CapnRam

Ok all i have heard and read about is these 53 blocks...where do I find this # at?? I have looked all over my engine and can't find anything...heres why I'm asking....ever had one of them days that just seem to get worse by the minute ... Well mine was today..call the local bearing and seals shop to get a rear pinion seal for my 99 2500 with a 5 speed....yes its a dana 80...tell the guy this...yep i got it...so go get it on the other side of town...then back out to the AF base so i can use the hobby shop....6.oo an hour for a lift...so get it all apart finally...it is a 99...and I have the wrong seal...thank god I hadn't pulled the old one yet...so call them up and yepper there is 2 available..and one is for the HD dana 80....daaaaa....so can they bring one out....NOPE can't do that....Now I'm ******...so put it all back together drive across town to swap them out...of course i'm drivin hard...cause i'm still ******....so get back to the shop get her lifted up pull the pinion, happen to look at the ground up front and low and behold theres a nice puddle of antifreeze Now what...so i imediatily grab the light and start lookin...cant find anything....just dripping off the bell housing...so wipe it up...finish the seal change...like 15 mins or so and theres just one or 2 drops on the ground then...so back out of the stall and leave it running...clean up is 10 or 15 mins....go to leave and no water on the ground???? temp is a constant 190 with a winter front on...she has 138k on it....when i first looked up at the engine it looked like the last freeze plug was wet..but looked later and couldnt tell.....so if I'm lookin for a crack where do I look...and where do i find out if this is a 53 block.....help me out here...only had the truck 2 months..and already put to much $ into it...LOL...thanks for any info....

mikelr

The 53 blocks usualy crack on the passenger side, towards the rear just behind the transmission heat exchanger on auto trucks. This makes it hard to see. If yours is leaking from the passenger side, you'd better dig a little deeper to find where it's coming from.
Whether you block is cracked or not I think you'd want to find the source of the leak.

CapnRam

My passenger side is dry...it looked like it was from the drivers side up high...like the last freeze plug maybe....or is there any heater hoses up on that side...this is my first dodge?? have to look tomorrow i guess to see what i can find...i'll keep ya posted...thanks Russ

DODGE4X4

Try this
http://www.stamey.nu/Truck/Cummins53BlockFAQ.htm

mikelr

Last year I had a coolant leak that was running down the back of the bell housing, it turned out to be the head gasket was leaking out of the rear left corner. There is a water jacket very close to the edge of the casting there.
70k and 4 years/ 8 month old truck, had it replaced under warranty, the only freebie I ever got out of DC

blh1960

I just had my 53 repaired with locknstitch. I hope it does not come to that, but at least you know it can be repaired. If it is a 99, there is a pretty good chance it is a 53. You may have another source of leak though. For your sake, I hope it isnt a crack in the block. Good luck finding it!

Brian
Missouri

CapnRam

Well I've got to haul boats all day today for the local boat show this weekend..so I guess I'll see if she starts leakin with a load on it...theres some big boats i'll be moving...does the temp change at all with a cracked block...i'm still right at 190 with the weather front on it...thanks guys...

blh1960

It did not seem to effect the temp much. Occasionally it would get above 190. When the thermostat open it settled in below 190. It may do that normally though. Did not really pay attention. I still had pressure in my upper hose. My crack was 3 inches long. It just weeped occasionally. When it was cold out it was the worst. I drove mine 70 miles a day 5 days a week, and maybe only lost a couple of pints a week. Most of the time it would just evaporate. No puddles. Always carried a couple of jugs of 50/50 mix. I was paranoid to go any great distance.

I got on-line and discovered www.locknstitch.com. They helped me locate a trained technician in my area. Done it...fixed! This product is pretty amazing. It was done in the frame. Hope you do not have the same problem. Look at the passenger side right below the freeze plugs from under the truck. If you have an auto it will be right below the heat exchanger. It cracks right at the curveture of the block. You should see some residue along the block. Cummins will help you with $1000.00 toward a 8-10k block exchange. I say, fix it!

Brian,
Missouri

CapnRam

Well done moving boats....and yea it was still leaking a bit...can't find the source, so dumped some stop leak in it...not leaking now???? SO headin out to the base so i can get on a lift with rags brake cleaner and flashlight to see if I can find anything...thanks for the info....Russ

dieselho

let us know what you find out. After reading this thread, I was curious to find out what block i have and sure enough its the "53".

Kman9090

I got a 2001, and i cant seem to find and numbers on my block, the only numbers I found were on the mounting brackets.

CapnRam

Ok after another day or 30 mins...and a trip to the local cummins shop...NO cracked block...#6 injector line....(yea the one way back there) was loose as hell....not like fuel running out...but enough that that is was leakin off the bell housing...so take your trusty 15 mil. socket and remove the lifting bracket...so you can get to the #6 line...then tightened it right up...looks good now...find out tomorrow...got an 800 mile roundtrip tomorrow so see what happens....and I do not have the 53 block....thank god...138k and still goin........anyone need a dually bed...excellent shape...thats what i'm goin to get tomorrow...2 of them...let me know...later

Stamey

Can you post or send me some pics of the repair?
Please keep me posted on how the repair works. I need this info for my web page, and all the blocks that crack out of warranty.

Thanks,
Chris

dieselho

Click on the above link. Very helpful info there.