Oil & Fuel fluid change after arrival of new china tractor

[Ted Wiersma]

Hi my name is Ted Wiersma and live in Ontario Canada, I bought a new Foton TE 354 direct from China. i have owned it now for 1 1/2 year and have 110 hours on it. changed the engine oil and filter at 50 hours, I have come across posts on internet that suggest to change all fluids and flush with kerosene. Is this a recommended thing to do ? I have not done this , does anyone have some clarity on this. I was under the under standing that Foton sold a good product. I do like the tractor a lot, runs great and a great help around the farm. I did notice that the transmission has a howl to her especially in reverse when I am snow blowing but this has been like that since new. Thought that might have to do with the type of gears used in the transmission. If anyone can help me out that would be greatly appreciated, looking forward to your reply. Ted

 

[quicksandfarmer]

When I bought my tractor -- over ten years ago -- they came with "shipping fluid" in the gearboxes and engine. It had to be drained and flushed.

I don't think anyone is going to be able to tell you over the internet what's in your tractor. They could have changed their practices in the past decade, or not.

I would take a few ounces of each fluid and put it in a glass jar and look at it, and smell it. Does it look and smell like the fluid that is supposed to be there? Is it clean? If not, just change it. The shipping fluid was dark and gunky and smelly, not something you would easily mistake for the proper fluids.

 

[Ted Wiersma]

Thank you for your reply quicksand farmer , when I bought the tractor they told me that it was ready for use. When it arrived I just drove it out of the shipping container and checked over the fluid levels and started using it, I did notice that the coolant is glycol. All other fluids look like proper fluids, what I understood from the post on internet is that they flush the fluids because of potential shavings and partials left behind after manufacturing that may not have been flushed out properly. Wandering if anyone bought a foton or other brand from China recently and was advised to flush the fluids.thanks again for your time to reply it's greatly appreciated. Ted

 

[Deere Dude]

I would just warm it up, drain and replace trans. fluid making sure you add the correct stuff. I am assuming it is a gear shift. It should be fine.

 

[jacques54]

Ted,
I have a 2009 FT254 bought in 2010 at 21 hours from a dealer that is no longer in business.
I had changed ALL the fluids and filters after only a few hours of use. These tractors didn't have the best quality of fluids in them.
You say that the cooling system is fill with glycol but what I could suggest is to flush the system completely with a garden hose by removing the drain valve on the block to let all the casting sand out. Fill the system with a mix of 50/50 mix of a good diesel antifreeze.
I buy my oils at Wall Mart in 20L pail. Don't forget they are fill with a way lower quality of fluids. If you have a Chinese FEL, the ''O'' rings didn't like synthetic hydraulic oil .
What I use, engine: 15w40 (also in fuel pump if it is like mine ?)
hydraulic: aw 32 all season
Transmission and differentials: 80W90 (check, dip stick not thread in transmission)
Before buying your transmission oil 15W40 be sure if the hydraulic pump have the same sump. ( I doubt it ) Use UTF fluid.
On my tractor the hydraulic sump is under the seat with it's own dip stick, separated from the differential under it .
It is time to do a head retorq and adjust the valves too as it should be done at 50 hrs. (prevent head gasket failure)

If you need some specific FOTON parts as you are in ON you can ask at ASIAN TRACTOR PARTS .

Have fun with your tractor, mine just turn over 550h. with only few troubles.

Jacques

 

[RonMar]

They are probably still shipping them with one fluid installed. This is basically a modern build of a 1950痴 era tractor, and one size does not fit all IMO when it comes to lubricants. You have straight cut gears in the gearbox, that is why they howl. An oil thin enough for engine and hydraulics is way too thin for this type gearbox... Jacques54 has the right idea. 15W40 in the diesel engine, 80W90 in all the gearboxes and aw32 hydraulic oil in the hydraulics... The kerosene flush(fill, drive a bit to stir things up and drain) was to help displace the old oil and flush out debris and casting sand. The kero wont really interact with the new gear oil and the little bit left over after the drain will ultimately evaporate out of the cases. So you need to check and top off boxes as this happens... when i did my 254 I used one 5 gal pail of kerosene, reused from box to box. I pumped it thru an inline fuel filter to get the particles out but it was some nasty stuff by the time I got done...

 

[Ted Wiersma]

Gentlemen, thanks for your information. I used 10W30 engine oil for diesel engines when I changed it at 50 hours. I do have a jug of 15W40 as well. I also have a pail of permatran 821XL. It's a 10W30 oil used for hydraulic and transmission oil. Would I be able to use this dual purpose oil? I used to own a universal tractor. Sold it when I got the new Foton TE354, but still have the oil. The operational manual calls for MF1135 universal oil. I checked online and it's a 20W40 oil. The manual says you can use it in gear box, rear axle, hydraulic lifter, front drive axle, and steering gear. Just finished blowing snow, and glad to be able to sit inside a heated cab. My former universal tractor was an open tractor, had it for about 13 years just did not like blowing snow on an open tractor anymore. I will try and add a picture of my Foton TE354.
Thanks again for your time and expertise. Ted

 

[Ted Wiersma]

I was wondering if I can use a synthetic blend oil for hydraulic and transmission, I have read that synthetic oil is not suitable for all tractors since it can harm brass components and seals. would that be the case for my Foton 354 ?

 

[lej]

I was wondering if I can use a synthetic blend oil for hydraulic and transmission, I have read that synthetic oil is not suitable for all tractors since it can harm brass components and seals. would that be the case for my Foton 354 ?

Jacques54 told you right. 15/40, 80/90, and aw32.

 

[tcreeley]

Follow your manual is common sense.
I knew a guy who decided to flush his engine in a car by running it on kerosene for 60 seconds to clean the valves. It was all he talked about for a couple of weeks leading up to doing it. Then he never said another word about it. I was curious and asked around. He blew his engine.