Attention: TDR Forum Junkies Well, we did it-almost.
If the block was laying on the floor, this is a simple operation. However, my hat is of to you guys who managed it in the truck.
I was to the point of ready to take the engine out, when we stumbled upon a neighbor who has been Lock n Stitching everything for years. He had never done a 53 block, but gave it a shot.
He stood on a cement block, between the core support(radiator removed for cleaning) and the front of the engine.
He then bent down and went to work. No problem. He said he'd be willing to do more, if you want him to do yours in the Ohio, PA region, email me.
We also made a jig for the tap to keep it true. The taps are expensive and fragile. Order two, you will need both of them for a 4" crack.
Even with the price of the kit, the extra tap, buying right angle air tools, enlisting the help of a qualified mechanic, we are wayyyyy under $1000.
If it holds, I think this will be the common fix.
Our jig is on the left, the drill jig is on the right.
If the block was laying on the floor, this is a simple operation. However, my hat is of to you guys who managed it in the truck.
I was to the point of ready to take the engine out, when we stumbled upon a neighbor who has been Lock n Stitching everything for years. He had never done a 53 block, but gave it a shot.
He stood on a cement block, between the core support(radiator removed for cleaning) and the front of the engine.
He then bent down and went to work. No problem. He said he'd be willing to do more, if you want him to do yours in the Ohio, PA region, email me.
We also made a jig for the tap to keep it true. The taps are expensive and fragile. Order two, you will need both of them for a 4" crack.
Even with the price of the kit, the extra tap, buying right angle air tools, enlisting the help of a qualified mechanic, we are wayyyyy under $1000.
If it holds, I think this will be the common fix.
Our jig is on the left, the drill jig is on the right.
. Did it from underneath using a drill motor with a pivoting handle. I used that same drill motor for drilling, spot-facing and tapping. There was no way to drill and hold the spacing jig at the same time so I marked the drill spot using a center punch that fit the spacing jig with 1 hand and then drilled. It wasn’t dead-on every time but the Lock-n-Stitch method is pretty forgiving. At first I was convinced that "hand tapping" was the safer way to go but after breaking 2 taps and stripping out one hole I finally got it through my thick skull that power tapping was a better way to go. It worked perfect. Power taped the remaining holes without any problems. The guys at Lock-n-Stitch were very helpful. Awesome company! My total cost for the fix was around $500. 00. Not bad at all concidering the other options 
Even if my truck was under warranty I would rather do the metal stitching than let those monkeys at dodge pull my engine and do a short block. 
