How To Tell Your Medium-Duty Engine Block Is Cracked?

In you mid-size import truck, the engine's cooling system is a closed system, so the coolant circulates from the engine's cooling passages to the radiator, the heater core and back again. It should never leave that loop. If it's somehow getting into the oil passages or the cylinders (and, from there, out the tailpipe) something has gone terribly wrong. Your head gasket has cracked, your head itself has cracked or, worst of all, your block has cracked.

You can crack an engine block several ways, but there are some that are more common than others:
- Running water through the cooling system instead of antifreeze in cold weather
- Running cold water through an already hot engine

Related: Causes of a Cracked Engine Block

A cracked engine block can cause performance troubles with any Mitsubishi Fuso FE, FH, FK or  Isuzu NPR, NQR, any other mid size truck, and in time, can cause your vehicle to stop running altogether. Fortunately, there are ways to identify a crack in the engine block, which can help lead to repairs or replacements.

1. Look for leaking engine coolant, most notably as it drains out the bottom of a car. This is a telltale sign of a cracked engine block, and in time, can cause an engine to overheat.
2. Check the dashboard and check gauges. If any of the dashboard lights come on, whether related to oil or coolant, this could signify a cracked engine block. Also, if the temperature gauge begins to signal overheating, this could mean engine coolant is leaking, which is a potential sign of a cracked engine block.
3. Look for extra smoke coming out of an automobile's exhaust pipe. While a certain amount is common, extra amounts--long trails coming out of an exhaust pipe--could signify a cracked engine block.
4. Check to see if a car radiator's mixture of engine coolant and water is optimal. This should be half water, half antifreeze, in most cases (it will often be indicated on an antifreeze bottle's instructions). If the mixture is not proper, this can cause the mixture to freeze, which will crack the engine block.

There are very few engine failures that any mechanic would consider beyond repair, but first among them is the cracked engine block. The end result is generally irreparable damage. Additives like sodium silicate (a.k.a. "liquid glass") can help delay complete failure of a slightly fractured block, but it will never be as strong or reliable as it once was.

Engine Block Cracked?

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