake and exhaust manifolds from the ‘02.

I put a ‘98 5.9 in my ‘91 Dakota using a ‘92 harness and PCM. No issues or missing holes.

Treat it like you are just getting the long block and it will swap fine.
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DionR nailed it.

There were some changes to sensors, fuel rails, fuel injector connectors and type, and throttle cable and cruise control cable setups as well as the throttle body itself. When you swap your entire intake manifold and exhaust manifolds you are addressing every issue all at once.
 
Brooks James said:
IIRC, there may be an early and later
Flex plate and or weighted or not converter
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Yes. The flex plate and torque converter must be matched on the 5.9 Magnums. One or the other must carry the 5.9 balance weight, but not both.
A weighted flex plate uses a neutral converter on a 5.9.
A weighted converter uses a neutral flex plate on a 5.9.
 
Brooks James said:
Magnumswap.com
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Thanks for all of the replies.I was thinking that I would probably have to swap the intake.Some of the other stuff I wasn't sure about.Thanks for the info about the flex plate and balncer.I think I'm going to buy the engine and swap all of the parts.I would like to be able to just drop one in without exchanging all of the parts but i think it's worth it for the price and it's a nice low mileage engine
 
bigoldarin said:
Thanks for all of the replies.I was thinking that I would probably have to swap the intake.Some of the other stuff I wasn't sure about.Thanks for the info about the flex plate and balncer.I think I'm going to buy the engine and swap all of the parts.I would like to be able to just drop one in without exchanging all of the parts but i think it's worth it for the price and it's a nice low mileage engine
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While you're swapping the manifold, do yourself a favor and install Hughes Engines' manifold plate kit. It solves once and for all the annoying habit Magnums have of blowing out the plenum plate gasket.
https://hughesengines.com/Index/products.php?partid=27091
The kit also includes new manifold gaskets, bolts and other hardware so you won't need to source them elsewhere. Really, it has about all you'll need to swap everything over between the two long blocks, and fix the plenum issue to boot.
1708991983692.png
 
volaredon said:
Not always
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How did that happen? I meant to quote a different thread than this one with that reply...
I meant to say "not always " that the junkyard knows what fits/what doesn't. .the long block is the same on those 93-03.
 
Professor Fate said:
While you're swapping the manifold, do yourself a favor and install Hughes Engines' manifold plate kit. It solves once and for all the annoying habit Magnums have of blowing out the plenum plate gasket.
https://hughesengines.com/Index/products.php?partid=27091
The kit also includes new manifold gaskets, bolts and other hardware so you won't need to source them elsewhere. Really, it has about all you'll need to swap everything over between the two long blocks, and fix the plenum issue to boot.
View attachment 1716213114
Click to expand...
Thanks I will check into that.I have never seen one.Looks like a good idea.
 
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