Chris;
I'm sorry to hear about your problems. I will preface my comments with the statement that I sell Listeroids in Canada, so take this as you will.
As importers, we are keenly aware of Indian QC problems. Some of us have worked with our manufacturers to attempt to bring the QC up to, at least, an acceptable standard. Your comment re the company not responding to your complaints is well taken - we used to import engines from Ashwamegh, found some serious problems with them, complained to the company and were told that "it couldn't have happened" - this to a group of people who import over 400 engines a year! Needless to say, we dropped them as suppliers immediately, but those bad container loads of engines cost us a bundle of cash.
Right now there is a shake-out going on in the import business. Those people that brough junk in and resold it to unsuspecting purchasers are slowly but surely dropping out of the picture. Unfortunately, the damage has already been done by that point and postings such as yours appear, with good reason. Those that remain (and there are several good suppliers out there) will ensure that the engines supplied will be the best possible - even if it costs more to spec them out to N.A. needs.
The new EPA rules in the U.S. may turn out to be a blessing - those that are going to continue importing are the same ones that take the time and effort to ensure that the engines they bring in are, at least, of a better quality. Those that just brought in the cheapest stuff they could find to sell at the highest price possible and make a quick buck will not be able to adapt and so will die out. What you will be left with are a few importers who actually care. They will provide superior after sales service and if necessary will replace totally broken engines at no cost to you.
That is not to say that EVERY small complaint will result in an engine replacement - some people are born complainers and expect North American quality for Indian prices. That just isn't going to happen. I have had a number of people complain about the "high" price of a Listeroid, yet at the same time they want everything replaced "free". Nothing is free - every spare part that I import has a cost, in a lot of cases the shipping is higher than the original price of the part, but that's they joy of working with suppliers so far away.
For those reading this board and concluding that EVERY engine out there is bad, please remember that the people contributing here generally want to discuss problems they have encountered and are looking for fixes. Very rarely do you get people saying that their engines are working fine, thank you! It does give a slanted impression of the overall quality of Indina imports - yes, there are some bad ones, but there are also many good ones.
If you are thinking of buying an engine, look around at the suppliers that contribute to this board, pick a couple and TALK to them - you should quickly be able to get an impression of their trustworthyness. IF you want to save a buck, buy directly from India, but be prepared for the problems you may encounter.
Off the soapbox now.......