CK35 HST shattered piston at 400 hours

[Illini22]

Centex Chris, I hope Kioti steps up to the plate for you. Sadly they didn't on my 7 month old ck 35 in 2013. The central Illinois dealer was a total ***. I had the very common hst leak (that they never heard of before mine, lol), not a engine failure.

 

[cat fever]

Here is how a warranty ended up with my parents on a Branson 55hp tractor.
It was out of warranty by only a few months.
Long story short, the air intake between the filter and engine had somehow been pinched to tight. (creating a gap) This allowed unfiltered air to enter the engine. No one could prove how or when this happened. They needed a whole new engine. End result; my parents paid a third, the dealer paid a third and Branson paid a third. And the first thing I looked at on my new Kioti was the air line from filter to engine.

 

[Coyote machine]

Centex Chris, I hope Kioti steps up to the plate for you. Sadly they didn't on my 7 month old ck 35 in 2013. The central Illinois dealer was a total ***. I had the very common hst leak (that they never heard of before mine, lol), not a engine failure.

So the outcome of your CK35 HST leak was what? 2013 CK35s had a 'very common' HST leak issue? Is there factual accessible data on that statement? If so, where, I'd like to read it. You now have a 2013 DK-40? Did you trade it up?

 

[Fawken]

So the outcome of your CK35 HST leak was what? 2013 CK35s had a 'very common' HST leak issue? Is there factual accessible data on that statement? If so, where, I'd like to read it. You now have a 2013 DK-40? Did you trade it up?

Looks like the poster still owns the machine. What possible motive could he have to lie about it? When I bought my Ford 32 years ago the dealer (actually owner) Came by the house twice to see how it was doing. Even gave me a good price ($175) on a used 5' Hico cutter because he knew the wife and I were strapped. From reading here, yes there are some good stories, but IMO too many bad dealer experiences now days. Things won't improve unless people are honest and publicize their bad and good experiences. Isn't that what this place is for?

 

[CenTex Chris]

One breakdown might not cost them as much as repairing or replacing the engine or parts. So they just rather say sorry and don't set a precedent that they do repairs out of warranty.

It's beginning to look that way. I received a response from Kioti customer service earlier today. While I can't re-publish a private email here verbatim, they're basically saying that they won't make a determination to help me out until after the tractor goes back to the dealer. Only then will they make a decision about whether or not to provide any out-of-warranty assistance. So despite management having reviewed several high-resolution photos (bigger and better than what I posted here), there's no up-front commitment at this point. The owner of the dealership, his service manager and several folks on this forum have stated that based on the photographic evidence alone, this issue is clearly a manufacturing or assembly defect and not operator error.

Without an up-front commitment, I'm reluctant to take the tractor back to the dealer again. I had hoped that Kioti would have shown more interest in this situation, but they are not giving me much of an incentive to to do it their way. I haven't replied yet, but my thoughts are basically, if they really want to examine and study the remains of this piston for failure analysis, then they need to assure me now -- before I bring the tractor back to the dealer for the second time -- that I won't incur any further cost beyond what I've already paid (financially and in down time) in order to provide them with it.

Honestly I don't think I'm being unreasonable here, but I'm open to your constructive criticism. There may be a call to the dealer about this; I'm not sure yet. Anyway I need to get hard copies of all the service work they've done for me in the past. It's been meticulous and it'll help me sell.

Meanwhile... Plan B. I had a chat today with my friendly neighborhood diesel mechanic, whom I have known and given business to for 13 years, about what it would take to do the piston replacement. His blue-sky, no-surprises estimate is around $750 to $1000 for labor, plus parts, which I'm figuring to be in the $350 range (cylinder head gasket, piston, rings). For the one piston. And I can afford that. If it's economically feasible, then I'll do all three. I would feel so much better about selling it that way, it would be so much easier and I'd sleep a lot better with all three pistons replaced. It's just a matter of cost. If there are folks here who know, I might be running part numbers by you to make sure I'm ordering the right stuff. Have you seen a CK series parts list? I have and it's **** confusing.

I would have been *happy* to appear in that goofy commercial.

 

[Fawken]

Just a couple of points: You are doing a fine job of documenting what the dealer and service manager are telling you. Is there a possibility of getting them to converse with you via email? Also, in your original post you said the dealer had put the tractor at the back of the lot. Did they drive it back there? If so, how many times do you think they moved it in 3 weeks? You told them it was knocking, correct?

 

[CenTex Chris]

It's a motor in a tractor, nothing more or less.

I can't begin to express my gratitude to *everyone* here at TBN who has provided input on this discussion. The advice from some folks in particular -- such as that which I have quoted above -- really stand out to me, but I greatly appreciate everybody here who has taken the time to weigh in on this thing one way or the other. Many thanks.

