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Kill Devil Diesel heads?

9K views 37 replies 12 participants last post by  Tinbanger1979 
#1 ·
So I purchased a set of there heads a few weeks before Thanksgiving and they came the day after Turkey day for my 6.0. I had one head damaged in shipping and I got my replacement head yesterday. There is a significant difference in the casting where the injector hold down is. I'm wondering what everyone elses heads look like compared to mine? I have already contacted them about exchanging the head with no bridging around the injector hold down, but haven't heard back from them yet.
 

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#3 · (Edited)
I would be very curious at to what your heads look like. I left a message with whatever girl answers the phone and sent an email about it, but haven't gotten a response to the casting difference or a replacement head. I would think it's pretty simple, tell me to send the head back since the casting is not what they advertise and then send me a replacement. I would even cover the shipping cost to send this head back. I've been so busy with work I don't have time to worry about this BS right now. I'll get back on them about it after Christmas. I'm surprised Charlie(KC Turbos) has not commented since he's a KDD dealer. I ordered them straight from KDD since Charlie had them on backorder. But I wish I had ordered them from Charlie since his customer service was great on all the other stuff I got for my build and writing my tunes with him.
 
#4 ·
I hear your frustration and have been there several times with stuff purchased over the years.

As long as you can remember that you are not the only customer KDD has, and I am sure he would not risk his reputation on purposely avoiding your issue. I will definitely agree that close to one month's time is excessive.

Hopefully Jared gets back to you soo.

Good Luck
 
#7 ·
I just checked mine out and they’re both bridged, like your first pic. I didn’t want to unwrap them since I’m not starting my project for another week or two so. I hope you can see the bridge in the pic well enough.

As a note, KDD seems to be a pretty standup company. I’m not quite sure why one of their heads would be different from their standard, but it would be interesting to know. I’m sure they will make it right.

By the way, what year is your truck? I think the castings would be the same whether it’s the late 03-early 04, the “pre-commonized” late 04-early 06, or the late 06-07 commonized, but maybe not. My thoughts are that the machining is what would make it different and they all start as the same rough casting.
 

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#8 ·
Yeah I'm going to call down there again on Monday and see what they say. It is definitely a casting mistake, and not a machining mistake. Glad to see you got the ones with the extra bridging cast into the area where they crack. I hope to get it straight cause I have decided not to put my motor together with the head that does not have the extra bridging. I figure I paid $2300 for KDD fancy castings so that's what I want for my build come hell or high water.>:)
 
#11 ·
Sorry guys, I have not been on the internet very much recently. Apparently I spend too much time playing on the forums/facebook and had to cut back after black friday leading into Christmas.

I will hit up Jared today and make sure the customer has been taken care of. I can't comment on this exact issue because I don't know anything about it. I can only say that I have sold 100s of set of KDD heads and never ran into this issue. Years ago when KDD was using Promax cores, I did have 1 or 2 guys who had issues with their "threaded inserts"... one of the big reasons why KDD switched to their own castings. I know KC Turbos is always updating our casting and improving them over time with small minor differences. I am sure that is what happened here.

If anyone needs to get a hold of me quicker and needs help, feel free to send an email. I try to clean out my inbox everyday (except holidays and weekends).
charlie@kcturbos.com
 
#13 ·
Thanks Charlie for reaching out to Jared, even though you don't have any skin in the game. Someone down there knows who I am after all the emails and the messages I have left with the girl who answers the phone. I have yet to get an email or a phone call from anyone, let alone the owner. All I want to do is exchange this head that does not have the reinforced casting around the injector hold down clamp area for a head that has the extra casting like they state there heads have. I'll even cover the shipping back to KDD.
 
#14 ·
Yea there’s some sort of disconnect here for whatever reason. Charlie will get someone woke up there but not where this should have gone.

Odd is saying it lightly.
 
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#15 ·
Charlie must have the magic touch at KDD? I got an email a few minutes ago from Jared about my order. I'll keep you all posted as to what happens, but hopefully he says send this head back and gets me a match to my head with the extra casting in the injector hold down area.
 
#20 ·
Serious!

It is kind of bull$h*t that he has attempted every way to contact them and it takes one phone call from a vendor/friend and voila....it is getting resolved.

Hate to say it, but this type of stuff is bad for business especially once it hits the forum level.

All that said, I have spoken to Jared on the phone and he helped me with a minor issue....great guy. I didn't have anything but a great experience buying through KC but I bought the KDD heads when they weren't as popular......


Glad it is working out for you.
 
