53 block again

[SAndreasen]

If you are under the understanding that all "53 blocks" crack in much the same way, I am here to tell you that they don't. I have an '98 that came with a "53 block". I put 175K on it with relative easy use, some pulling but mostly town driving. On the way to work one day in the winter (cold weather) the temp went up to normal within about 2 miles, which was not normal. On the way home it began to smoke white smoke. I'm thinking I lost a head gasket. Next morning it had a puddle of greenish grayish goo under it, coolant and oil. Trailered it to my mechanic, he pulled it and could not find the source. It was an internal failure, not visible externally. I bought a non- 53 block recycle engine for $1800 and it is still running on that engine. 53 blocks are a ticking time bomb. If you can do it, get a different block.
DClark

In the hundreds of pages I've read on the 53 you are the only one I have ever heard that cracked internally sure sounds like the wrong diagnoses to me

 

[SAndreasen]

Well the neighbors 53 block block cracked last week as well , guess it’s a bad time in the lunar cycle to own a 53

The crack is getting worse dumping a gallon of water in an hour right now even more when working the truck hard. Salesman stopped buy from the tractor dealer to sell me a new gooseneck flatbed and his 53 block is cracked as well so that is a total of 3 cracked 53 blocks in a fifty mile radius In the same year all with around 250,000 miles or less I finally dumped a bunch of stop leak in mine I just can’t dump water in it fast enough right now

 

[DavidC]

Sorry to say but it's not going to get any better.

Dave

 

[BoeingDiesel]

My '99 has a 53 block and is over 300,000 on the ODO and no issues as of now. Are there certain operating conditions that contribute to the block cracking eg; high RPM, heavy towing?

 

[DavidC]

Mine cracked while towing to/from Payson Az. There are a few very long steep grades.

Dave

 

[SAndreasen]

I’ve got a new block bought but until I can buy another rig so I can park this one I’ve got to try and get buy

 

[SAndreasen]

My '99 has a 53 block and is over 300,000 on the ODO and no issues as of now. Are there certain operating conditions that contribute to the block cracking eg; high RPM, heavy towing?

I work mine hard one of the others that’s cracked is also worked but not as hard and then the other one that’s cracked is basically a commuter truck . There’s no real reason to fret it either will crack or it won’t they just use a lot of water when they crack mine uses a lot of water

 

[DavidC]

I work mine hard one of the others that’s cracked is also worked but not as hard and then the other one that’s cracked is basically a commuter truck . There’s no real reason to fret it either will crack or it won’t they just use a lot of water when they crack mine uses a lot of water

Yeah, when mine cracked it was like using a tea cup to bail out the titanic. I knew something was not good when I was backing the 5ver into the yard and smelled antifreeze. It was all down hill after that

Dave

 

[SAndreasen]

Yeah, when mine cracked it was like using a tea cup to bail out the titanic. I knew something was not good when I was backing the 5ver into the yard and smelled antifreeze. It was all down hill after that

Dave

Mine wasn’t bad at first I thought it was just the heater core because I knew it was bad I was only adding maybe a quart every couple thousand miles after I fixed the heater core it was still drinking water and I thought well maybe they just bleed it well enough well i got to thinking maybe a bad head gasket I was just getting ready to take it to the car wash and see what I could see i pppoed the hood and there was a yellow streak right down the side of the block the crack was about 3 inches long at that time it is now the full length of the block I think a secret to repairing one of these might be to run it until it’s cracked the full length of the block . I have a new block bought but it’s going to be winter before I can park the truck and swap blocks

 

[SAndreasen]

Mine wasn’t bad at first I thought it was just the heater core because I knew it was bad I was only adding maybe a quart every couple thousand miles after I fixed the heater core it was still drinking water and I thought well maybe they just bleed it well enough well i got to thinking maybe a bad head gasket I was just getting ready to take it to the car wash and see what I could see i pppoed the hood and there was a yellow streak right down the side of the block the crack was about 3 inches long at that time it is now the full length of the block I think a secret to repairing one of these might be to run it until it’s cracked the full length of the block . I have a new block bought but it’s going to be winter before I can park the truck and swap blocks

A little better pic . I thought the crack was getting longer but it isn’t