Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Porous block problem!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bsappington]

has anyone heard of a problem with the block being porous. I have a friend with a 99 fleetwood Discovery. He says that there is anti-freeze forming right by the turbo and it is sweating from the block. Apparently Cummins knows about it but since it is about 1 year out of warranty on time but only has 29,000 miles they say it is not covered. How can this be?



Thanks,

Ben

 

[bsappington]

I thought I would add the serial# 56574844. Thanks



Ben

 

[J.Keith]

Are you sure that the block is not cracked?

It sounds to me like another 53 series block that has bitten the dust.

 

[DSpencer]

Sounds like a 53 to me too. The leak occurs just below the manifold leaking antifreeze.



If you get on your back and look up just above the oil pan at the front of the block on the drivers side of the engine and see a 53 stamped into the block, the odds are that this is what he has.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

has anyone heard of a problem with the block being porous. I have a friend with a 99 fleetwood Discovery. He says that there is anti-freeze forming right by the turbo and it is sweating from the block. Apparently Cummins knows about it but since it is about 1 year out of warranty on time but only has 29,000 miles they say it is not covered. How can this be?



Thanks,

Ben

What the others are speaking of - and you may not be familiar with - is the existence of a series of Cummins engines that had weak block castings in the area you describe. There have been a number of such block failures - some covered under warranty even after the warranty expires, since it's been a pretty well known and documented problem.



Your friend might try going directly to Cummins for help...

 

[2-ND TIME]

poor quality blocks 53

Mine has been leaking since new and cummins in surrey said that isn't much coolant when I told them on my one visit to pick up coolent dye to find out where it was leaking because dodge didn't have any although the maintenance manual says that they would have it, one of my numerous visits informing them each time hoping that they would change the answer. :{ More junk. Buy CAT power.

 

[tractorface]

Stay away from Cat power, It could kill you

I know of two Cat 3516's driving 2 meg gensets that threw rods right through the side of the block. Both were new engines near Philly within 4 months of one another.

 

[bsappington]

Well I checked his block and yes it is a 53. Mine is also. I have no problems (knock on wood). However my friend says he is losing about a quart of anti-freeze every 300 miles. The way I see it if the cooling system is losing that much fluid it could be like driving with the radiator cap loose. In this way it is not creating pressure in the closed system and he could be getting localized boiling around the combustion area. Since the engine only has 29,000 miles on it you would think that it would be covered under warranty. Since it is a 99 and almost 1 year out of warranty he has been getting the run around from Cummins. I told him to tell them about the condition of the cooling system under full load. Does anybody know how to procced with this.

Ben



In my line of work I have seen a lot of blow CATs. Fishing boats, powerplant. We call them disposable.