"Infamous" 53 block?

[Mark Nixon]

Okay, on closer inspection I also found a casting date code of "22C7", which translates as follows:

22; 2nd day of a month.
C; Alpha-numeric for "March", with 'A' being January and 'K' being December.
7; Last digit of the year cast, '87-'97-'07, etc.

Here's pics of the block from various angles:
Showing the casting code NOTE NO '53' here;

Shows the '53';

Showing the P.S. of the block in general;

Showing the foundry and location codes;

The next 2 are pics of #5 piston:

With the casting code being relatively close to the door sticker date and the CPL tag date, I'm "reasonably" certain that this block was originally installed in the truck it was removed from, otherwise the dates are one hell of a coincidence.

Mark.

 

[Big Blue24]

Wow,
I'm a believer. I'd have to agree with you that your 97' came with a 53 block from the factory.

 

[odieub]

yep have a 97 with a storm 53 pass side just the same small 53 like the one above. also have a late 01 truck with a 53 on pass side but tall 53 like the others i have seen that was on the drivers side.

 

[AsTroSS]

Its STORM block normally used in 98 12V OR 24v engines.

 

[CL2000]

7/97 should be a 98 truck. What's the 10th digit of your vin?

 

[Mark Nixon]

I got the engine as a core from a '97 truck, DIDN'T get the truck.
It has 7-15-97 on the CPL tag and the emissions tag indicated it was for '97 emissions.

The remains of this POS, minus the injection and accessory related stuff, are now resting comfortably in a scrap Dodge 1stgen cab, awaiting the long journey to China, Japan, or wherever they send it nowadays.

Mark.

 

[Scooter's Roofing]

the 53 blocks that had the problems were cast with 53 under the injection pump on the driver's side...

there are multiple 53 castings. not all are bad

 

[Mark Nixon]

....there are multiple 53 castings. not all are bad

I figured that might possibly be the case, but rather than take the chance it would crack on someone else, I sent it away, never to return.
It puts my mind at ease that it will no longer pose that potential problem for me......or anyone else.

I did keep the piston pictured in this thread for a conversation piece.
It makes me shiver, a person shouldn't have been able to miss hearing that thing destroying itself.

Mark.

 

[JariV]

So any insight to HOW prone these bad 53 blocks are to cracking? Is there some general consensus about the power levels these blocks can tolerate?

I'm talking about a 53 block in a 24v engine. A friend has one and he is a little concerned since he has a Smarty and bigger turbo etc.

 

[golfersmith]

From what I have read, the 12 valve 53 blocks are completely different animals, not prone to cracking, unlike the 24 valve block.

 

[Tate]

I figured that might possibly be the case, but rather than take the chance it would crack on someone else, I sent it away, never to return.
It puts my mind at ease that it will no longer pose that potential problem for me......or anyone else.

I did keep the piston pictured in this thread for a conversation piece.
It makes me shiver, a person shouldn't have been able to miss hearing that thing destroying itself.

Mark.

You should have at least given it away. A bare block is good for mocking up in project vehicles or building twins, etc. Doesn't matter if its cracked or not, it still works the same.

From what I have read, the 12 valve 53 blocks are completely different animals, not prone to cracking, unlike the 24 valve block.

Blocks would be the same as the 24v blocks.