Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Another 53 block cracked

[brianMo]

I still have not heard of anybodys success in metalstitching. I will let you know in a couple of weeks. They can do some amazing things with www.locknstitch.com castmaster pins. Read about it. I call the company and they have done quite a few 53's so far. He says the repair has never failed but sometimes they will crack in another location. Compared to some of the industrial failures they repair this is nothing. I am going to gamble with it.



Brian

 

[DavidC]

I do not have my 53 anymore so I would not be able to particpate. How about driving the dodge to a lake where the leak will enter the water and kill the habitat. That should get some attention. The leak must be ok, otherwise Chrysler/Cummins would fix it. Give this one to the nature people and see what happens.



Dave

 

[tractorface]

:-laf Pure genious :-laf I love it. I shoulda thought of that one

 

[DavidC]

After thinking about my last statement. Do we have an EPA issue here?. We are dumping anti-freeze illegally. If the EPA was involved something might happen. I know for a fact I lost 3 gallons in the time it cracked and repaired and I am only one of how many?. What do you guys think?.



Dave

 

[brianMo]

Dave,

I think you may have a point! This would get someone spinning. This actually could mess up a eco system. This would get us all new blocks!



Thanks for the humor, that is all the 53 owner has left. Remember to budget for your antifreeze allowance for the month. Give it a drink every couple of days and the 53 is happy!



Brian

 

[BadDNA]

Did the 53 blocks start in 99? Am I safe with my 98. 5?

 

[tractorface]

Hmmm

My understanding is that there was some type of casting flaw in these blocks. The 24v block is NOT the same as the 12v block, I do not believe the casting flaw affects the 12v block. Certainly some 12v blocks have cracked, yes, but this should not be confused with the "53" problem. Remember the block was stiffened and the water passeges "streamlined" for the 24V. I believe the problem is limited to the 98. 5-2001 blocks with almost all '99 trucks being equipped with a 53. This does not mean other blocks will not crack in near the same location. I attribute this to the location being a naturally high stress area no matter the casting problem or not.

For the record I am not an expert but I did stay at a Holiday inn. :-laf



I likes the EPA angle. Would running the Gel stuff make it easier to "Home"seal the leak???

 

[DavidC]

I sent this email to Chrysler this morning. If I get a answer I will let you know. I am running out of ideas.



I am sorry to say that my dedication to Chrysler will end. After being a loyal Chrysler vehicle owner since 1972. With the current Ram diesel and the famous Cummins 53 block cracking and being turned down by Chrysler for any help the first time I have ever asked it is time to move on. This truck had 53k 5 years 2 months on it's clock. After substantial personal expense it was repaired. My children were raised with Dodge and considered it the only real vehicle on the road. Needless to say Chrysler has shatterd that idea. The 2002 Dakota we are leasing will also go at the end. I will try another manufacturer for our next vehicle after knowing how Chrysler treats customers in need. I may get the same deal but I have been burned here with 33 years of dedication. There have been many relatives and fellow workers that were looking at Chrysler vehicles that went somewhere else after learning of my experience. If you were looking for negative advertising I guess you got it. You can make the best looking and fastest vehicles on the market but if you do not help your current owners the relation ship will not last. I am deeply sorry to see the end of this relationship but I do not see the alternative.



Dave

 

[brianMo]

I think you about covered eat Dave!

 

[DKarvwnaris]

I sent this email to Chrysler this morning. If I get a answer I will let you know. I am running out of ideas.

.



Dave

Unless you can write in German, the people who make the decisions will never give this a second look. You can thank the one way loyalty to Diaper Benz for screwing up yet another bought out company they have swept away from U. S. ownership. If you really want to see results, try targeting DM where it hurts, in their new vehicle sales quota's. If you still have/had the truck, why not flaunt it at the auto mall's with a big Lemon on both sides of it? Get it exposure that counts, park it in a public parking space as close as you can to the Dodge dealers with a sign stating the problems and a blown up copy of Chrysler's remedy for you? Emails are nothing but customer spam to DM, get serious about it or just let it go, they could care less about your loyalty beyond a few years as they took over dodge how many years ago?

Check out this link if you want to know how much you really mean to DC these days:



http://www.allpar.com/ed/old/merger.html

 

[Smills]

Does anybody know if cummins will pay for just the cost of a short block and no labor because I can install it myself.



