Last year i traded my 98 5.9 in for a 03 4.7. I have been satisfied with the 4.7 (wish it was a hemi), but other than gas mileage and throttle response I dont know if it seems as powerful as the 5.9. They both claim about the same torq and hp. Which do you guys think is the better engine?

 

5.9 360cid vs a 4.7 304 (i believe but could be wrong) no brainer 5.9. Why, it stays with true Mopar tradition. The 360 was a staple for Dodge since the days of pony cars. As for gas milage this has been said many times, if you are worried about gas then why are you driving a Ram. My Hemi gets better milage then my wifes Durando!!

 

I had a '98 5.9 quadcab 4x4 1500 SB and my average mileage was between 10 and 11. I did not push it at all - not that kind of driver for the most part. Now I have a '07 4.7 quadcab 2x4 SB. Not yet broken in yet it averages 14. Granted I had a 3.55 rear on the old truck and a 3.92 on the new truck, I can pull anything the old one could and empty, it's faster. I put a K&N intake and hypertech on the '98 and was a total waste of $. The 4.7 is lighter and more efficient than the 5.9. To push it to the limits the 4.7 will have to rev, which is not a problem. I did get the 4.7 mainly for the 6 sped manual. I'm havin'
fun stirring my gears.

 

Torque in the important 1500-2500 rpm range is much greater on the Magnum 5.9V8 than on the 4.7V8

See these rear wheel dyno curves and look at the 'stock' torque numbers for each engine:

for the 5.9
http://www.hypertech-inc.com/dynodgtrk.html

for the 4.7
http://superchips.com/~superchips/prod_imgs/makepdf-822.pdf

As to fuel economy the 4.7 is perhaps 10% better than the 5.9V8
if you look at the 'raw' EPA laboratory tests that have more accurate numbers than the window sticker.

below is an old post with more info on the subject of
5.7 vs 5.7MDS vs 4.7 vs 5.9
fuel economy
---------------
At least this month (Jan 2007)
Chrysler has been offering the 5.7V8 with MDS as a
"no cost upgrade"
over the 4.7 on Rams
and pointing out to customers that
the 5.7MDS has better EPA MPG test results by about 1.
When evaluating this, keep in mind that you are comparing a 5.7V8 running on 4
cylinders (and dragging along 4 not being used) at a speed of 55 mph to a
4.7V8 running on eight cylinders also at a speed of 55 mph.

At speeds of 70-79 mph the MDS on the 5.7 Ram will not kick in unless you are
going downhill, or have a wind at your back. Here at higher speeds the 4.7
might regain an MPG edge.

The UAW workers at Mack I/II engine plants in Detroit are feeling this and
worried for their jobs building 3.7 and 4.7 engines:

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070130/AUTO01/701300367/1148

Even before MDS was introduced on the 5.7V8
the unmodified EPA lab results were showing
that the 5.7 was within 4% of the 4.7 V8
in fuel efficiency.
The actual test results are available online from the EPA at:

http://www.epa.gov/fueleconomy/data.htm

to see the actual results go to this link:

http://www.epa.gov/otaq/tcldata.htm

These are not the 'Window Sticker' numbers,
these databases have the actual city and highway test results down to a tenth
of a mpg. This makes it easier to compare. Since 1985 EPA has applied a
'fudge factor' to these actual results to get the number that you see on the
Window Sticker. This happened because citizens complained the EPA city and
highway numbers were TOO HIGH compared to 'normal driving'. Next year EPA
will apply an even greater 'fudge factor' because citizens are still
complaining that they can't get at 79 mph the MPG that EPA measures at 55 mph.


If you look at the 2003 year numbers
you can compare the Magnum
5.9V8 to the 5.7V8 (without MDS back then)
and to the 4.7V8 and 3.7V6

3.7V6 2wd had 25.4 MPG highway with 45RFE and 3.55 diff
4.7V8 2wd had 24.2 MPG highway with 45RFE and 3.55 diff
5.7V8 2wd had 23.3 MPG highway with 545RFE and 3.55 diff
5.9V8 2wd had 22.0 MPG highway with 47RE and 3.55 diff

Chrysler's official press release on the 5.7 Hemi said that it was 8-12% more
fuel efficient than the 10 year old Magnum 5.9V8 design. But notice
in the above that in the 2003 Ram pickup the 5.7 Hemi was only (23.3/22) 6%
more efficient at highway speed. This may be because the 545 automatic
transmission has more internal friction when in overdrive (where it has two
planetary gearsets turning) compared to the older 47RE auto that only had one
planetary gearset turning.

For comparing the 5.7 with MDS to the 4.7
look at the 2007 year numbers.

4.7V8 2wd had 23.7 MPG highway with 545RFE and 3.55 diff
5.7MDS 2wd had 25.4 MPG highway with 545RFE and 3.55 diff

Adding MDS to the 5.7V8 at a steady 55 mph improved it by
(25.4/23.3) or 9%
This matches what Chrysler said in their press release about MDS on the 5.7V8
where they wrote the most gains were below 60 mph, with maximum gain of 20%
around 45 mph.

2wd 5.7 Rams will be able to go a little faster in MDS mode and get better MPG
than 4wd Rams because the extra driveline friction and weight of the front
axle loads the engine down more.

See post number 37 in this older thread

https://dodgeforum.com/m_665489/mpage_2/key_/tm.htm