CK30 dipstick stuck

[Gox Blowby]

I purchased a used 2011 CK30 HST over the weekend, my first farm tractor. It only had 6 hours; the previous owner obviously did not use it much. After getting the tractor back to the farm, the family and I did an hour of familiarization driving, then parked it for the weekend. Yesterday I opened the hood to check the engine oil for the first time, and darn if the dipstick isn't stuck fast. The owner's manual says to "draw out the dipstick" which I interpret to mean as pulling straight up on the cap handle. I expected the Kyoti's dipstick to pull out with minimal effort like my car's does, but it is firmly stuck with no give - it won't rotate either. I pulled up on the handle with a vise grip, but the tool slips off before anything happens. Is there some trick to checking the darn engine oil level before I call the dealer?

 

[tman1020]

I had the same thing happen on my pick up truck wound up breaking the Off of the dipstick top but it did finally come out. Silly question but are you sure it is the oil dipstick you are trying to remove? I don't mean to sound rude but stranger things have happened with unfamiliar tractors. Good luck and keep us posted

 

[Gox Blowby]

tman1020 - not a silly question at all, I'm an idiot - its the oil inlet cap at the front left corner on top of the valve cover(?) I've been pulling on. The dipstick is down on the left hand side of the engine. My only defense is that it was dark behind the barn last night and the picture in the owners manual is printed pretty small. Thank goodness for daylight this morning.

But the cap should have twisted off, I was turning it with some force last night trying to break it loose. Hope the dipstick level is okay until I take it back to the dealer for 50 hr initial service...

 

[TJP89]

Yes, that's the oil fill cap. The dipstick is on the bottom of the engine compartment on the right, the manual has it wrong. IIRC it's under the side panel, shouldn't have to remove anything to check. Also check the tranny fluid, that's on the back of the tractor by the 3PTH. The fill tube screws, the dipstick pulls.

 

[Gox Blowby]

Tony - thanks, found the transmission dipstick last night. The fluid was so clear it was hard to read and I'm going to have to go back and do it again in daylight. The transmission fill is the pink hook shaped thingy (technical term there)? I see it now, it's marked "oil".

 

[tman1020]

Good I'm glad you found it and it was an easy fix. I'm not sure of the CK 30 but I think that they blocked off one of the oil fill ports and added a second one so it would take oil a little faster without overflowing on some engines. I'm not sure if yours is one of them but it sounds like it might be from what you're saying. Look around for a second oil fill location near there and check your manual. that one you're trying to remove may not be removable.

 

[tman1020]

Our tractors are not identical but they share a lot of the same parts I have to plugs on the top of my valve cover one is removable one is not. The removable one says oil on it and has a T handle. However I have a second port closer to the dipstick that is what is recommended for filling oil on my tractor. It is just a rubber plug not a twist off and has no markings on it other than being orange I will attach a picture of each.

 

[tman1020]

Here is the second picture

 

[VictorW]

Since Kioti added the second orange fill plug, that is the recommended place to fill. I just have the top valve cover place on my 2004 CK30hst and just fill slowly.

 

[Gox Blowby]

As TJP89 said, the engine oil dipstick was very low down on the right side, hidden behind a bracket attaching the FEL to the tractor, on the opposite side of where the manual said it was. There's probably a missing errata page noting the change that got lost when I bought the tractor used.