cracked front cover

[oldschool]

I've got a 1996 leaking water. This is the second one and was wondering if anyone else had this problem or I'm just lucky. It's cracked right behind the top oil cooler mounting threaded hole.




the crack makes a "L" shape, runs along the water port then goes up to the thread.
Any Ideas? Just resealed the oil cooler, as it had been leaking oil. This winter had a water leak when it was cold, but dried up after it ran a while. Thought it might be the water pump, but after I cleaned the area, maybe it was this leaking? Sucks, cause I gotta pull the engine again!

[CSIPSD]

Is something pressing down on the oil cooler?

[littleredstroker]

Subbed

sent while needing more cowbell

[oldschool]

Originally Posted by CSIPSD

Is something pressing down on the oil cooler?

No, everything is free, and where it should be, not external pressure

[CSIPSD]

I've never seen one crack like that... Not really sure what could cause it other then vibration.

[oldschool]

Originally Posted by CSIPSD

I've never seen one crack like that... Not really sure what could cause it other then vibration.

Like I said, this is the second one i've had. Both in the same truck with different engines. Thought maybe a bad design, that's why I'd thought I'd ask if anyone else had problems. If not, I don't know. If it was bad motor mounts, would see it hitting somewhere, and it would torque the other way, oil cooler is on the left side. Got me stumpped. Funny it started to leak after the cooler re-seal? didn't impact bolts, all were hand tightened, didn't feel anything strange going together?

[Old OutLaw]

well, if it cracked after you did the cooler, I'd think that you probably Hydraulic'd it when you tightened
the bolts.....
wouldn't take much oil-water-crud in there to crack that little aluminum housing ....

sucks....

[oldschool]

Originally Posted by Old OutLaw

well, if it cracked after you did the cooler, I'd think that you probably Hydraulic'd it when you tightened
the bolts.....
wouldn't take much oil-water-crud in there to crack that little aluminum housing ....

sucks....

dont think so, the top bolt hole goes all the way through. and everything was hand tightened. the new cover in that area is a lot heavier and the bolt hole is blind. I i think is was seeping before the cooler re-seal. there was some accumulation of coolant when it was cold, thought that it might be the cooler, but after looking how the cooler is sealed, coolant can't leak externaly from the seals. the water pump weep hole showed no sign of leaking.

[Old OutLaw]

OK, cool, I couldn't see the hole going clear thru....my bad.

[bad12jr]

I had mine crack. I think it was a bad run of castings personally. I swapped to a 2001 cover,pan and pickup. It has a brace cast into it right there. From what I can tell it was late 95 early 96 models from the others I've seen of peoples cracking. I'm going to try and weld my 96 up whenever I get a tig for aluminum.
And when I had the leak I resealed the oil cooler first before finding the crack. Should have just pulled the motor first but oh well. To close to get a welder in without pulling as well.

Sent from my x2 chillin in the middle of no where