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Dodge- Cummins 98- 01 Watch out for weak block

Started by Banjo picker, May 09, 2009, 08:59:11 PM

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Ironwood

Pappy,

Yes, I hear you on the gasser. The older diesels (pre ULSD) are a bit of a pain, w/ lubricity additive and winter anti gel also. Do love the chassis on the 550, haul nearly all the time, the truck is 12,500 lb empty :o (army duece bed, crane, chains, blah blah). When I sold my 1996 F-350 460 cid, I took the bed off and put it on the 550 delivered it to the new owner cab chassis :o WOW did that thing run like a race car  :o AND quiet!!!  :D

Ironwood
There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.- Wayne Dyer

Banjo picker

Heres an Update on this one....I got the truck back finally..... >:(  The block the mech. found was the wrong one....Turns out its a 03 one year too new....Anybody need one....Any way by the time we got this far.  its too late to turn back....S0000 he knew a shop that speciliazes (sp) in wielding blocks and we had her wielded up....Boy did I hate to go that route. :'(  But by now I feel like I'm in a corner....The guy took forever seems like to wield it up.....I looked under where the crack was....an you can not tell where it was....I just hope its as structually sound as it is pretty.... ;)  I just used it to pull my dual axel tandem trailer and my concrete bridge rail forms to Decatur Al...and back this week, and it did fine... I do have a vacum leak some where though as it takes about 4 or 5 min for the AC to start blowing out the right vents....My cruse is not working either....but I know that if the sencer on the transmission is not turned corectly this will stop the cruse...although it may be related to the vacum leak....Going to try to address the vacum leak first.....I though we had a real problem when I first took it out on the road it was very rough when you would acclerate...I drained the fuel filter a couple of times and that has not happened again though.  And I didn't give it any quarter for the 600 or so miles we put on it this week... I just hope the wield holds up....I'll keep you informed... 8)  Tim
Never explain, your friends don't need it, and your enemies won't believe you any way.

Ironwood

Bump, Just wanted to see how things  were going. I have buddy looking at a used 2000-2002 or so Dodge and I mentioned this thread to him. I have another buddy w/ a 1993-6 (dont remember what he said) 3500 dually dump 4x4. He replaced the injector pump, and a ton of other stuff that normally doesn't go bad on a truck, generally he has liked it but has had some issues. Also, evidentally the front 4x4 axle goes through some bushings and stuff pretty regular. I guess it is always something.

Ironwood
There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.- Wayne Dyer

Banjo picker

Ironwood thanks for the reminder...I did say I would keep you updated..which I haven't ...but here goes....the weild helped but didn't completly stop the leak of coolant from the block, so I treated it with K&W Permanent Head Gasket &Block Repair (in the lime green bottle) ( it is a real pain to go through the procedures)....I did it once and it helped slow it so much that I bought a second quart an run it through two more times...You have to take out the thermostate out,   and I also by passed my heater core so as not to create any potential problems there....then I put in a pint of copper bars leak (you can leave it in with your antifreeze) and now after all that I have it down to a very small leak....For ex...I took off work yesterday to help my youngest son Bobby on a job he had bid....We hooked up the gooseneck dual axel tandem trailer (about 5,000# or so ) loaded a Case  580 K extendahoe(somewhere in the neighborhood of 17,000#) and pulled them through some of north Al. hills about 70 or so miles...when I took off the radiator cap I added about 1/2 gal of antifreeze.....I guess I can live with that.  GCVWR some where at 29,000#... :)  Tim
Never explain, your friends don't need it, and your enemies won't believe you any way.

stonebroke

I had a block welded once on a skid steer , when we were all done welding it we smeared JB weld on it kind of like bondo. Don't know how long it will last though, It has only been fifteen years.

Stonebroke

Onthesauk

---Update---

I received a notice yesterday in regards to a settlement with Cummins over their 53 engine blocks.  I've got the claims package, (going to take a mass of paper to complete,) and the maximum payment is $500 and may not make any payments for another year or two.  Enough money that I guess I'll work my way through the claim.

It's a shame.  My understanding is that Cummins sold the motors to Dodge with no guarantee.  Dodge fought the claims tooth and nail and Cummins ends up picking up the loss, probably because of deeper pockets at this point.
John Deere 3038E
Sukuki LT-F500

Don't attribute irritating behavior to malevolence when mere stupidity will suffice as an explanation.

Dave Shepard

Got my notice today. Don't know if I'll bother, but I'll have to read up on it. Don't know how they are going to fix it for $500, and they sure aren't going to replace it for that. ::)
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

Banjo picker

Mine is still leaking...I bought a case of antifreeze to hopefully get me throught the winter...In the warm weather I just use water ...can plug it up while at the house, but not at work and even then I would be worried that the radiator would freeze up in cold weather....Any time somebody starts bragging about a Cummins , I give them an ear full... >:(  Tim
Never explain, your friends don't need it, and your enemies won't believe you any way.

tyb525

Each and every truck has it's issues. GM has cracked heads, Ford has it's blown spark plugs, Dodge has it's cracked Cummins blocks. I think the number of people who love their particular brand evens out with those who can't say anything but bad about them. Guess that's how business goes
LT10G10, Stihl 038 Magnum, many woodworking tools. Currently a farm service applicator, trying to find time to saw!

