fleetwood # 53 problems

[tdgulfstream]

looking at a 2000 Fleetwood discovery, I've read about the #53 motor
block cracking and leaking, but what I've read mostly in dodge trucks--
is it the same motor block as motorhomes? i'm guessing it's the same
either truck or motorhome. the bandaid is the stitch/weld, but it's
still thin material, will crack again. the solution is to get a new
block! any ideas ? thanks

[tropical36]

timmac wrote:

tropical36 wrote:

hanko wrote:

timmac wrote:
Wow and all the diesel owners say its so much better than gas, whole block cracks and $19,000 to replace, what the heck, gas rules..

:E

Gas does rule

Tent's rule for some folks and TT's for others and all the way up to the Prevost and Newell owners.
It's just a matter of where you set your limits and what your budget is.
As for Diesel engines, this sort of thing isn't the norm and is just a very small percentage of all that's on the road. The rest are good for a million miles with a little maintenance.
For whatever reason, I chose a CAT over a Cummins and so far, so good, but who can say, in the long term.

Yea and how many miles does a average motorhome get over 20 years, most don't see 100,000 miles, why spend the extra thousands of $$ that you will never see the benefits..

New gas motorhomes can do 300,000 miles before the motor is wore out but usually wont see those miles before its put out back because its just old and roof leaks.

:B

Not saying that one should buy a diesel, because of it's mileage capabilities. Just saying that catastrophic failure among them as a whole, is quite rare.
However, after owning gas coaches for many years, I can honestly say that there's a lot more to the higher end DP's, than just the engine.
Different strokes for different folks, as I've always said and for us, there's no going back.

[Captain_Happy]

The F-53 block I had was in a 1998 Dodge 12 valve diesel. Dodge was having 2 companies make the block in these years. one was Brazil, the other was Mexico, which was the better block, go figure.

[DryCreek]

First, that was only applicable for the ISB (5.9L) 24 valve engines. There is a good chance that you may be looking at a motorhome with the ISC (8.3L) engine.

ETA - there are also long lasting repair alternatives to block replacement - there is a successful procedure to "stitch" the crack. If it really comes down to it, you could always peen lead into the crack for a 20K mile repair....

[tinkerer]

It always goes back to gas motor home people generally know more about diesel motorhomes than diesel owners. Diesel motorhomes generally have more features because of weight limitations the gas chassis have. Cummins did give me some help.

[timmac]

tropical36 wrote:

hanko wrote:

timmac wrote:
Wow and all the diesel owners say its so much better than gas, whole block cracks and $19,000 to replace, what the heck, gas rules..

:E

Gas does rule

Tent's rule for some folks and TT's for others and all the way up to the Prevost and Newell owners.
It's just a matter of where you set your limits and what your budget is.
As for Diesel engines, this sort of thing isn't the norm and is just a very small percentage of all that's on the road. The rest are good for a million miles with a little maintenance.
For whatever reason, I chose a CAT over a Cummins and so far, so good, but who can say, in the long term.

Yea and how many miles does a average motorhome get over 20 years, most don't see 100,000 miles, why spend the extra thousands of $$ that you will never see the benefits..

New gas motorhomes can do 300,000 miles before the motor is wore out but usually wont see those miles before its put out back because its just old and roof leaks.

:B

[tropical36]

hanko wrote:

timmac wrote:
Wow and all the diesel owners say its so much better than gas, whole block cracks and $19,000 to replace, what the heck, gas rules..

:E

Gas does rule

Tent's rule for some folks and TT's for others and all the way up to the Prevost and Newell owners.
It's just a matter of where you set your limits and what your budget is.
As for Diesel engines, this sort of thing isn't the norm and is just a very small percentage of all that's on the road. The rest are good for a million miles with a little maintenance.
For whatever reason, I chose a CAT over a Cummins and so far, so good, but who can say, in the long term.

[hanko]

timmac wrote:
Wow and all the diesel owners say its so much better than gas, whole block cracks and $19,000 to replace, what the heck, gas rules..

:E

Gas does rule

[timmac]

Wow and all the diesel owners say its so much better than gas, whole block cracks and $19,000 to replace, what the heck, gas rules..

:E

[tinkerer]

Sad to say I ended up with one of those that cracked from one end to the other. If I came upon one of those I would run. Not all of them had the dreaded 53 block. It was a $19000 lesson for me. This was in a 1998 Discovery. The engine was manufactured by Cummins in Brazil.

[Ventureman]

Do an internet search from your favorite search engine: "Cummins 53 block"
Enjoy all of the reading.

[George_Beggs]

I don't think that Dodge made motorhome engines in 2000. Are you talking about a F53? That would be a Ford. Some early V10s would spit out a sparkplug (easy to fix). I had a 1999 V10 and had no problems. My neighbor now owns it and still no problems.