Well the truck just hit 163K miles and I ran out of water this morning. I already knew before I popped the hood because of two things...lol

 

1. I slowly lost heat in the cab.

2. Truck started to overheat almost immediately after I lost all heat.

 

 

This happened to me about 2 weeks ago and I didn't think anything of it at first, but from the looks of it I can't find traces of any water leaks anywhere. So I guess I will throw the coolant pressure tester on the truck and see where I spring a leak. I am thinking water pump most likely due to the nature of the beast and the search button feature lol.

53 Block?

 

55 Block

Ive seen some that have been welded and are still going strong. And then ive seen some that were welded and cracked again not to long after.

 

You could weld it to buy some time, but like others have said, need to replace the block or engine. If your going to weld it, drill the ends of the crack and preheat around the area, Use a HI nickel rod and let it cool down real slow!

This is my best chance, or I am selling the truck as is. I just cannot put the amount of money in this truck for what I have to offer. I am aboput to throw the **** up...

This is my best chance, or I am selling the truck as is. I just cannot put the amount of money in this truck for what I have to offer. I am aboput to throw the **** up...

 

IF you have a local wrecking yard, I would try and find a block from the yard and get it onced-over and replace your block with it. If at worst, sell it. Really crappy to actually have first-hand experience with this. I have more often than not heard of people say the lock-n-stitch or welding the cast only buys you time.

 

Don't want to sound crooked, but maybe if you did do a bandaid and sold it to a car lot or something you could get out of it. You need to drop that truck like a hot potato or replace the block. Thats really your only two permanent solutions!

Has that leak been patched before? Hard to tell by the picture, but it almost looks like some kind of goop on the block...

If any attempt at a repair is made I would try the Lock n Stitch. Welding cast is tricky, it has to be very clean and preheated to several hundred degrees to be done properly, unless you know someone who is fluent in welding cast (not just welding in general) I would not attempt it.

IF you have a local wrecking yard, I would try and find a block from the yard and get it onced-over and replace your block with it. If at worst, sell it. Really crappy to actually have first-hand experience with this. I have more often than not heard of people say the lock-n-stitch or welding the cast only buys you time.

 

Don't want to sound crooked, but maybe if you did do a bandaid and sold it to a car lot or something you could get out of it. You need to drop that truck like a hot potato or replace the block. Thats really your only two permanent solutions!

 

I am looking for a band aid at this point. I just can't afford to buy another block unless I can get one for super cheap. Either way I will still need a new bearing and ring kit with all new gaskets. Trust me I am looking into Liquid Glass right now and if it seals up for a little while then I will go ahead and continue on saving money for a block or sell the truck as is.

Has that leak been patched before? Hard to tell by the picture, but it almost looks like some kind of goop on the block...

If any attempt at a repair is made I would try the Lock n Stitch. Welding cast is tricky, it has to be very clean and preheated to several hundred degrees to be done properly, unless you know someone who is fluent in welding cast (not just welding in general) I would not attempt it.

 

I can't tell exactly either. It does look like someone has messed with it before. Hard to tell but I am thinking about getting some oven cleaner and trying to clean the block off and seeing if I can find out what has been done to this thing. I am pretty sure the last guy that sold me this truck knew about this ****...If I find him again I will break his ******* nose.

I can't tell exactly either. It does look like someone has messed with it before. Hard to tell but I am thinking about getting some oven cleaner and trying to clean the block off and seeing if I can find out what has been done to this thing. I am pretty sure the last guy that sold me this truck knew about this ****...If I find him again I will break his ******* nose.

I would drive it back through his front door. But that's me. karma will get him.

I work for a construction company and we have had great results with a product called mega stick. Its made by lawson industries and is like a jb weld. I think if you were to run a wire wheel over it this would get you down the road for a while. Im going out to look at mine!

Ap

I am looking for a band aid at this point. I just can't afford to buy another block unless I can get one for super cheap. Either way I will still need a new bearing and ring kit with all new gaskets. Trust me I am looking into Liquid Glass right now and if it seals up for a little while then I will go ahead and continue on saving money for a block or sell the truck as is.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a269/Mikes99Dakota/Dodge%20Ram/8FA8C1AA-78F2-4ACA-856C-86CFF1B7967F_zpsyy1kdj3c.jpg

Sorry to say but you have too long of a crack by the looks of it to have any kind of success with a bandaid at this point. If it were just a small crack you may have a chance but it appears to be split open way too far judging by the 3 spots it is clearly leaking from.

I wouldn't even try, you will be throwing more money down an endless pit at this point.

