View Poll Results: Has your 53 block ACTUALLY cracked
I have a 53 block and it cracked
56
11.34%
I have a 53 block and its NOT cracked
236
47.77%
I have a 53 block that cracked but cummins took care of it
7
1.42%
I dont have a 53 block but I like to vote anways
195
39.47%
Voters: 494. You may not vote on this poll
Has Your 53 Block Actually Cracked - Vote
05-26-2007, 12:25 PM
#32
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my 98.5 24v has 151k no cracks and fingers crossed ??? for ya all is it possible to swap a 12v shortblock in if it does crack? I paid 6g for this truck with 100k on it and have very little invested at this point I have seen running 12v engines for 1200.00.seems if this would work a affordable way out.
05-26-2007, 01:06 PM
#33
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The only thing it tells me when people post up "xxx,xxx miles, no cracks", is that you just haven't had to go through a bottle of tylenol yet
, keyword being yet 
. I think it is fairly obvious at this point that it is a conditional thing and that there really is not an estimated time/mileage that it happens, but that it does happen and probably will happen to everyone that has one, at some point.It should also be kept in mind that this forum is a very small minority of the CTD owners out there. In my mind this poll isn't worth the server space it's taking up because while maybe the majority of forum members don't have a problem with the block, that might just mean we have an over abundance of lucky people and the rest of the owners aren't here to voice their opinions
.
07-17-2007, 01:48 PM
#38
Registered User
Maybe Haulin In Dixie will chime in.....he had TWO that cracked.
Everydaydiesel - if you are seriously in the market for a CTD - search until you find one without a 53 block. Its just too expensive and too big of a hassle to fix it if it does crack. Why put yourself through that?
Everydaydiesel - if you are seriously in the market for a CTD - search until you find one without a 53 block. Its just too expensive and too big of a hassle to fix it if it does crack. Why put yourself through that?
You could not give me one....
07-17-2007, 02:46 PM
#40
Chapter President
HA! I feel the same way! I didn't take it seriously and thought it couldn't happen to me...what a mistake. It is simply not a risk I would knowingly assume again. It was only after it cracked that I found out through my own research how wide spread the problem really is. Ignorance is bliss. 
It seems the 53's have cracked in every application they have been installed in other than our trucks. Representitives of Cummins and DC either pretend (or truly don't know
) they don't know about the problem or really down play it as a rare occurance (which it is not). A cracked 53 is not rare at all.
It seems the 53's have cracked in every application they have been installed in other than our trucks. Representitives of Cummins and DC either pretend (or truly don't know) they don't know about the problem or really down play it as a rare occurance (which it is not). A cracked 53 is not rare at all.
07-17-2007, 02:48 PM
#41
Chapter President
The only thing it tells me when people post up "xxx,xxx miles, no cracks", is that you just haven't had to go through a bottle of tylenol yet , keyword being yet . I think it is fairly obvious at this point that it is a conditional thing and that there really is not an estimated time/mileage that it happens, but that it does happen and probably will happen to everyone that has one, at some point.
, keyword being yet . I think it is fairly obvious at this point that it is a conditional thing and that there really is not an estimated time/mileage that it happens, but that it does happen and probably will happen to everyone that has one, at some point.
07-17-2007, 03:14 PM
#42
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I have a 99 with a little over 120,000 miles and not crack.
Truthfully I knew nothing about the 53 block when I bought my truck. I read about it and went outside at midnight with a flash light to check (keeping fingers crossed the enitre time lol) and saw the "53" on the drivers side.
Really though I dont care if it happens im just gonna fix it and keep driving it. I love my truck and wouldnt trade it for anything.
Truthfully I knew nothing about the 53 block when I bought my truck. I read about it and went outside at midnight with a flash light to check (keeping fingers crossed the enitre time lol) and saw the "53" on the drivers side.
Really though I dont care if it happens im just gonna fix it and keep driving it. I love my truck and wouldnt trade it for anything.
07-17-2007, 03:37 PM
#43
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where is it stamped? Where does it happen?
I have a 98.5, Earliest 24V. I've had no problems to date 250K miles. Where is the block marked? where have they been cracking? So I guess I have to say I don't know if I have a 53 block!
