Both the 5.2 and 5.9 are tough motors. The 4.7 is okay. I had a GM mechanic tell me one time that the 318 is bulletproof.

 

The block is the same its jsut machined differently. Thats like saying the 305 and 350 xchevy isnt the same block. they jsut have different bores and strokes. you guys have to remember the 360 has been around for a long time. the 4.7 has only been around for 9 years or so and out of those 9 years only abotu 6-7 in mass production. its a new motor nobody is gonna have a ton of stuff for it like they do for the 360. you think when the 360 came out the speed shops all of the sudden started to pull speed parts out of their butts? Id say wait a few years and I think youll see the 4.7 get some respect.

BTW the 4.7 dakotas did not only come with 3.55 gears they also had a optional 3.90 gear which was standard on RT.
Rob

 

The 5.2 and 5.9 have different left-side mounting ears just like the old LA motors, the castings are similar, but they're different. I'm not a big Chev fan and I'm not well versed on their blocks so I can't really tell you about them. But the Chrysler motors I've spent countless hours working on and reading about. Yeah, the bores and strokes are different, but that's not all.

While reviewing a book before posting this I came across a blurb on the oil pans- unlike the LA motors, the 318 and 360 Magnums share an oil pan, but use different gaskets. In fact you can use the LA 360 oil pan.

 

I had a 2000 Dakota with a 4.7L, thought it was okay but limited aftermarket. It was reliable, but as another poster said it felt more like a car motor that likes the rev's instead of a hard working truck motor. Despite what #'s say, I had a harder time pulling a small trailer up rocky mountain hills in the Dak. than I did in my fathers '97 Ram with a 5.2L (318)....I think (okay, so I don't have the charts in front of me so please don't kill me if I'm wrong) that the power / torque curve on the 5.2 / 5.9 was also alot flatter, whereas the 4.7 was more peaky (which would explain why it felt like a car motor)....anyhow, given this, and my "old school" nature, I prefer the old 5.2 / 5.9's over the 4.7, but again can't say the 4.7 is a bad motor....really up to you, what you wanna do with it, and if you want to modify it a little or have tons of possibilities....

 

i had a 97 reg cab fullsize with the 318 and it did everything i asked it to do and then some. great truck and a good motor to tow with. but out of the hole it could barely get the one tire to spin, now i own a 05 dak with the 4.7 and it kicks. it would definitely put a hurtin on the old reg cab. dont like the towing with it . trailer seems to push truck back and forth a little were as the fullsize did not. but for gas mileage and performance my 4.7 is a better motor. and for performance on the 4.7 www.krcperformance.com has some great stuff.

 

That sounds about right. The 5.2seems likemore of a workhorse than the newer 4.7 is.

Don't forget that there's a significantweight difference between your old Ram and your new Dakota. The Ram is 700lbs + more than the Dakota depending on your configuration.

 

A 4.7 Dak, at least in 2001, came with what ever rear end gears you ordered.

What's that, oh, you didn't order your DAK?

3.92's are very common. As is the LSD rear end, like mine.

 

Limited slip diff isn't all that common, I'd say way less than 1/2 of them had one. And you had the option of 3.55 or 3.92 gears, that's it.