I've found a deal on a 5.9 remanufactured long block. It's a sale price. I think I'm going to go to the bank tomorrow, transfer some money and go ahead and order it.

The deal is that I get an OBD2 compatable 5.9 Magnum for $1726 shipped. Includes oil pump, pan, & timing cover already installed. No core charge and no core required. I'll have to get a flex plate, but that's about all (for now.) Already, I've replaced the water pump, thermostat & housing, and all the hoses. The only thing else is to get a new radiator, I think.

Too hot in Tucson to do the work now, and my 230K 5.2 is running okay. And not having to worry about returning a core, I can park the new engine in the back of the carport and work on it when the weather cools.

 

Exciting, congrats on the find! Be sure to snap some pics to share

 

What year is your truck? 1996?

 

Yes. It is a 96 4wd Club Cab.

 

Damn, that sounds like a good deal... Well done, sir!

 

What are you going to do about fuel management? Running a 5.9 on 5.2 might set a lean trouble code and you won't be able to pass emissions.

 

Stuff I've read doesn't mention this as a problem.

My deal for a long block fell through, tho. I suspect it was a mistake in the internet catalog--I tried ordering 4 times and all 4 times the order wouldn't go through.

Plan B is to find either a decent low mileage 5.2 or a running higher mileage one & freshen it. For a rebuild, I've actually got a pretty good budget, about $1700. I've spotted a decent 5.2 on CL for about $400--but the guy hasn't gotten back to me. He live in the PHX area and has gone to a 5.9, I'll ask him what he did about the emissions question if he ever calls back.

 

It's not that big of a problem for OBDI even tough my fuel trims were in the 20% range. But anything above or below 9% will set a code for OBDII.

 

Plan B is looking good. Found a low miles since rebuild (he says 10,000 miles) '98 5.2 complete engine not too far from home, Chandler outside of Phoenix. We've agreed on a price, $400. And I can hear it run. He's a mechanic type and it's in his '98 Durango.



I'm happy with the idea of a relatively fresh engine to put in the bank so to speak. And I'm not a big one for racing from lite to lite. So a relatively stock replacement engine meets my needs and is a lot more within budget than a reman'd one that costs upwards of $1400.

Gonna look at it tomorrow afternoon. Hope I get some sleep tonite, 'cuz like the little kid in the old Disneyworld ad, I'm tooo excited.

I asked him what he was going to do about smogging the 5.9. He didn't seem too worried, he's got a 5.9 pcm to put in, so it should be hunkie & dorrey.

 

Well, I bought it. It's still in the Durango, so I got to hear it run. It's very clean, and sounds just exactly as it should. $400 and I'm getting a complete engine, 1998, not a long block. So included is a barrel plenum, new distributor, injectors, all the covers (valve and oil pan,) a spare flexplate, and so on. Oil smelled clean, and he says he's been using synthetic oil. The guy is gonna see about a T.V. cable for me, I'll give him an extra $20 for that.

And I ordered a 2 row radiator yesterday and will be getting a trannie cooler today, I think.

As I'll have a spare plenum, I'm going to do the plenum mods and transfer my 1/4 in. thick valley pan over. And as I'm way under budget, maybe a hi-vo oil pump. And maybe a set of headers, under consideration.

Fairly stoked at the minute. Going out later to get a cherry picker at Harbor Freight.