i have seen alot of stuff about the 53 block is it really something to wory a whole lot about. i have a 53 block in my p/u with 99000 miles on it ought i worry about it too much does regular coolant flushes help fight the problem?

 

nope,some break,some dont,luck of the draw basically

 

I bet the majority dont have issues. You only hear about the ones that do though. Alot of people probably dont even know they have a 53. I do, and it has 143K on it with no signs of cracking. Knocking on wood as I type.

 

I used to feel the same way, "don't worry about it, the majority of 53's don't have a problem"....until mine cracked with 230,000 miles on the ticker. Now I view it differently....it seems the majority of 53's will have a problem...but when they will have a problem is luck of the draw. Heat cycling of the block is how they crack because of an abnormally thin portion of the block casting that was caused by a core shift in the mold pattern at the foundry. The more heat cycles the block has endured, the more likely it will crack. This is why some have failed at 60k and others like mine at 230k and beyond.

 

If you use your truck like it is a S-10 Chevy it will be fine,, Just DONT load it like it is a 3/4 ton truck, Mine cracked at 158.000 miles AFTER I had put the BIGGEST load in my truck I ever had, ,Then drove 7 hours to watkins glen Nascar race And had to drive all the way home with a Cracked block,, Ended up getting so bad I had to put antifreeze in every day...

BUT Now I am 53 FREE..
Good luck

 

Realistically, how much power the 53 is making and how hard it works and what application it is in appears to have no bearing on when it will fail. It is purely the number of heat cycles it goes through.

 

Then why does it seem that almost everyone reporting a cracked 53 block has boosted the horsepower.

Daniel

 

Probably because most of the people you have talked to with a CTD have bombed them. 53 or not, I don't know anyone personally who owns a CTD that hasn't bombed it. If you would like some first hand data to more readily explain my stand point, contact Lock N Stitch. They have provided repair services for countless CTD's in all types of applications and collected some interesting data as a result. They concluded that it did not appear to matter how the engine was used, how many miles or operating hours it had, it's intended application or power level, 53's were failing in every environment.

 

thanks for the info i appericate it gives me some things to think about but if it aint broke dont fix it so ill just run it till it cracks which will be a while cuz i plan on owning this thing for a while

 

When did the 53 blocks stop being put into production??

 

Its not if a 53 will crack....Its when will it CRACK!!

The 53 block was a disaster and unfortunately the end user is left holding the bag.

 

I'm pretty sure they can be found in vehicles up until 2001.The data I've read states 1998-2001 Look here for more info. http://www.stamey.info/Truck/Cummins53BlockFAQ.htm

 

I have a 2001 with the 53 on the pass side. That sight says there is a thread on TDR about how some are more prone to crack than others. Can someone thats a member post here the difference. I'm not a member of that sight.

 

The #53 block that was in my truck had cracked and the truck was totaly stock at that time. It had been used by a previous owner to haul a 5th wheel trailer so I suspect that load is what caused the crack. some one, I think it is lockinstich, sells a steel brace that you bolt to the side of the block to stiffen it and prevent the cracking. If I had a truck with a #53 that had not cracked I would invest in this. Trying to get the block repaired after it has cracked is difficult and the fix does not always last. I was fortunate to get a good engine from a wrecked truck with the mexican block.

 

My 99 had a 53 block that did not crack, but developed a knock from low at 183,000 and I felt no pleasure in rebuilding a block with such a bad rep... I did not want to do this again. I am 53 free for the last 1 month .... I wish I never had to go thru. it.... Best wishes for you..