Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) 53 Block Again

[AHughes]

Dear Members, After just reading the article in our newest TDR book on page 114 by Andy Redmond I'm about ready to give up. I purchased a new in '98 1/2 one of the 24 valve ISB 3/4 ton pickups not knowing at the time it had the faulty #53 block. Now after owning it and loving it for 10 years I find that now I don't need it any longer as we've downsized from 40 acres to 1. 2 and now I also find I can't sell it because of the dreaded #53 block. It appears the public is acutely aware of the Brazilian cast lousy block. I wish I had that knowledge back in 98? What do we do now? I've had 112K trouble free miles from the truck but can't sell it! That stinks!!! You can see my truck by checking out Autotrader.com and look for trucks in 97759 zip code. Since it's a manufacturing defect shouldn't Cummins be responsible for replacing the block? I've even offered to lower the price to share in the replacement of the 53 block and still no-one wants to risk the chance of having to replace the engine. I don't blame them. I guess I'll contact Cummins again and see what can be done? I talked with them about 5 yrs ago and they assured me that if anything happened with the engine they would help me out but what about another owner? I hope everyone in TDR doesn't have this same problem. I can't snooker a prospective buyer by sneaking in the cracked block problem. Any suggestions would be appreciated. A. Hughes Sisters, Oregon. #@$%!

 

[TStallings]

have the same 53 block in my '99. the recent article is my first knowledge of the problem. I wish Cummings would make a public statment concerning the situation. The Cummings engine is the strength of the truck and the reason I bought it.

 

[zstroken]

That is a clean truck, but I would be happy to get 23,000 out of an 01 with only 35K. I think the price it a little high 53 block or not.

 

[FLynes]

Nice looking truck, I hope you get what you're asking for it.

 

[BigPapa]

have the same 53 block in my '99. the recent article is my first knowledge of the problem. I wish Cummings would make a public statment concerning the situation. The Cummings engine is the strength of the truck and the reason I bought it.

Welcome T!



It's "Cummins", not Cummings". No "G.



Just thought I'd let you know in a "gentle" kind of way. Some folks 'round here will really let you have it over this.



Scott

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Welcome T!



It's "Cummins", not Cummings". No "G.



Just thought I'd let you know in a "gentle" kind of way. Some folks 'round here will really let you have it over this.



Scott

:-laf:-laf:-laf



Yeah, back when I owned my '98 CamAro SS, it was sorta to see the high-school dropouts brag about their various CamEros - I always figure if an owner can't spell the name of his ride, when it's usually there printed in front of him somewhere on the dashboard every time he's behind the wheel, he probably doesn't really know much about the REST of the vehicle either! :-laf:-laf



ANYWAY, as to the 53 blocks, I doubt very many owners outside groups like this actually even know about them, and if I was a buyer looking at a nice one with pretty decent mileage on it without signs of cracks, I'd probably go for it if the price was right...

 

[JesseJ]

Since this subject popped up again, I finally decided to go look at mine. Yep, it's a 53#@$%! But what can you do? It's a roll of the dice whether or not it cracks. They say heavy towing will do it but mine was used for constant heavy towing for the first 130k of it's life by the previous owner. It now has 230k on it, bombed and all. Like another guy said, if it goes, I guess that's just a good excuse to build a killer motor. Look at it this way, even if it set you back $5000, that's still only 8 months of payments on a new one. I'll put a block in mine and keep driving it, I love :-lafit.

 

[AlaskanCummins]

I'm right with you JesseJ - It wasn't until after I bought my donor truck for my project that I found out it had the 53 block. Heck, I didn't know there were any problems... .



This was because I was a first gen guy, then went to the dark side with a Powerjoke for 8 years, then on to a third gen truck. So, I didn't do my research on the second gen forum, as I very rarely, if ever at all read it.



But, I just love my conversion and drive it as much as I can. When she cracks, then it'll be a new block and quite the build up!!!



Hopefully I'll get many miles before she does though... . more time to save the greenbacks.

 

[RMecum]

The "53 Curse"

I'd be fibbing if I said it doesn't bother me. I bought my 01 with 40,000 miles on it... got 105,000 now... bombed pretty good too... close to 400 HP and no problem... touch wood/fingers crossed.



I don't think they ALL crack. I've got the truck tricked out to my liking and I don't want to start over... and it looks soooo nice in front of my Airstream .



I've decided that if it cracks (and I'm gonna drive it 'til it does) I'm gonna have a new engine put in it... maybe even one of those newer quiet ones!



I wish there was a way to find a statistic of how many have cracked as opposed to number produced... like a percentage of the total that are bad... maybe it was a bad few weeks when the guy who had his sh$# together was on vacation or something and his relief man didn't know how to do the casting correctly.



The aritcle in TDR said and I'm paraphrasing, that of all the 53's out there, only a few have documented failures. That good enough for me... I'm gonna drive it like I stole it... life's too short to sweat the small stuff



Mike

 

[FLynes]

... I don't think they ALL crack. I've got the truck tricked out to my liking and I don't want to start over... and it looks soooo nice in front of my Airstream ... I'm gonna drive it like I stole it... life's too short to sweat the small stuff



Mike

Of course, that said, you know that now your 53 block is going to crack, while you're towing the Airstream, as you hit a bump, causing the Dura-Torq axles on the silver twinkie to break! :-laf



And this is post #666 for me too! Now you're really cursed!

 

[JesseJ]

I hear somewhere around here the number was only around 2-4% of the 53's cracked. Pretty small fraction of the tens of thousands out there.

 

[RMecum]

FLynes... . I was gonna get defensive about ur axel comment... then I checked ur profile info and found were brothers... were cool...

 

[DodgeWarlock]

I just found out recently that we have the 53 block, too. How about someone who knows how setting up a poll for the 53 block.

say everyone who had/has one could vote. Say with entries like...

1)stock no cracks

2)stock cracked under 100k

3)stock cracked 100k-200k

4)stock cracked 200k and up

5)bombed no cracks

6)bombed cracked under 100k

7)bombed cracked 100k-200k

8)bombed cracked 200k and up

I would think this would cover it pretty well and give us a clearer picture. I'm not even sure how much difference stock vs. bombed will make in the poll, but including it might be informative. Maybe this has been done and I just did not find it before, but...

 

[JesseJ]

I thought I saw a poll awhile back about the 53 block. May have to dig for it.

 

[JesseJ]

Found the 53 block poll on this thread:



https://www.turbodieselregister.com...1998-5-2002/167511-53-block-failure-poll.html



Not as in depth as your idea, but may give some clue.

 

[DodgeWarlock]

Thanks! Maybe not as in depth, but still enlightening. It looks like only about 21% actually are failing. Too bad I'm not known for good luck.

 

[JesseJ]

And that number is only people who are on here regularly. How many have been out there with no problems and people have no clue that it was even an issue?