Edited January 28, 201411 yr by Wild and Free

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a269/Mikes99Dakota/Dodge%20Ram/8FA8C1AA-78F2-4ACA-856C-86CFF1B7967F_zpsyy1kdj3c.jpg

Sorry to say but you have too long of a crack by the looks of it to have any kind of success with a bandaid at this point. If it were just a small crack you may have a chance but it appears to be split open way too far judging by the 2 spots it is clearly leaking from.

I wouldn't even try, you will be throwing more money down an endless pit at this point.

I agree. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but from what I see you don't have much recourse either. There is no repair that is pemanent and anything you do will just need to be thrown out at a later date. Also, from the pictures I don't see anything that looks like it was gooped up from before, BUT, even if it was you are still stuck. You purchased a used vehicle with over 100,000 miles so you legaly bought it "AS IS". Again, I am sorry for the way things are, but there is no sense in sugar coating it.

Where do I start looking for a used block then? Which blocks do I need to get that will not run into this problem again?

I could be wrong but I think the 56 are the Mexican blocks and are the thickest. I think anything but a 53 block and you should be ok. Check with local junk yards for wrecked trucks. Also the classified ads over on CF usually have a ton of part outs and that kind of stuff. You should be able to find something fairly easily. I feel for ya man. This really sucks and I havent ever gotten to see it first hand. Hope something comes together for ya.

I could be wrong but I think the 56 are the Mexican blocks and are the thickest. I think anything but a 53 block and you should be ok. Check with local junk yards for wrecked trucks. Also the classified ads over on CF usually have a ton of part outs and that kind of stuff. You should be able to find something fairly easily. I feel for ya man. This really sucks and I havent ever gotten to see it first hand. Hope something comes together for ya.

 

 

Me too, I am feeling like I am going to have a nervous break down here lately with all the bills stacking against me and now this....Makes me want to say **** everything and just move to a deserted island.

If you are tight for money and another engine is not an option, I would still say try the Lock n Stitch. Those guys have been around a long time and their products have successfully repaired thousands of cracks. I have never personally seen them applied but did see an engine block out of a 1 ton that had been stitched. The truck had over 300k miles, I don't know how many of those miles was with the repair, but the crack was not the source of the engine failure. I would clean it up, verify the size and length of it, and give those guys a call and see what they have to say. This is not the best option, but sometimes money dictates what we have to do.

Remember your engine is not going to mysteriously come apart just because it is cracked. I worked with a guy who drove his truck with a cracked block for close to a year and just kept adding water. I would not recomend you do that because you may potentially spread the crack, but it isn't necessarily the end of the world just yet. There are no gaurantees, but the process is fairly straight forward and they offer several tutorials on dvd to educate you before you attempt the repair.

I'd start with something like this:

 

http://houston.craigslist.org/pts/4282793601.html

 

OR

 

http://houston.craigslist.org/pts/4221676193.html

 

OR

 

https://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/pts/4305807897.html

 

These motors are a dime a dozen. The trucks they were put in die long before the motor (albeit your case) 

 

I'd still try to clean and fill with a metal epoxy- you might spend $30 on gaskets and coolant but who cares if it gets you through to the warmer months.

 

I'd start with something like this:

 

http://houston.craigslist.org/pts/4282793601.html

 

OR

 

http://houston.craigslist.org/pts/4221676193.html

 

OR

 

https://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/pts/4305807897.html

 

These motors are a dime a dozen. The trucks they were put in die long before the motor (albeit your case) 

 

I'd still try to clean and fill with a metal epoxy- you might spend $30 on gaskets and coolant but who cares if it gets you through to the warmer months.

 

Thats true. 

Good solution and much cheaper than I'd a figured. I always like the cheapest solution with a clear path. These 3 motors look like the path I'd be on. Maybe able to sell some parts off the motor to offset final cost.

Edited January 28, 201411 yr by joecool911

Kotta390,

I wish you luck, whatever you choose.  I know I would try to mend it first and buy me time to save for a replacement- but, the reality is, all of the pampering and measuring and watching the gauges we do, really is a waste of time when something like this may be inevitable for all of our trucks, and a replacement motor can be had for $1000 bucks ( less than the VP pump!)

AP

What is the most likely cause of the cracking? Excessive heat/egts?

What is the most likely cause of the cracking? Excessive heat/egts?

No, the place the block cracks is down lower on the side. There is no cause that you can point to and say with all certainty "That's IT!". Speculation is the casting was reduced there as a cost saving measure or defect, or the way the engine mounts are on the truck contribute to the cracking. The worst blocks are the "53" blocks and obviously some of the "55" blocks.