I am in the process of buying a 1999 Ram 1500. The dealer doesn't know which engine it has in it, and I don't see any external markings on it that says. Is there any easy way to tell which it has (5.2 or 5.9)? It has plenty of power.

Thanks!

 

the 8th digit on the vin tells you the engine size or open the hood and on the radiator support bar there should be a tag that has all that infomation on it

 

crawl under the engine compartment and either look or feel the balancer pulley combination attached to the engine shaft.

A 5.9 V8 has a cut out in this balancer, so it is not smooth all the way around.

This is because the long stroke 5.9V8 is 'externally balanced'
while the smaller stroke 5.2V8 is internally balanced

 

not much of a dealer. don't count on future support.

 

Pull the heads off, measure the piston displacement and multiply by eight.

 

"X" for 239

"T" for 318 CNG

"Y" for 318 gas

"Z" for 360

"5" for HD 360

"W" for 488

"C" for 12 valve Cummins

"6" for 24 valve Cummins

"7" for 24 valve HO Cummins

 

Based on what it said on the radiator support, it's a 5.9l. Fun times.

Thanks all

 

lol. Nice.