Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) 53 block poll

[SAndreasen]

poll who has a 53 block

 

[DavidC]

Had one

Dave

 

[The patriot]

got one.

 

[jgillott]

Had one in my former 2001. Owned the truck for 7 years. Highly modded. Probably over 300 passes on the drag strip and many dyno pulls and no crack. From what I understand, it is still alive and well with the current owner.

2 of my friends had modded '99's. One cracked, one didn't.

 

[SAndreasen]

At what mileage did they crack

 

[DavidC]

At what mileage did they crack

Mine was about 35k. I would have to go back in the records for the exact.

Dave

 

[DNordvik]

Have a cracked 53 block in my 99. 108,000 miles. Waiting for replacement.

 

[bry1216]

I have one. 104,000 miles no issue with crack.

 

[DClark]

Had one in my 98.5 at 175K. Broke internally and was not fixable. Found a recycled engine at a recycler for $1800. There are lots of 53 blocks at the recyclers. It is a crap shoot on these 53s. they might run for ever and then not. I don't think it has anythihng to do with how you drive it or maintain it. If you have one you have a time bomb on your hands. It is sad that Cummins got away with it.
DClark

 

[SAndreasen]

Anybody ever have one welded? I don't have a crack but my luck is not good would have never bought the pos if I had known it was a 53 asked the guy if it was he said it wasn't . Looked below the injection pump where I thought it was didn't see 53 thought I got lucky

 

[Shadrach]

I bought a 97 engine for a swap into a Ferd for a co worker several years back. The block was a 53 so we used another block instead. Didn't want to take a chance and we had another block anyway. David

 

[SAndreasen]

I have 233000 miles so I hope she's proven to be OK but who knows was hoping so high mileage owners would chime in

 

[Dl5treez]

Had one. '99. I believe it cracked on the guy who bought it from me.

 

[VolsFan]

My dad's 99 work truck with over 400k got a crack around 250k, had engine pulled out and JB welded it and no problems with it afterwards. My old truck was a 99 w the 53 and current owner is running over 600 hp and have not heard of any issues with it. I don't know what the block is in my 01

 

[SAndreasen]

if it does crack probably going to lock stitch it . unless somebody will weld it in the truck had a combine engine welded in the machine once

 

[DavidC]

If I remember right some one on here had that done and it did not last. The area in question is just to thin.

Dave