DK owners check your fuel tanks:

[MotorSeven]

While baling 75 4x4 rolls today I smelled raw fuel. The last time this happened I found a cracked fuel bowl. This time it was much more interesting. I raised the hood and saw fuel dripping off the bottom right side of the fuel tank. The source was the two return fuel lines, one from the filter and the other from the injector pump back to the tank. What was causing the leak was the metal shroud that holds the fuel tank in place. It has a small window cut to allow the two return line nipples that are molded into the tank to stick through. Either the tank has mover up or the shroud has moved down cutting into both nipples(ouch). The return lines are circled in red:

A close up, hard to tell, but the metal is pushing down on the nipples:

THis is what the return line looked like:

 

[MotorSeven]

I still had windrows to get up, so I needed a quick fix. I drilled and then cut out with a Dremel the metal around the nipples, cleaned everything with carb cleaner and used the trusty JB Weld to seal the cuts in the tank at the nipple stems:

It ain't pretty but 30 min later I was baling hay...no leaks. I noticed that there is tank movement just by opening the hood, so routine vibration, coupled with the bad design of the shroud caused the issue. All of the shroud bolts were tight.

I think all you DK owners out there should take a look at this and make sure that this does not happen to you. If I had not noticed it then the result would have been a severed nipple(ouch), and a new fuel tank would have been mandatory. I am going to check with my dealer and Kioti about replacing the tank...I think I am still under warranty.

 

[gkh7890]

M7,
Sorry to hear about but thank you for posting it and such great photos!!!! Curious, how many hours are on your DK?

I will have to check my panel over really well. Have you checked the mounting area/support area for wear or loose bolts? If so, pls post a couple of photos so we know where to look.....if you don't mind?

Being an '08, I assume you're out of the 2yr period of everything being covered? Will watch to see how your experience with the repairs goes!!:thumbsup:

Thanks again for the post.
Greg

 

[gkh7890]

M7,
You beat me to it. Thanks for the update....that was fast!!!:laughing:

 

[MotorSeven]

500 and something hrs(have not looked lately)

I know I am out of the 2 year thing, but imho a design flaw should get some attention even if it is out of the coverage. If they don't replace the tank, at least bringing it to their attention might prevent this from happening in the future to another Kioti owner. JB Weld is amazing stuff and most likely it will hold forever, so I am not going to loose sleep if I don't get a new tank.

 

[ToadHill]

If you loosen the heat shield, 4 nuts, the shield has a bit of play in it and you can slide it up enough to clear the hoses.

 

[MotorSeven]

Toad, I checked all the bolts today. All were tight and once I loosened them it really didn't give the shroud much wiggle room to clear the return lines. I really think the problem is the stamped metal bracket that holds the tank in place. Open your hood, then push up on the hood slightly after it is all the way open. When I do that my fuel tank moves up and down with the flexing top bracket about a quarter of an inch. I can only imagine what the tank is doing when full/partially full while bouncing across a bumpy pasture for hours on end......

 

[dennis52]

Note that the DS 4510 (and I assume DS4110) seem to have the same design tank and firewall as shown in MotorSeven's photos of the DK

Just so everyone can share the anxiety.

 

[gkh7890]

I just checked the position on mine this evening (just got it back from my FNL for the week) and the lines are positioned in the middle of the opening. ( @ 140 hrs. ) I'll double check the bolts/nuts tomorrow.

 

[MotorSeven]

Just so everyone can share the anxiety.

Good one Dennis...one can never have too much anxiety:laughing: