{also posted to Kohler email list}
Well , today I pulled the KT17 out of my JD 317 and tore it down . Turns out this isn't the first time this motor has been apart . By the numbers this is a series one motor , but there's a series 2 crank , rods , and camshaft inside . There is no serious damage to the right (non-starter) side of the crankcase , just a small chunk of stiffener rib missing from the bottom lip of the cylinder hole . There is a chunk broken off the bottom edge of the cylinder that grenaded , but I have found the pieces . I'm trying to decide if I should braze the chunks back in - lost about 3/8" of thrust face down there , but it's not on the main thrust face which is on top , and there's little con rod angularity at the bottom end of the stroke - before I hone the cylinder . Parts started arriving today , got the gasket set and the connecting rod (used) that I bought on ebay . Only problem is that the rod is a series one unit with the hole in the cap . I figure I can thread the hole and install a socket head grub screw . Thread only partway so the screw can't possibly contact the crank journal and use red loctite plus peen the top over so it can't back out . I did knurl the piston that I had out , worked better than expected , the piston is slightly over nominal stock cylinder bore . Should fit just swell when I get the honing done . I was surprised to find these are Mahle pistons , were these stock ? Overall it could have been a lot worse , though it is bad enough . This is probably my fault for not checking the oil as I should have . There was oil in the motor and quite a bit was lost when it happened , but ... I'm just not sure . What I am sure of is that whoever worked on the motor took shortcuts . There was no gasket on the front closure assembly , he used silicone and way too much of it . There was quite a bit extruded in that area and the cranckcase halves too . The other connecting rod and journal still look good . I haven't miked them yet to see if they're in spec but I'm betting they are from how they felt before disassembly .