my 53 cracked at 120,000mi with no towing

 

Similar experience here too. I work on these trucks every day, and after finding out about 53 blocks here, I started keeping an eye out for them. Turns out I see lots of them, and most are worked pretty hard. One's a tow truck, now with over 300 000 miles on it, still ok. After all these years, I've only seen one with a crack.

 

i have 256K on my 53 block, and have about a 12-14 inch crack on it too.. pulled it once and welded it.. put it back in. ran it for about a month. started leaking again. so im just goina replace it insted of grinding it down and re welding it. im kind of babying it right now. it will spill out about 2 gallons of water in about a hour of driving.. no fun toppin off the water at every stop.

 

Thats a big crack. I was wondering though, how difficult was it to remove the engine from the truck. I know how it is. Once you do something like that there is always a couple of bolts and washers left over and nothing ever looks and feels the same.

 

I hope its blown out of proportion, cuz I found the big 53 about two weeks after buying my truck. 106k and no cracks, most mods have been in place for approx 50k. I'm good friends with the previous owner and he towed a big 5th wheel and an enclosed car hauler quite a bit. I for one am not going to sit here and cry in my beer, if she cracks I'll find a new block.
Foz

 

the engine wasent hard to pull at all really. just take the bolts off the tranny and mount bolts. you prity much have to take the whole frount end out radiator, intercooler.. but other than that. the hardest part was taking off the wiring harness that wraps around the engine. but got it nickelrod braised. no luck. i recoment muggyweld for anyone that decides to weld it.

 

That is a pain, you cannot view posts over 10 days old!! I would be interested in what he said??

 

Bayliff !! Wack his peepee!!

 

Just where exactly does one needed to be looking for these #s ??

And where exactly are the cracks showing up ?? Pics please!

BTW, here's the pics of the 53 blocks from the other website.....

#1) Showing the Casting flaw....



#2) Good Block....

 

The BIG 53 is "normally" found below the Injection Pump on the block right above the oil pan. It has ALSO been found elsewhere on the block! So BEWARE!

Here's where they crack.....

Along the bottom edge above the oil pan on the Passenger's side Rear.

 

Thanks Katmandu, those are the pictures I (probably we) have been waiting to see from TDR. Now I understand what was said earlier about casting flaws. BUT one thing I really dont understand is why I keep reading that the number 53 is not always in the same location on all the 53 blocks. You'll read that its "normally" in this spot but you can find it anywhere on the block. That tells me that the 53 casting was cast in more than one location with more than one cast mold. Which must mean that there has to be different 53 blocks, right or am I way of base? There must to be a better reason why one guys block lasts 50k miles and others last 300k towing.

 

Sounds reasonable to me.

This evidence proves there was MORE than ONE MOLD for the 53 Series block.

Now, if it can be determined..... Where was the location of the #53 on the blocks that cracked. ........I think I'll post a Poll question on this......

BTW, I just found on my 98 CTD has the "dreaded" #53 block. My truck has 191k miles on it. It was used by the PO to pull a big 5th wheel and has been Moderately Bombed.