Anything is possible but is it worth it? I have seen people stuff in a v10 in a durango as well as a 5..7 hemi but it was tons off work.

You would need to switch all the harness, computers and probably do some creative wiring to wire up the dash to the new harness.

The 4..7 uses a 45 re transmission and the 5..9 uses a 46re transmission so you will need to change that all and may need new drive shafts made up.

Basically man its no easy task to go from a 4..7 to a 5..9 and would be easier to just buy a truck with a 5..9.

 

I just did the swap, sorry to post a month later but i just signed up and was looking through threads.

I had a 98 5.9 durango SLT 4x4, i totaled it and bent the frame, i found a 2002 (which i wanted because the updated interior) with a blown 4.7 in it. I wanted my 5.9, i didnt want to fiddle with another 4.7 so i found a donor durango that had been tboned.

I had to swap the engine harness, the motor mounts i replaced, but they looked like the same ones as the 4.7, but there are brackets that bolt to the block that sit ON TOP of the motor mounts, you will need those from the 5.9. I had to splice my old style injector connectors on the harness so i could use my old style injectors from the 98, i soldered and heatshrunk those. You will need an alternator from the newer/donor because the way the alternator is wired up is different. (this is assuming your using a 5.9 from a pre 2000 durango) I also got the PCM/CTM from the donor because the 4.7 wont work, and the old 98 computer wont either because in 98 the computer communicated different than in 2002, they switched from CCD wiring to BUS.

Now i was moving my 5.9 from a 98 to a 2002, the front diff is a bit different between them. On the 98 there is this big plate that bolts the diff to the trans/engine, on the 2002 its a little bracket by the starter. if you are moving the 5.9 from an older vehicle to a newer style durango you will need that new bracket aswell.

I dropped everything in and its all good except the fact im have issues with my computer (error on my part for lack of knowledge)

My truck starts and stalls after 2-3 seconds, its a security feature code p1686, i actually have another thread on this that im keeping updated so you can go there to read about the issue im having with swapping PCM/CTM, and the issues with the sentry key immobilizer. before you do any swapping make sure you ready up on the SKIM system and make sure the donor doesnt have SKIM if yours doesnt, and if yours does have SKIM you will need some reprogramming from the dealer.

My thread on SKIM is here
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...d-descrip.html

 

You could use the engine, but you'd need the harness and all electronics for the engine from another 2002 that had the 5.9 in it, as the 98 PCM won't like the newer CTM in the 02 truck.

There's a good chance I'll be changing out my 4.7, but I have no interest in doing all this nonsense, so it'll be another 4.7, especially since I've got a brand new 545RFE with 20K miles sitting behind the 4.7.

 

as far as the engiens go the 5.9 itself is essentially the same from 93-03 but the sensors, injectors and wiring/computer differs depending on year.
I too would rather have a 5.2/5.9 over a 4.7 "any day of the week".
and I have heard (regarding the 5.7 Hemi) many guys with newer trucks with this engine even with the newer 8 speed trannys that say that for grunt and torque the 5.9 is better than the 5.7 Hemi.... I know a couple guys with newer trucks that miss their 5.9s....
I have an 01 that is an original 5.9 Durango and noticed in the junkyards recently, they are loaded with 4.7 Durangos but not many '00 or newerones to be found in the yards with 5.9s.... I just completed a major overhaul of my 5.9 and am done except for a computer issue that I have been fighting since before the engine refresh.