#17 ·
Yeah my temper boiled over about 2 weeks ago as I started posting comments about KDD. You can call and email all you want, but if no one gives a *hit on the other end nothing happens. Jared emailed me that he's sending me out a new head and a return label for the head with no extra casting. I guess there was a change in the casting design and he wasn't sure why I had two different head designs to begin with.


BIG THANKS TO CHARLIE FOR BRINGING THIS TO SOMEONES ATTENTION AND GETTING *HIT DONE.
 
#18 · (Edited)
There are people who are very good craftsmen but their retail business acumen of how to set up customer service, or training others for customer service, isn't ingrained or they were never taught. You also have people who are let's say good salesmen who can easily sell you a poor product. And you can have both.

I have no skin in this game, but Jared seems to be a person who's focus is more of the machining or building part of the business. Yet his products are available from those who have excelled in the customer service area. So, for now, it may be best to think of KDD as a wholesale machining/manufacturing operation and get the product through KC. This way its a less stressful situation for all.
 
#23 ·
There are people who are very good craftsmen but their retail business acumen of how to set up customer service, or training others for customer service, isn't ingrained or they were never taught. You also have people who are let's say good salesmen who can easily sell you a poor product. And you can have both.

I have no skin in this game, but Jared seems to be a person who's focus is more of the machining or building part of the business. Yet his products are available from those who have excelled in the customer service area. So, for now, it may be best to think of KDD as a wholesale operation and get the product through KC. This way its a less stressful situation for all.
Actually KDD is a manufacturer not a wholesaler (but I get the point) Jared's shop has probably grown faster than his wildest dreams. I'm sure he has problems finding good reliable help. I would agree buying from a distributor might be the way to go. Though Charlie is also a manufacturer as well as a distributor, he does seem to have customer service down pat.
The "skills gap" in the labor market is bad, we have all these young guys who've been told college is the only way to go. They were lied to of course but that has left the skilled trades with a severe shortage. Add that to the work ethic (or lack of) of some of the younger crowd, I would think trying to staff a machine shop could be a full time job by itself. :twocents:
 
#19 ·
I was originally going with UCF heads, but they were on a 4 week backorder. So decided to go with KDD heads vs the other Chinese casted head manufacturers. KC Turbos was on 2 week backorder and KDD had them instock. Hindsight being 20/20, I would have ordered them from Charlie when I got my tunes, Injectors and regulated return kit from him.
 
#26 ·
KC turbos actually is trying to stock a lot of the KDD stuff. We just usually sell it faster than we can get it.

I am not sure where the 2 week back order thing is coming from... our website says 1-4 days. (last year it said 2-3 weeks out, but I am not aware of any recent delays that long). But either way, we try to estimate long and deliver early. I hate missing promised deadlines. I would rather lose a sale, as opposed to creating an upset customer.


Not that it matters but IMO KDD is a "manufacturer". It is very rare than anyone makes something 100% in house. If you are getting your own proprietary castings made to your specs, machining them in house, and filling them with your parts... then that is the same thing that garrett/ford/kc does.


I am very appreciative of the kind words about KC Turbos but I don't want this to be a KDD bash fest. We love their products and have great luck with them. I am VERY close to Jared and often talk/text on a daily basis. Not sure where the disconnect or miscommunication was, just glad it is getting resolved.
 
#22 ·
Good question.
 
#24 ·
Manufacturer may be a stretch for describing KDD since the heads are cast by others and they do final machine and assembly

maybe a machine shop and retailer ( sells a lot of brands online ) is a better description ??

but no excuses for not being responsive to the needs of customers , maybe they should just let guys like Charlie retail their products ( and you know Charlie is busy building his own line of specialty parts "KC Turbos" , yet I have not seen any issues with him neglecting a customer
 
#25 ·
Last night I edited my post to machining/manufacturing; it's some guy that does something .......
 
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#27 ·
LOL, wasn't necessary, I did understand your point. I was just adding my :twocents:

I don't have any skin in this game either. I wasn't even really trying to defend Jared/KDD. I just understand the labor market today and I'm pretty sure he just has severe growing pains.
 
#29 ·
I know it wasn't necessary, it was meant as amusing. Just as some guy doing something ......

I vote this has been beaten to death.
 
#37 ·
I understand the customer's frustrations and can relate wholeheartedly.

I do not have a business, have run a larger business or plan to, but I am certain it is time consuming.

Very cool of Jared to come on here to clear things up, and I am sure he is going to take care of the issue.
 
#38 ·
Just a little update. Jared sent me a new set of matching heads a week or so ago and UPS labels for the heads that I had that were different. It took awhile to get it done, but over all happy with everything. I think they are experiencing growing pains as we all do being self employed with a successful business platform and trying to find someone who wants to work, let alone take pride in themselves and the work the do on a daily basis.
 
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