Okay, I read on here about the "Z" vs the "Y" in the vin, and mine has the Z. Also I have sticker under my hood that says "5.9L"....

How ever when I was sold the Durango, what I paid for, and what the recite/etc said at the time was 5.2L. (I purchased new in Dec 1999) So which do I trust, the paper work or the vin, and is there any way to tell by looking at the engine?

 

I would go with what the VIN says. Other than that, I do not know how to visually tell if the engine is a 5.2 or 5.9.

 

I would go with the VIN as well. I don't think the dealer knew what was going on. There is no way to see the difference between the two. You would have to look at the crank.

 

Magnum 5.9V8s have a torsional damper with slots cast into it
because the engine is externally balanced.

The Magnum 5.2 V8s are internally balanced
and the torsional damper is smooth and symmetrical
with no cast in slots or weights.

Look in the lower front of your engine
and see which damper the vehicle has.

 

Ummm what is "torsional damper" and how will I know I am looking at it?

 

Dude just go with the VIN Dealers don't know squat...

 

VDS:

Thats a new one on me. "Torsional Damper" I am old school and back then we called it the harmonic balancer. This would be the large round pully that is attached to the front the crankshaft and drives the serpentine belt.

I do understand the difference in the two engines as far as balancing, but will to defer to Hank asI have not spent enough time around the 5.2/5.9 to verify this aspect.

Sounds to me like the salesperson did not know his apples from oranges. I met one like that once. My cousin and were looking at a mid eighties Ford pickup on a lot, and noted that the air cleaner said "351 4v" We kind of thought that common sense would say it meant 4bbl carb, but did not want to take the lid off so we asked a nearby sales guy. His reply and I quote was, " oh, that means it has 4 valves" [sm=chattypair.gif][sm=chattypair.gif].

Anyway, the vin says a 360, and although I am sure you would go back and complain if things were the other way, I think I would just smile and go on.

Don

 

Go back and complain? Nah, that dealer turned out to be a MAJOR crook, and I am still paying for falling for their scams at the time. Since then I have moved nearly 3000 miles away (bought in Nv, now live in Va) so not like I am going back to see them any time soon.

Was just wondering, I am very happy with the truck and even if I though I had a 5.9 and was sold a 5.2 ... I would still be happy with the truck.

 

What's funny is that the registration should tell you what you have, also your ins. co. should know...

 

Well anyone that pulls teh VIN will say 5.9L.

I think I will stop ad the local dealer and ask them to pull the VN and get me an original configuration listing see what else I got