Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Cracked Engine Block

[Pit Bull]

Re: ah.. the joy....

Originally posted by Hohn

One way I have real peace of mind about buying the LAST of a generation is that they usually have all the bugs figured out by then. I can't check my block now (it's about 12000 miles away), but I am pretty sure I have a 56.



Between that and the Evans waterless coolant I will be changing to, I sleep VERY well at night. (well, as good as I can in the middle east when my wife is back in GA)



HOHN

Don't worry all 2002's are either 56 blocks, or Mexican blocks and I understand that is even better than a 56. Now stay safe and don't worry about your block.

 

[Pit Bull]

Re: ah.. the joy....

Originally posted by Hohn



Evans waterless coolant I will be changing to,

What is this stuff? Never heard of it??

 

[Hohn]

Evans Coolant

PB, go here: http://www.evanscooling.com/main23.htm



It's a coolant that uses no water, and no pressure in the system. The way I read the techno stuff, it sells me on it for sure.



I hear it costs about $20 a gallon, so it ain't cheap. It's also a pain to install since you have to get ALL the water out of the colling system.



ONce you do it though, you never have to worry about corrosion, cavitation, overheating, etc... .



HOHN

 

[CATCRACKER]

Originally posted by Sregorb

Whew! 56 here. I can go back to worrying about the lift pump now... .



Brian

that was funny:-laf

 

[Hohn]

Evans Coolant

PB, go here: http://www.evanscooling.com/main23.htm



It's a coolant that uses no water, and no pressure in the system. The way I read the techno stuff, it sells me on it for sure.



I hear it costs about $20 a gallon, so it ain't cheap. It's also a pain to install since you have to get ALL the water out of the colling system.



ONce you do it though, you never have to worry about corrosion, cavitation, overheating, etc... .



HOHN



PS-- there are a few threads on this, so try a search.

 

[FDziurda]

Block Changed

When I took my truck into the dealer a couple weeks ago, Service Manager told me they had never seen a cracked Cummins block before mine. It was a "53" and they replaced it with a "56" with absolutely no hassle. Job took 4 days.



Dealer did a great job and truck runs exactly like before (Great)!



Frank

 

[drag racer]

Frank,



From your post, I'm assuming your "53" block cracked. If you don't mind, could you provide some details on your vehicle usage - like # miles, towing, when you noticed the crack, crack location/size, etc. ? I am also a "53" member, and would like to have another data point to compare to.



Thanks.

 

[dresslered]

The cracking of the "53" blocks seems to be extremely rare although it does happen, usually under extreme loads. I was just wondering if anyone had any pictures of an actual crack?

 

[bucket1]

engine #

ok i got a 2001 engraved above the oil filter is 56689***

this also matches the tag on the pump in front 56689*****

there is two stickers on the valve cover one is 53040 the other is 202ad the truck has St louis stickers on it . is it a 53 block or 56

 

[Oil Burner]

53040

Bucket 1:



My 2001. 5 has the same designation on the valve cover (53040) but I have a "55" block. I can't help you on the other number. I can read mine easiest from the passenger side just below the oil filter housing. Is your truck a 2001. 5??? All of the 01. 5 trucks I have seen have 55 or 56 blocks.

-Jason

 

[FDziurda]

Block

Drag Racer,

I noticed antifreeze on the garage floor about a month ago but couldn't figure where it was coming from. Our family owns an automotive machine shop, so I went and borrowed the shop's "dye check" system. Poured some dye into the antifreeze and went looking for the leak with a UV light. The crack would open up at a certain temp, when the engine was heating up or coolig down, allowing a few drops of antifreeze to leak out.



With the back light, I found the problem in a few minutes. There was a 2" horizontal (approx) crack in the block on the passenger side, about half way between the freeze plugs and the lower skirt of the block. It was near the back of the block, near the firewall. Under the black light, it looked like several small pin holes, along the length of the crack, that were leaking antifreeze.



My truck is not souped up and I drive it pretty easy. I tow a 27' Holiday Rambler, which weighs in around 7K, loaded. I do a fair amount of mountain driving, so I do put a load on it from time to time.



I think several folks have pointed out, this is a pretty rare thing. I just happened to have it happen to me. My truck has 64K miles on it.



Always ran great, even when leaking some antifreeze.



Am very pleased with the way I was treated by the dealer (Carson Dodge).



Frank Dz

 

[jwilliams3]

The "53" is embossed into the blocks casting.

Any numbers printed on valve covers, shipping ID tags etc. will have no correlation to do with block cast number.



FYI



--Justin

 

[John Berger]

Frank, it is really good to hear you had a pleasurable and satisfactory encounter with a dealer. We don't seem to get many stories like that around here. If we BOMB the trucks and get warranty denial cause we get caught, that's irritating, but understandable. It's when the truck is stock and the owner is treated like they are at fault that crosses the line. Stupidity upon the part of wrench monkeys and Service Managers doesn't help inspire confidence.

 

[NScott]

NScott





Registered: Sep 2001

Location:

Posts: 9

Casting #53 blocks

I was at Cummins Cumberland today and I asked a service writer to tell me what he knew about the #53 blocks cracking. He told me he was very familier with them and that there was nothing a owner or driver could do to keep them from cracking. He said it was due to the block "flexing" or "twisting" under a load in the chassis. I asked if a cooler thermostat would help and he said that heat did'nt have anything to do with them cracking. He said the more severe use a #53 block was subjected to the more likely it was to crack.

Does anyone know if D-C will sell a extended warrenty to one of these trucks if it is still under the remaining factory warrentyS.

I would like to keep my 99 ,but I do load it heavy with a 30'X102" gooseneck that often grosses 25K or more.



P. S. He said that JB weld and similer products probably would not hold or welding wouldn't either because the blocks would just flex some more at another place and crack.



99 3500 2wd,5spd,swb,aluminum Hillsboro flat bed,4"down pipe,

4"straight exhaust,full piller Autometers,fueling box and module.



:-{} :-{}

 

[tleclair]

Mines cracked(#53 block) right now with 104,500 miles on it. Never really towed heavy loads or ran it hard. 1999 3500 4x4 QC. I was one of those people that wasn't worried about it either until now. These motors are suspose to run forever and thats one of the reasons I bought the truck.

 

[NScott]

I'd like to see this issue(manufactured unfit for its intended purpose) in the court system on a CLASS ACTION lawsuit. Wonder how they would resolve it.

 

[cmills]

Has anybody had a cracked block that was not repaired under warranty? If so how was it fixed, did it work and not crack again and how much did it cost?



Cory

 

[Fhawk]

Where can I find this 53 number on my block?? Also if I have no numbers like that am I in the clear? Would not Cummins make all blocks to a specification.

 

[Ram666]

53 blocks were used in 97 to present trucks. Starting with eng serial #56447733. the crack appears horizontalon the exhaust side,below the large cup plug holes {between cylinders 4and 5}at the point where the straight section of the block blends into the curve. cracks initiated on the inner wall on the block and grew to the outer wall. this was traced to a combination of stresses caused by cylinder head assembly loads,cylinder firing pressures,and thermal and residual stresses, which are aggrevated by the specific customer application. this came from a cummins bulletin . the 54 block was released in april 2000. bottom line these blocks were made to thin in this area ,they were 5. 5 mm compared to the 54 block which was 11 mm . my 53 cracked at 149500km, i tow a 24 foot traler that is approx 5000pds dealer replaced after trying blame me for not changing the coolant . good luck!!!!

 

[cmills]

I was just reading some of the early posts about this and somebody said that the 53's and some 54's also crack could it be that some of the 54's could be thin too, I find it hard to believe that they would mess them up too.