RAM
Used RAM Engines
RAM sits across two sourcing worlds: light-duty gasoline trucks, and 2500/3500 trucks with a Cummins diesel that follows commercial engine rules.
Light-duty RAM 1500 sourcing centres on the 5.7L HEMI and the 3.6L Pentastar. The HEMI questions are the same as on other Stellantis applications — MDS hardware and lifter condition first — with the additional wrinkle that later trucks may have the eTorque mild-hybrid system, which changes the accessory drive and the electrical architecture.
The 6.7L Cummins in 2500 and 3500 trucks is a different purchase entirely. It is a commercial-grade inline-six diesel, and identifying it properly means working from the engine serial number and the emissions configuration rather than from the truck's badge. Requests for these are often better handled through our commercial engine process.
The 5.9L Cummins in earlier trucks remains in strong demand and is identified the same way: serial number and configuration, not model year alone.
Range
Common RAM engine families
5.7L HEMI V8
RAM 1500 and 2500. MDS on many applications; later trucks may add the eTorque mild-hybrid system.
3.6L Pentastar V6
RAM 1500. Revised during its production run — match the revision to your model year.
6.7L Cummins inline-six diesel
RAM 2500/3500. Identified by engine serial number and emissions configuration, not by truck model year alone.
5.9L Cummins inline-six diesel
Earlier 2500/3500 trucks. Still heavily requested; serial number identification applies.
6.4L HEMI V8
Heavy-duty gasoline option in 2500/3500 applications. Distinct from the 5.7 and not interchangeable with it.
Identification
Identifying a RAM unit
- The eighth VIN character identifies the engine on RAM trucks.
- For any Cummins-powered truck, work from the engine serial number on the block data plate. It identifies the exact build, rating and emissions configuration in a way the model year cannot.
- On 1500 trucks, establish whether the vehicle has eTorque. It changes the accessory drive and the electrical system, and a non-eTorque engine is not a straight substitute.
- For HEMI applications, confirm MDS presence on both your truck and the donor engine.
Compatibility
What has to match
- The 5.7L and 6.4L HEMI are separate engines with different applications, cooling and controls. Displacement is not the only difference.
- eTorque and non-eTorque 5.7L applications differ in accessory drive and electrical architecture and are not interchangeable without additional work.
- Cummins engines are matched to the transmission and chassis configuration. Confirm the transmission when sourcing, as the bellhousing and controls follow it.
Before you buy
Buying considerations for RAM
- 01
On MDS-equipped HEMI engines, ask what is known about lifter and camshaft condition before agreeing a price.
- 02
Cummins purchases should be scoped like commercial engine purchases: rating, emissions configuration, injector and turbo history, and freight, all confirmed in writing.
- 03
For 6.4L HEMI applications, confirm the truck's chassis and cooling package. The heavy-duty installation differs from the 1500 in more than the engine.
- 04
Because these are trucks, ask what work the donor vehicle did. A fleet highway truck and a heavy-tow truck at similar mileage are not equivalent purchases.
Freight
How shipping works
Engines and transmissions ship freight on a pallet, not by parcel carrier. Most deliveries are curbside to a commercial address, so a shop or a business with a forklift is the smoothest destination. Residential and liftgate delivery is usually possible and is quoted separately because it costs more.
Transit time depends on the source location and your destination, so it is confirmed on your written quote rather than promised in advance. Ask your specialist for the expected transit window before you commit — it is part of the quote, not an afterthought.
Inspect the pallet before you sign for it. Note any visible damage on the delivery receipt at the moment of delivery; a clean signature makes a freight claim substantially harder to pursue.
Coverage
How warranty works
Coverage varies by the unit itself — its condition, mileage or hours, and the source it comes from — so the term is stated on your written quote rather than advertised as a single blanket figure. Get it in writing before you pay, and read what it covers as well as how long it lasts.
Two questions matter more than the length of the term. Does the coverage include labor, or the part only? And does it require the installation to be performed by a licensed shop with documentation? Those two answers decide what a claim is actually worth.
Keep your installation invoice, and follow the break-in and fluid requirements for the unit. Skipping documented maintenance is the most common reason a legitimate claim gets denied.
Answers
RAM questions
Is a RAM 2500 Cummins sourced the same way as a 1500 HEMI?
No, and treating them the same is the usual mistake. The Cummins is identified from the engine serial number and emissions configuration and is best handled through a commercial engine process; the HEMI follows light-duty automotive sourcing from the VIN.
What is eTorque and does it affect which engine I can use?
It is a mild-hybrid system on later 1500 trucks that replaces the conventional alternator arrangement and changes the accessory drive and electrical architecture. An eTorque and a non-eTorque 5.7L are not straight substitutes for one another.
Should I be concerned about MDS lifters?
It is worth asking about rather than avoiding outright. The deactivation lifters are a recognised wear point, so establish what is known about their condition on any donor engine and make sure the configuration matches your truck's controls.
Can you source a 5.9L Cummins?
It remains a commonly requested engine. As with the 6.7, identification runs from the engine serial number and configuration rather than the truck's model year, so have the data plate details ready.
Get a RAM quote.
The form above already has RAM selected. A specialist confirms the rest.
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