Don't let it idle. Get in and drive it easy until it gets warm. The only time my trucks ever idled was when I was scraping the windows. That includes -40 weather. Watch your pyro in weather like that. You could let it idle for 20 minutes, and it won't be above 200 degrees. Thats not good.

FWIW, there have been several 12v that have cracked. Number of 24v 53's vs. 12v 53's is probably in the neighbourhood of 10:1, which means we should hear a lot more stories of 24v's cracking, because theres a lot more out there.

 

now i'm kind of confused let it idle or don't? My drive time is short because i live 6 minutes from school.

 

IMO if your that far away, let it idle a bit. hell even wedge a rod or something in the throttle pedal to make it idle slightly higher would be good while you're letting it idle. its your call. I know I had the same situation when going to work and when i could i ended up taking a bicycle just for fuel and the fact that it is a little hard on motors starting them up and running them for that short of time without warming up, but then what the heck did you buy the thing for anyway? thats my thinking...
Hope this all helps
TNutcher

 

Mine cracked shortly after installing an Edge Comp. Had 130,000 miles on it. I guess I'm part of that 5%!!!!!!!!!!!

 

well i have heard from alot of people who have the cracked 53, how about anybody that has a non-cracked 53? Milage?

 

anything to do to prevent the crack from happening? Different thermostat? Or a smarty to help it warm up better in the cold? Or is it even worth worring about? I have been worrying myself up one side and down the other since i found out i have a 53 with only 77,640 on it.

 

I had my 2000 start to seep coolant from that side of the block this spring. No visible crack, I washed it off nicely and the seepage always came back. Thats when I went to the dealer and got my current ride and have not looked back. Like others have said, its a very low percentage, but as my luck would have it...

 

I own a non-cracked 53 with 86,000 miles. Tow moderately at all temps... from -20* to 100*. I live in CO too so I tow over high-altitude passes. No crack yet and I'm bumped up a little with RV275 injectors and a Quadzilla XZT+ box. I don't drive it like a raped ape, but I don't baby it either. I drop the clutch, hit the rev limiter, and smoke the tires a couple times a year.

And I don't worry about it. Really!!

A new motor is still cheaper than a new truck and I would look at it as an opportunity to build it with more HP if it did happen. I'd rather have a $5000 loan to pay off than a $15, $20 or $40K loan.

And I am not even going to waste time/money with locknstitch. I'll look for a used motor (non-53) with low miles or find another block and have someone build it up with my existing top-end. It seems Locknstitch has a much higher failure rate than 53-blocks do from what I gather hanging around sites like this for 6+ years.

 

Stop worrying about it, as its not gonna help the situation. You can either forget about it, and drive it like normal until something happens, baby it and never have fun with it, or trade it off for a different truck. The first option is what I have done.

 

well thats a good way to look at it. I will drive it like i drive, witch isn't hard all the time but isn't baby either, and just go from there. If it happens, it happens, and i can cross that bridge when i get there. As far as the rest of the truck goes, it's my dream, anything i could ever imagine, with only 76,000 miles on it when i bought it and having every stinkin option (seriously) except leather, i still think i got a good deal on it at 13,500. Everything except the cb and leveling kit were on it before i bought it. The 53 will be in the back of my head but i'm going to not let it stop me. I appreciate all the info everybody.
RAMMIN

 

the more you know the more you worry,if you did not know about 53 blocks what would you think of your truck,480,000 on my trailer hauler,good to go another 480,ooo 1999 24v