5.9 liters is 360.0 cubic inches (5,900 cc) by straight math. Makers round, so the engines sold as 5.9 L measure from 359.0 to 360.8 cubic inches.
The most common: 359.8 ci (Dodge 360 (LA)); 360.8 ci (Dodge 361 (B)); 359.8 ci (American Motors 360); 360.7 ci (Ford 360 (FE)); 359.8 ci (Jeep 360 (AMC V8)); 359.0 ci (Ram 359 (Cummins B Series)).
| Engine | Codes | Years | Bore × stroke | Cubic inches | cc | Cylinders |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford 360 (FE) | 360 V-8, FE 360 2V, 360 FE, E-400 | 1958–1976 | 4.050" × 3.500" | 360.7 | 5,911 | 8 |
| Dodge 361 (B) | B 361, D-500, 361 2-bbl | 1958–1966 | 4.125" × 3.375" | 360.8 | 5,913 | 8 |
| American Motors 360 | SC/360 | 1970–1978 | 4.080" × 3.440" | 359.8 | 5,896 | 8 |
| Dodge 360 (LA) | LA 360, Magnum 5.9, 4-bbl, 2-bbl | 1971–2003 | 4.000" × 3.579" | 359.8 | 5,896 | 8 |
| Jeep 360 (AMC V8) | AMC 360 | 1971–1991 | 4.080" × 3.440" | 359.8 | 5,896 | 8 |
| Ram 359 (Cummins B Series) | 5.9L 24V | 1994–2007 | 4.016" × 4.724" | 359.0 | 5,883 | 6 (diesel) |
| Ford 359 | — | 2000–2004 | 4.016" × 4.724" | 359.0 | 5,883 | 6 (diesel) |
Cubic inches and cc are worked out from each engine's bore and stroke. Years are the model years of the factory cars on this site that list the engine.
Start with the engine code: on 1981-and-later cars and trucks it is a character of the VIN (the 8th on most American makes), and most blocks carry a code stamp. Each engine's page lists its codes and the cars it came in. See the VIN engine code lists by make.
360.0 cubic inches by straight conversion (1 liter = 61.024 cubic inches). Real 5.9 L engines measure 359.0 to 360.8 cubic inches; the table above lists each one.
5,900 cc by definition. The engines sold as 5.9 L range from 5,883 to 5,913 cc.
Makers name engines by rounded sizes. The real size comes from bore × bore × stroke × 0.7854 × cylinders, so two engines sold as the same size are often a few cubic inches apart.