Dave Shepard

So Cummins gets a bad rap because of one problem? Cummins has the least TSBs of any of the big three by a large margin.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

Ironwood

Yeah, I am a dyed in the wool Ford guy and you could NOT give me a 6.0. Even the 6.4 is unattractive to me. I have a 7.3 and love it. I also have a V10 "plug spitter" that has not spitted one yet.  ???


All brands have issue, just gotta learn what they are.

Ironwood
There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.- Wayne Dyer

Bobus2003

The 6.4l Powerstroke is a monster.. Yeah in their stock form they only get about 12-13mpg.. but with a EGR/DPF Deletes, and some tuning they are 500+ HP, and upper teens low 20's mpg. My brothers '08 F250 will out do my Modded 7.3l or my 6.0l's.. Though i cant wait to get a '94-'98 12v P-Pump Cummins to put in my '06 6.0l.. Then it will become a beast

Ironwood

Mine are work trucks, 350-550 at 10,000-12,000 empty, so those mileages are not possible for me. My last 550 7.3 with a SuperChip on lowest setting and 3:91's got 11-12 loaded or empty.
Ironwood
There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.- Wayne Dyer

Banjo picker

Quote from: Dave Shepard on November 02, 2011, 06:35:05 PM
So Cummins gets a bad rap because of one problem? Cummins has the least TSBs of any of the big three by a large margin.

I gave them a chance to make it right...all I asked for was a bare block..do dice..Tim
Never explain, your friends don't need it, and your enemies won't believe you any way.

Dale Hatfield

Got mine yesterday.  Their is a product called stitch weld or lock cant remember. It has been used around here for a bunch of cracked 53 blocks. Ya drill a hole and screw these  plugs in in the crack line.
My big grip with 2  of my dodges is paint and rust. For the love of metal bumpers why do I have holes in them. Im sure their are 1970 ish trucks in the junk yard that still have bumpers with out holes.
Game Of Logging trainer,  College instructor of logging/Tree Care
Chainsaw Carver

shelbycharger400

dale... the 70's trucks have  thick bumpers  ( my 78 dodge dose, as dose my 68 chebby) (where you could use a bumper to tow )
newer trucks have the 5 mph crash bumpers...ie paper thin

Banjo picker

Well folks how about an update:  After letting the ole truck set for 4 years, I decided to see what I could do about it.  I started checking for a new block for it, as all the other items on the engine were fine.  Found one in Fort Payne Al. for 500.00 a bare block.  Bought it off Ebay and Deb and I went and picked it up. Took it to my buddie Jimmie's shop and we started on it.  It was a bugger to get out.  The rebuid went very smooth, and the install was a double bugger.  Cranked it up drove it home...about 50 miles, and changed the oil and filter...dorve it about another 100 miles and changed the oil filter.  Drove it a couple hundred more and changed oil and filter again and its ready to go.  I did have to put a new heater hose on it this afternoon...should have changed them when we pulled the motor.   I am retiring in about 9 months and I want something to pull a trailer.  ;)  Banjo
Never explain, your friends don't need it, and your enemies won't believe you any way.

Magicman

Congrats on the engine and the retirement Tim.  Also, it's good to see your name pop up, been missing you.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Banjo picker

Lynn, I log in from time to time and read some....just dont post much.  Too  busy i guess.  I bought a 53 ft semi trailer full of auto parts at an auction and have been selling them on ebay.  Having fun with that and made a few doll hairs to boot. Banjo
Never explain, your friends don't need it, and your enemies won't believe you any way.

4x4American

They say that the 53 blocks are most susceptible to cracking when towing heavy loads at high altitudes..I had bought a 98 dodge with a 53 block and I knew it...but I rolled the dice.  Another thing to fix is the "killer dowel pin".  There is a dowel pin under the timing cover that is known to back out and fall into the gears and wreak havoc.  They say that it's possible it could fall and miss all the gears and wind up in the oil pan.  I did the fix for mine and while I was down there put a fluid dampr on the crank and it smoothed out the idle harmonics it had.  O'Doyle Rules!
Boy, back in my day..

Banjo picker

4x4 I knew about the dowel pin, but didn't tell my buddy whos shop we did the work at, and when I went to help put it all together he already had the front on the engine, an I just couldn't make him take it all back off.  I may pay for that some day if I don't do the fix.  From what I have read cummins changed the cover plate some where down the line that would stop the pin from coming out, but there is no line drawn in the sand as to exactly when that happened.  Seems it could be the luck of the draw which cover got used as they used all the old ones till they ran out.  The killer dowel pin is more common on the 12 valves, like the 94 that I have as well.  Its got 225,000 plus and no problem, but as they say it could happen the next time i fire it up.  I will retire in about 9 months and maybe then I can work on some of the not so pressing items.  As of now I am just enjoying running a truck that dont leak water...side note I didn't use that truck in high altitudes , but I did load the heck out of it.  Banjo
Never explain, your friends don't need it, and your enemies won't believe you any way.

Peter Drouin

A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

Chop Shop

The KDP can be addressed without disassembly.   There was a product that you drilled and tapped a hole in the acc drive cover and then screwed it in and it "pinned" the KDP in there for good.

I have a 98 12V and it spit the dowel pin.  Thru the cam gears and out the side of the cover.

The gears cleaned up fine, just honed off a few burs and a shard edge and replaced the acc drive cover with the new updated one.  It has a stepped hole so the dowel pin cant back out.

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