Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) 53 Block!!!!!!

[Cummins360]

Hi ok I have a question, I have a 99' Ram 2500 with a 53 block. I had that side of the engine exposed recently to put on an ATS manifold and I didnt see any cracks or coolant seepage, I do however have 168,000 miles on it. At this point would the block have cracked allready or do I still have to worry about it cracking??? If it does crack what can I do to fix it? Do I have to bring it somewhere or can I fix it myself??



Someone Please Help Me with This!!

 

[RAJohnson]

Never owning a 53 block Oo. I would say you are good from what I have read here on the TDR, although keep a eye on it. If it does crack some time and you are a decent mechanic you could probably do the stitch repair your self. If you do a search on stitch or stitching you will have a lot to read but also you will see it is fixable.

 

[Cummins360]

Hi I did read all of the various posts and wow was there alot of them and it seems very fixable, oh by the way your stats says you have line-x on your bed and body. Is that on the intire body? If so how is that workin out I was thinkin about doing that to my truck as I had a rhinolining put on my truck and I am happy with there product. How much did that cost you?

Thanks

 

[RAJohnson]

Yea if you look at my readers rigs Gallery you will see where i had it applied. Help a bunch with rock chips, I have not gotten any rock chips since I had it done. Plus I wanted a different look (didn't last to long thou I have been seeing a couple of different ones popping up) HE double hockey sticks :-laf less than a paint job down the road. :-laf $550. 00



FWIW I found Line-X to be a better texture for the body then Rhino Lining. Easy to keep clean if you get diesel or WD40 on a rag it will shine up really nice. Oo.

 

[Evan A. Beck]

The 53 will crack at any given time, regardless of mileage or load. It IS more common on hevay hauling trucks. Horsepower makes no difference. Some crack and some don't. Worst thing is, there is nothing you can do to prevent it, short of replacing the block. After it cracks, some guys do the lock & stitch repair, but you have to remember it can still crack in other places even after the repair has been performed. The whole side of the block on that side is thin, 5. 5mm to be exact. Newer series 54, 55, 56, and all the Mexican blocks are 11mm thick in that same area.



If it cracks, I'd replace the block rather than try to repair it. Yeah its way more money, but you won't have to worry about it cracking again, and weakening the structure of the block even more.

 

[DThelen]

This is another reason why the foreign car companies are going to make out in the end. The American car companies just don’t care. The cracking 53 blocks, life pumps going out taken the injector pump out. Transmission problem, Abs sensor, If there’s a common problem with my truck I have had it. GM, Ford and Chrysler know of major problems with there vehicle and do nothing about it, or the create a problem to make it cheaper. They have lost more customer because of this stupid stuff. Now there outsourcing (forcing suppliers) everything to Chine, Mexico or anywhere else they can get it made for pennies on the dollar.



I would like to keep my job and not be a Wal-Mart greater and have to fix my broken 53 Cummings block at 5 dollars hour pay, because somebody wanted it cheaper to build but charge list price for it so corporate can rake in the profits under my expense.



Waiting for my 53 Block to brake!!!

 

[drag racer]

If you have a "53" block and no crack, don't worry yourself to death over it. Enjoy your truck, drive the pi$$ out of it, and IF it happens, then deal with it at the time. And yes, I am a member of the "53" block club with no crack yet...

 

[Cummins360]

Ok thats what i planned on doing anyways, driving it untill it cracks then worrying about it. It's just a pain in the ***** knowing it could crack and not being able to do anything to prevent it from happening. But oh well at least I dont got a ford or a gm, and personally if I had to choose I would take a ford anyday over a piee of crap GM.

 

[CMBOld]

Hey DThelen, somebody 'done stole your motor and put a "cummings" in there!

 

[PeteFleming]

I am trying to buy 2 more trucks for my son and wife so I've been reading. The 53 block seems to crack under hi torque from towing in the mountains. It seems to take an event of physically putting a twisting load on the block itself to cause the crack to happen. If you drive it normally and never tow, it may crack, but it is less likely to. I think that looking for a second truck/ engine/ or planning a trans upgrade at the same time while driving it in the meantime would be good planning. The stitch repair won't prevent it from happening again. Dodge seems to replace blocks under 100k as long as there are no mods on the truck (not even gauges). Good Luck. .

 

[Evan A. Beck]

Got another 53 in the shop right now. 86K on it, early '01 model. Out of warranty... Fresh block we had laying around is at the machine shop now, assembly begins tomorrow. The old one has a 6" crack in it, and went from no crack to BIG crack in only one day. Truck does not tow heavy, nor does it tow in the mountains. One of the worst I've seen... I'll see if I can get some good pictures of it in the next day or two.



And speaking of engine replacement, have a '94 12V in the shop too, 100K+ miles on it... Guy used an low-grade oil filter. Engine developed a slight knock, turned out #6 was burned up. Tore down the engine this morning, found #6 piston cooler nozzle plugged, and the cylinder was scored badly. Reassembly with machined, bored, and decked block begins Wednesday. So BE SURE to use good oil filters, guys. ONLY the stuff recommended by Dodge.