Thanks for the info
Thanks for the info
07-17-2007, 04:00 PM
#44
Registered User
I can add a little information on this problem. The last B engine that I bought was from a Cummins engineer in Columbus Georgia. Being a natural born Dodge fanatic, I proceeded to bleed him for any information that I could get, from the horses mouth as it was.
The subject of the cracked 53 blocks was discussed at length. At first he seemed to not realize that there was a problem with them. Then he said "Oh you mean the Afganistan crack." Seems that they have done some investigating on the fact that in the mountain of Afganistan they have a hard time keeping the blocks from cracking. It has to do with the temperature of operation and the hills. Seems that at the right temperature, after climbing a hill where the engine heats up quickly, then getting to the crest of the hill, the engine cools rapidly and flexes the joint at the top of the depression in the block cracking it.
So they are fully aware of the cracking, even though Cummins will quickly say that yours is the only one they have seen. Yep, short memories. If they werre not aware of it they would not have a standard 100k free replacement. This problem led to a stronger block from Mexico where the 53 block was cast thinner to save weight. My guess is that if you live in the flats and do not get the engine too hot, no problem. My towing in Alabama was not good for them. I might add that both blocks cracked in the winter, when the engine would lower in temperature cruising and then heat up on a pull.
The subject of the cracked 53 blocks was discussed at length. At first he seemed to not realize that there was a problem with them. Then he said "Oh you mean the Afganistan crack." Seems that they have done some investigating on the fact that in the mountain of Afganistan they have a hard time keeping the blocks from cracking. It has to do with the temperature of operation and the hills. Seems that at the right temperature, after climbing a hill where the engine heats up quickly, then getting to the crest of the hill, the engine cools rapidly and flexes the joint at the top of the depression in the block cracking it.
So they are fully aware of the cracking, even though Cummins will quickly say that yours is the only one they have seen. Yep, short memories. If they werre not aware of it they would not have a standard 100k free replacement. This problem led to a stronger block from Mexico where the 53 block was cast thinner to save weight. My guess is that if you live in the flats and do not get the engine too hot, no problem. My towing in Alabama was not good for them. I might add that both blocks cracked in the winter, when the engine would lower in temperature cruising and then heat up on a pull.
07-17-2007, 08:05 PM
#45
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I can add a little information on this problem. The last B engine that I bought was from a Cummins engineer in Columbus Georgia. Being a natural born Dodge fanatic, I proceeded to bleed him for any information that I could get, from the horses mouth as it was.
The subject of the cracked 53 blocks was discussed at length. At first he seemed to not realize that there was a problem with them. Then he said "Oh you mean the Afganistan crack." Seems that they have done some investigating on the fact that in the mountain of Afganistan they have a hard time keeping the blocks from cracking. It has to do with the temperature of operation and the hills. Seems that at the right temperature, after climbing a hill where the engine heats up quickly, then getting to the crest of the hill, the engine cools rapidly and flexes the joint at the top of the depression in the block cracking it.
So they are fully aware of the cracking, even though Cummins will quickly say that yours is the only one they have seen. Yep, short memories. If they werre not aware of it they would not have a standard 100k free replacement. This problem led to a stronger block from Mexico where the 53 block was cast thinner to save weight. My guess is that if you live in the flats and do not get the engine too hot, no problem. My towing in Alabama was not good for them. I might add that both blocks cracked in the winter, when the engine would lower in temperature cruising and then heat up on a pull.
The subject of the cracked 53 blocks was discussed at length. At first he seemed to not realize that there was a problem with them. Then he said "Oh you mean the Afganistan crack." Seems that they have done some investigating on the fact that in the mountain of Afganistan they have a hard time keeping the blocks from cracking. It has to do with the temperature of operation and the hills. Seems that at the right temperature, after climbing a hill where the engine heats up quickly, then getting to the crest of the hill, the engine cools rapidly and flexes the joint at the top of the depression in the block cracking it.
So they are fully aware of the cracking, even though Cummins will quickly say that yours is the only one they have seen. Yep, short memories. If they werre not aware of it they would not have a standard 100k free replacement. This problem led to a stronger block from Mexico where the 53 block was cast thinner to save weight. My guess is that if you live in the flats and do not get the engine too hot, no problem. My towing in Alabama was not good for them. I might add that both blocks cracked in the winter, when the engine would lower in temperature cruising and then heat up on a pull.
thanks