 

[Coyote machine]

Looks like the poster still owns the machine. What possible motive could he have to lie about it? When I bought my Ford 32 years ago the dealer (actually owner) Came by the house twice to see how it was doing. Even gave me a good price ($175) on a used 5' Hico cutter because he knew the wife and I were strapped. From reading here, yes there are some good stories, but IMO too many bad dealer experiences now days. Things won't improve unless people are honest and publicize their bad and good experiences. Isn't that what this place is for?

A CK-35 is NOT a DK-40. You're the only one questioning if the poster is 'lying'. I have questions I'd like to 'hear' answers about what he posted- they're is no implication of lying from what I'm asking, just looking for clarification about what happened to his machine/situation.
Why don't you find something else to do, other then trying to figure out where I'm coming from, for which you obviously have no clue.

 

[CenTex Chris]

Just a couple of points: You are doing a fine job of documenting what the dealer and service manager are telling you. Is there a possibility of getting them to converse with you via email?

Good Heavens, I hate to say it, because they are fine good people in person, they really are. But honestly I'm not sure that they "do" email.

Also, in your original post you said the dealer had put the tractor at the back of the lot. Did they drive it back there? If so, how many times do you think they moved it in 3 weeks? You told them it was knocking, correct?

You know they drove it back there. They had to! Yes they heard it knocking but the shattered piston had not yet been diagnosed. It sounded like a top-end clatter and at the time we all thought it was a dropped valve or something. A washer stuck under a lifter or something like that. How many times did they move it? I'll bet just once, all the way to the back. When I picked it up, the dealership owner drove it out and up onto the trailer himself. "You've got a serious problem," he said. Yeah, I already knew that.

By the way, previously I had described this CK35 HST as a 2010 model. It is not. July 2010 was when I bought it. The serial number starts with "J" which makes it a 2009 model, for anyone who's interested.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

It's beginning to look that way. I received a response from Kioti customer service earlier today. While I can't re-publish a private email here verbatim, they're basically saying that they won't make a determination to help me out until after the tractor goes back to the dealer. Only then will they make a decision about whether or not to provide any out-of-warranty assistance. So despite management having reviewed several high-resolution photos (bigger and better than what I posted here), there's no up-front commitment at this point. The owner of the dealership, his service manager and several folks on this forum have stated that based on the photographic evidence alone, this issue is clearly a manufacturing or assembly defect and not operator error.

Without an up-front commitment, I'm reluctant to take the tractor back to the dealer again. I had hoped that Kioti would have shown more interest in this situation, but they are not giving me much of an incentive to to do it their way. I haven't replied yet, but my thoughts are basically, if they really want to examine and study the remains of this piston for failure analysis, then they need to assure me now -- before I bring the tractor back to the dealer for the second time -- that I won't incur any further cost beyond what I've already paid (financially and in down time) in order to provide them with it.

Honestly I don't think I'm being unreasonable here, but I'm open to your constructive criticism. There may be a call to the dealer about this; I'm not sure yet. Anyway I need to get hard copies of all the service work they've done for me in the past. It's been meticulous and it'll help me sell.

Meanwhile... Plan B. I had a chat today with my friendly neighborhood diesel mechanic, whom I have known and given business to for 13 years, about what it would take to do the piston replacement. His blue-sky, no-surprises estimate is around $750 to $1000 for labor, plus parts, which I'm figuring to be in the $350 range (cylinder head gasket, piston, rings). For the one piston. And I can afford that. If it's economically feasible, then I'll do all three. I would feel so much better about selling it that way, it would be so much easier and I'd sleep a lot better with all three pistons replaced. It's just a matter of cost. If there are folks here who know, I might be running part numbers by you to make sure I'm ordering the right stuff. Have you seen a CK series parts list? I have and it's **** confusing.

I would have been *happy* to appear in that goofy commercial.

Chris,

As a tech, I would like to see firsthand the piston, the piston bits, and be the guy who pops off those main bearing caps and connection rod cap because lighting and camera angle can affect perspective. I suggest the factory offer a goodwill repair if I found piston bits plugging up bottom-end oil gallery (explaining the heating issue on the crank and rod journal), and or verification of an old crack in the piston or piston bits.

I'd offer a different solution if I found an oil gallery plugged by not piston bits or something I could not explain from a failing piston.

Ay any-rate, I suggest that you allow the dealer Kioti wants to look at your tractor to look at your tractor. You have nothing to lose.

Allow Kioti some measure of control of the narrative and think of this as a plot-twist and allow the story to move forward.