CK35 HST shattered piston at 400 hours

[MinnesotaEric]

Call Kioti customer service and see what they suggest doing.

Mention the potential missing ring which cannot be verified until the piston is removed.

 

[chuck172]

I'd really like to see a happy ending here. Good luck with contacting Kioti. I hope they stand behind their product.

 

[paulfun9]

Have you called and got any prices on a replacement? I would call someplace that does some volume and is well known for the Kioti tractor like Error

Sorry to hear about this and I know selling it will be at a loss.

 

[CenTex Chris]

...I would be tempted to blame it on misuse by the neighbor, but in all honesty ...

I really appreciate that, thanks. Initially I had thought, this has to be his fault, that he over-worked the engine while grading our road and moving around buckets of gravel. However, I've since been told that these engines can't be over-revved because they have built-in governors... is that true? Also, during the time that he had the tractor, he would work for about an hour in the morning and then go home and take a break to cool off from the sun, and then do the same in the afternoon, and then put in another hour or so near sundown. It wasn't like he was on it all day, every day. He can't take that kind of heat (few of us can down here). So yes, my gut reaction was that he over-worked it, but then I thought, how could that be? And now based on the input from you folks, it sure seems to make more sense that the cause was most likely a manufacturing defect.

I'm not a confrontational guy, and my neighbor is indeed a good neighbor. I harbored ill thoughts about this situation, but haven't actually said anything to him about it. He knows the tractor has a serious issue that happened while he was in the seat, and he doesn't feel good about it. To me it would be a relief to know for sure that it's a defect and not mis-use.

 

[CenTex Chris]

Call Kioti and see what they suggest doing.

I wouldn't begin to know how to do that. There's no "customer service" option on their web site. I can imagine that they'd want me to go through my dealer. I tried that, and my dealer was way too busy with other work to even look at it.

 

[paulfun9]

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PS By the sounds of this description it sounds as if this person wasn't smart enough to shut the machine down when it showed signs of something wrong. That being said I wouldn't let him borrow anything else ! Think about it "I smelled something hot" They keep running it and next thing you know you need a head replacement because they overheated it. Common sense approach to any ones machine is if it starts acting funny you shut it down right then and there and call the owner, not continue to work or drive it back for them. Any damage done will only get worse with more run time !

 

[paulfun9]

I don't know why the link I posted comes up as an error but it does take me to MIE

 

[CenTex Chris]

Have you called and got any prices on a replacement? I would call someplace that does some volume and is well known for the Kioti tractor like Error

Sorry to hear about this and I know selling it will be at a loss.

I just put in an online service quote request to the next-closest Kioti dealer from mine. Basically I asked them for a parts & labor estimate for engine rebuild or replacement, whichever is less. It should be a standard line item on a rate card, so I'm hoping they'll be able to provide that info without having to drag the tractor all the way down there. Now this outfit is a "Kioti 5-Paw" dealership, supposedly that makes them better than average, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they'll respond. Funny thing is, as the crow flies, they're only a few miles further away than my dealer. But, they're on the opposite side of San Antonio from me which makes them a lot harder to get to.

 

[DK35vince]

I've since been told that these engines can't be over-revved because they have built-in governors... is that true?

That pretty much true.
But going down a steep high with the throttle open the weight of the machine can overrun the governor

 

[MinnesotaEric]

I wouldn't begin to know how to do that. There's no "customer service" option on their web site. I can imagine that they'd want me to go through my dealer. I tried that, and my dealer was way too busy with other work to even look at it.

Be nice, tell Kioti the problem, that you're out of warrantee, but you've have a piston fail from un unknown defect or a potential missing ring that led to the piston failure, and whatever the case may be, the cause of the problem cannot be verified until the piston is removed and inspected by a service technician. If Kioti offers nothing, then offer suggestions to Kioti that would make you happy and see what their reaction to your pleas are. Ask also, given your location, where to go or if you should you continue working with the self-employed Kioti certified technician that diagnoses the problem.

I bet Kioti offers helpful direction and may even step in partially or wholly to sort out your problem and make you a happy camper.

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