What are the differences between a '99 5.9 and a '02 5.9 -- both coming from Durangos. I have a '02 with a tired motor and '99 that has been wrecked, but has a strong motor in it. Also, are the trannys interchangeable, or no? The 99 has a good trans with a shift kit, the '02 is a slush box. Last tidbit of detail is the '99 is a SLT 4x4 and the '02 is a R/T...so I know the transfer cases are definitely different. Bottom line, can I swap the '99 motor and trans into the '02 without much headache?

Thanks!

Mike

As far as I know nothing is different between those two years. Love those Dakotas and Durangos.
fwiw, The SLT would have a 5.2, so that motor isn't the original.

02 probaly uses the side mounts like my van, might have to change intake. Not sure what year the sensors changed, reason being I have an early manifold that has less hookups than the 01, either water or air temp sensor, can’t remember. But check the mounts to see if blocks have both

FWIW, the Hollander Interchange says no 5.9 interchange between '94-'01 and '02-later.

I just swapped a 2000 tranny into a 1998, had to change the electronic pieces on valvebody so the connectors would match up. Not sure what would be different on engines. Jim.

you should be able to swap the engines. The differences are:
1. in 1998 they changed the pistons to a deeper dish
2. Camshaft changed in 2000 model year. Slightly more lift. The 2000-later cams are considered the better cams. Note the hp jumped up for those later years from 230 to 245 and 250. and torque from 335 to 345.
3. Pretty sure the injectors went to the red corporate 23.3 lb/hr injectors in 2000 as well. That would be the only part to affect you

I’m thinking that would mean bolt in and go, each year seems to have big and little changes made. But basic engine-heads could just about go in any year vehicle.

injectors are different, easy to swap, as are most other sensors as the plugs are different. Whoremonger balancer is probably one piece on the later one and two on the earlier one, no issue there as the one piece can just be left and will work fine in place of the 2 piece. 02 and later 46re trans has a different neutral safety switch mount and no easy way to swap them with the 01 and earlier ones.

hollander is wrong-ish about the engine swap, some later aplications use a motor mount with 4 bolts in a square pattern on the side of the block and those bosses are not on the earlier blocks so you can go one way but not the other in some rigs but it does not apply to durangos, the triangle bolt pattern is still on the later block so no issue putting it in an older one.

vacuum ports on the intake are probably different, either your gonna need to put in or remove some t fittings or better yet you should be replacing the intake plenum gasket while you have it out anyhow so just put the 99 intake with new gaskets back on the 02 engine.

Thanks all...sounds like a fairly easy swap.

SLT was just a trim level. 99 Durangos were equipped with the 3.9l V6 as standard and the 5.2 and 5.9 were options. There weren't many V6 Durangos sold, so the 5.2 and 5.9 ones were the most popular and readily available. I've seen a couple SXT (base trim level) with V6s, but every SLT I've seen has been a 5.2 or 5.9. There was also a SLT "Plus" trim level that basically just added leather and premium sound (Infinity).

Use all the sensors from the 02 and put them on the 99(some may be different). The transmissions internal sensors changed in 2000 and up.

Correct. I used a 97 truck block for my build in a 2002 Ram Van. Was told by junk yard it would not work bc of motor mounts, but had no trouble. Of course I looked at them pretty close before building it.

There are only three different magnum blocks, casting # for the 318 is 53006714 or 53006657 and 5302006 for the 360. I have two blocks in my garage and i know 360 has three holes.