Thanks

 

[brianMo]

Well guys,



I took my 53 in last night for the locknstitch repair. The technician has tons of experience doing this procedure, but has done no 53's. This has me a bit concerned... not that it can't be done, but the learning curve that I am paying for. He showed me what pins he is planning on using, and also gave me a quick synopsis of the procedure.



I am hopeful for a solid repair. He assured me I made the right decision. We discussed the possibility of further cracking elsewhere. His thoughts implied that the weak spot has shown itself. Pressure has been relieved. Not to many have cracked elsewhere. Has anybody heard of cracking elsewhere?



I guess when these bocks were casted, the block mold was laying on its side. As the molted metals came together at the end of the mold(region of cracking). A faster cool-down, if you will, force a weaker spot in the block. This is probably how they did them all. The thinner wall caused by a missread blueprint perpetuated the problem. Does this sound like BS? Well everybody has got a different theory. I heard this from a Cummins tech.



I will let you know soon what happens. One thing is for sure, when he grinds the pins down, and paints there will be know sign of a crack. The rough estimate of $500. 00 to $1000. 00 for a in frame repair. Crack location, location. Depends what needs to come off. Also... machinist wages are pretty good these days. A far cry from a block change though. I will try to keep you informed.



Brian

 

[tractorface]

Can't wait to hear the long term results

I think it will work fine. I started another thread today about Belzona. The repair technique they showed me involves drilling and tapping several studs into the crack, grinding a v groove, cleaning and applying there Polymeric material to finish the job. They were very confident and it sounded like they are up to proofing it.

Good luck

 

[Smills]

What is the polymeric material your talking about tractorface?



Do they drill and tap threads for the studs?

 

[tractorface]

Belzona

www.belzona.com



The video they showed me does have you drill, tap and plug the crack in a few places as well as groove out the crack a little. These guys were the real deal industrial guys with lots of repairs under thier belt. Call em it can not hurt.

 

[DKarvwnaris]

www.belzona.com



The video they showed me does have you drill, tap and plug the crack in a few places as well as groove out the crack a little. These guys were the real deal industrial guys with lots of repairs under thier belt. Call em it can not hurt.

We used Belzona in the Navy for emergency patching piping on one of the ships I was stationed on. It is/was in most damage control lockers as part of the repair list of equipment. Can't speak for an engine block, but I know for a fact that if the surface is prepped as outlined, it will hold a low pressure steam line together. I have been out of the Fleet since '98 so I can only assume their product has improved since. The piping on the ship swelled and contracted regularly with no leaking issues.

 

[tractorface]

They told me that the fighting vehicles in Iraq carry a kit for quick repairs in an emergency. Even have kits to patch tires I hear

 

[DavidC]

Ok, here is the response I got from Chrysler.



Dear David,



Thank you for your email to DaimlerChrysler Motors Corporation. It is

always a concern when a customer is dissatisfied with our products.



Over the past few years, DaimlerChrysler Motors Corporation has made

tremendous gains in improving levels of customer satisfaction. But in

your case, we apparently missed the mark.



DaimlerChrysler Corporation is continuously striving to improve the

quality of our products. To accomplish this, we evaluate our parts and

suppliers to ensure that we are producing the highest quality vehicle

that money can buy.



The design and ongoing product improvements in all DaimlerChrysler

products reflect these principles, and assure our customers that they

are getting the value they expect when they purchase a DaimlerChrysler

vehicle.



The merger of Chrysler Corporation and Daimler-Benz along with the

acquisition of Detroit Diesel have created opportunities to broaden our

base of diesel engine suppliers. This does not, however, necessarily

mean that we will be severing our relationship with Cummins.



Please accept my sincerest apologies for the problems you have had. I

hope we will have another chance, sometime soon, to restore your faith

in DaimlerChrysler.



Thank you again for your email.





In my 53 experience the only "mark" I saw them hit was my checking account and frustration level. They hit those targets with a bulls eye.



Dave

 

[tractorface]

Wonder how much they pay the guy that writes those letters.



I would have more respect if they wrote "FU The thing made it out of warranty and you will need another vehicle one day, we have just a good as chance as Ford does of gettin your money again. Most of our customers are not intelligent enough to write letters so kudo's to you @$$%^*&. "





Thanks for sharing

 

[MACHINEST]

Men, if Dodge wanted repeat customers they could take care of this,but to them it's a money game. Multi Billion dollar Companys,eating out of the little mans pocket...