mrich30

I spent all day sitting at the dodge house for a small leak in what I thought was a head gasket. I was floored to find out my block was cracked with only 123,000 pampered miles. I've had a smell of antifreeze since I bought my truck just a short month ago. I've searched and even had dodge search for the cause only to be told there's nothing indicating a leak, even holds psi under power and load. Well that all changed today, I was pulling a small trailer with about 5000lbs loaded on it for just over 850 miles when I noticed my temp gauge moving back and forth never hot though. It was heating up and then cooling down. I pulled over and found steam coming from the lower part of my block passenger side under the turbo. Short costly trip to dodge found the crack and that was it. The end of a great short lived truck. They wanted $12500.00 to replace the motor. The service tech even tried to help me out with a call to Chrysler customer service. As it turned out there are defects in the blocks of a lot of 99 model trucks. The only problem was she called the dealership while I was on hold with her to verify the problem and was told the block was CRACKED and that was it, no help from Chrysler. The magic word was defective NOT CRACKED!! The service manger killed the deal with just stupid remarks made without talking to the tech first. The tech explained the problem to the service adviser as being a defect based on the location of the crack but could not call it a crack from abuse or wear. The only solution to the problem was tear it down and locate the defect. The lady on the Phone did admit there is a solution to the defected blocks out there. Dodge will pay for the replacement engine without picking up the labor. The consumer has to pay for that! No Problem...BUT IF YOU WORD IT WRONG BEWARE they don't offer anything but a brief apology and a less than grateful goodbye. I traded it and got 3500.00 so it wasn't a complete loss just a 5000.00 *** whipping in less than a month! Lesson Learned...Plus a freaking truck payment now.

06RAM2500

A few 01's and some 02's have the dreaded 53 block, and chances are good you got one.

TNutcher

mine cracked a month ago... i live near the lock n stitch place and seeing as i couldn't absorb that big of a loss right now (college student) i bought the kit and stitched it up. its not leaking anymore but it probably will crack again or start leaking sooner or later. Just a bum deal. More research into my next truck for sure!
TNutcher

77machomopar

mine also but it was already lock n stitched. just bought a new block and swapped the internals over

patdaly

First off, sorry you made a rash move in purchasing your truck, and then in trading it off.

Yes, each and every vehicle has issues, perhaps the one you are driving now does as well, that is why sites like this one exist.

Hopefully you purchased another diesel and can settle in and learn right here about its idiosyncrasies.

scottsjeeprolet

too bad you sold the truck. there's an 02 engine for sale over on Compd for cheap.
http://www.competitiondiesel.com/for...165#post877165

duster75

what year of truck ? was it 4wd? what cond.? Man at $3500 I think I would have kept it. unless it was your only ride.......sorry for your loss owning a diesel can be very toublesome and hard on your pocket... just look at everyones sig.... Nate

Tate

If Chrysler was gonna pay for the engine, but not the labour, I would've tried to get the engine and do the swap myself. Or, sell that engine, and find a used one for cheap and either swap the whole engine or just the block.

Barney

Its shocking that Chrysler would even offer any financial help. Kind of makes you wonder if they would cough up any moola for a KDP failure.

Might have been further ahead to have taken it to a Cummins repair facility and had them install the upgraded VP-44 support bracket and also the new timing gear case while they were in there.

mrich30

The truck was a 1999 130,000 miles 2 wheel drive excellent condition. The reason I didn't bring the truck home, I still had 300 miles to deliver a trailer and another 1500 miles to get back home. You can't find a rental truck in Tallahassee Florida with a trailer. I wish I could have brought it home but I was in a jam. I did get a good deal on a 2008 mega cab "with a warrenty."

mrich30

Has anyone heard of a 1998 model having the same issues with the cracked block and does it have a series 53 block? Thanks.

patdaly

Yes, 98 24 valve, the issue does not seem to affect 12 valves with 53 blocks though, something about different harmonics.

RAMMINVA

Whats a KDP failure? Something else i need to check into now? I already have a 53 block. Geeez whats next, I love these trucks but sounds like they can have some expensive problems.

patdaly

KDP = Killer Dowel Pin, affects some, not all trucks from 1989 through 2002.

Do a search and find out ehy you should at least check yours, and since you are in there anyway, tighten up and loctite the case bolts and tab the pin.

tonycamacho

Everytime I read a post about the cracked 53 series block, I am thankful that mine cracked at 42K miles and Dodge replaced it under warrantee at thier expense.

Tony