My impression of the Foton FT 404

[Walter L]

I have used the tractor with a disk, scoop, box blade, Log tongs on a bar and post hole digger for 10+ hrs so far.
The tractor is brute strong, starts easy even on cold mornings easy to drive and comfortable, most of the controls are well placed for me with the exception of the left brake, it is so small that my big foot covers the left and part of the right brake, the right brake when pressed hard I sometime hit the foot fuel feed or accelerator, accelerator pedal could be a little shorter and would probaly solve that issue. The engine on the Foton (4 cylinder) C490BT runs smooth and strong up to 1600 RPM and above 1600 RPM it has a vibration that is not real bad but bothersome and it does not smooth out at higher RPM, I have been told that this is normal for this engine.
All the fluids were changed by dealer except the front drive, I drained, flushed and refilled with 80- 90 wt, re changed the engine & filter, governor oil, power steering fluid & antifreeze after 5 hrs and found a good bit of fine steel particles on the oil plug magnet that I consider normal. I also checked the valves on the engine at about 5 hrs found one exhaust way to tight, one intake OK and all other a little too tight, plan to check again at about 50 hrs.
I found a few nuts, studs and hoses loose in the inspection before and after I ran it in.
I am very satisfied with the fit and finish and power of this tractor the only minor annoyance is the Engine vibration and brake pedals.
Walter

 

[crazymike]

I have used the tractor with a disk, scoop, box blade, Log tongs on a bar and post hole digger for 10+ hrs so far.
The tractor is brute strong, starts easy even on cold mornings easy to drive and comfortable, most of the controls are well placed for me with the exception of the left brake, it is so small that my big foot covers the left and part of the right brake, the right brake when pressed hard I sometime hit the foot fuel feed or accelerator, accelerator pedal could be a little shorter and would probaly solve that issue. The engine on the Foton (4 cylinder) C490BT runs smooth and strong up to 1600 RPM and above 1600 RPM it has a vibration that is not real bad but bothersome and it does not smooth out at higher RPM, I have been told that this is normal for this engine.
All the fluids were changed by dealer except the front drive, I drained, flushed and refilled with 80- 90 wt, re changed the engine & filter, governor oil, power steering fluid & antifreeze after 5 hrs and found a good bit of fine steel particles on the oil plug magnet that I consider normal. I also checked the valves on the engine at about 5 hrs found one exhaust way to tight, one intake OK and all other a little too tight, plan to check again at about 50 hrs.
I found a few nuts, studs and hoses loose in the inspection before and after I ran it in.
I am very satisfied with the fit and finish and power of this tractor the only minor annoyance is the Engine vibration and brake pedals.
Walter

I'm glad you're happy with the purchase of your foton.

I've raked hay, pulled wagons, cut grass, harrowed, cultivated, and a whole bunch more with a demo 404 I had. I can't say enough good things about these tractors.

The engine vibration will settle a little bit, run a good injector lube/cleaner or even a bit of ATF fluid in the tank for a few tanks of fuel and it will improve greatly.

Unfortunetly being a 3 cylinder diesel it is prone to some vibration. The vibrations in the 4 cylinder 50hp are not as severe.

edit: I see you have 4 cylinder 40hp, they are becoming increasingly popular over the 3 cylinder 404s. Try the injector cleaner and keep breaking it in. These tractors are bullet proof and you won't be dissapointed.

 

[greg_g]

Unfortunetly being a 3 cylinder diesel it is prone to some vibration. The vibrations in the 4 cylinder 50hp are not as severe.

Don't want to drag this discussion too far off-topic, but you have that backwards. Due to the asymmetry of their design, inline four cylinder engines have an inherent second order vibration (vibrating at twice the engine RPM). Harmonic balance shafts are required to minimize this vibration. Likewise, inline five cylinder engines are smoother than inline six cylinders, hence so many 5 cylinder diesels in Euro-cars (like my Mercedes).

Over the years I've owned inline two, three, four, five, and six cylinder engines - gasoline, propane, and diesel. The engines with the odd number of cylinders ran consistently smoother. So I think it reasonably safe to say that - relative to my own experience with inline engines - an odd number of cylinders should run with less inherent vibration than an equivalent size engine with an even number of cylinders.

//greg//

 

[Walter L]

Thanks Mike, I will enjoy playing with it and the Vib is really not a problem, like Greg said just something that I will have to live with.
Walt

 

[thingy]

Greg,how many hours you got on that kama now,you've had it for what 3 years or more? thingy

 

[psj12]

I have a Kama 554, 4 cylinder and an old Nuffield 445, 3 cylinder. The 3 cylinder vibrates much more than the 4 cylinder.

 

[greg_g]

I have a Kama 554, 4 cylinder and an old Nuffield 445, 3 cylinder. The 3 cylinder vibrates much more than the 4 cylinder.

Well, you can't argue with physics. Four inline cylinders simply need considerably more complicated harmonic balancing than do three. So please consider that - in the case of your 3 cylinder - the operative word is old.

I'm somewhat familiar with Leyland/Nuffield from my years in Scotland, but I've never heard of a Nuffield 445. Are the cylinders inline or opposing?
//greg//

 

[bluechip]

The vibrations are harmonics and occur at differnt RPMs on different engines. The 4 cylinder seems smoother and certainly sound smoother but will have some vibration at certian rpms. Just as a 3 legged stool is more stable on any uneven ground, a 3 cylinder engine is more in balance at any given speed. I have not experienced much vibration in straight 6 engines, they are also naturally balanced. I had a neighbor once with a 5 cyl audi and the rythum of that engine used to vibrate my nerves when he left it idling outside our adjoining driveways. But i have driven some and found them to be smooth running from behind the wheel. So there is an audible smoothnes and a mechanical smoothness and they are not necessarily created the same way.

 

[crazymike]

Don't want to drag this discussion too far off-topic, but you have that backwards. Due to the asymmetry of their design, inline four cylinder engines have an inherent second order vibration (vibrating at twice the engine RPM). Harmonic balance shafts are required to minimize this vibration. Likewise, inline five cylinder engines are smoother than inline six cylinders, hence so many 5 cylinder diesels in Euro-cars (like my Mercedes).

Over the years I've owned inline two, three, four, five, and six cylinder engines - gasoline, propane, and diesel. The engines with the odd number of cylinders ran consistently smoother. So I think it reasonably safe to say that - relative to my own experience with inline engines - an odd number of cylinders should run with less inherent vibration than an equivalent size engine with an even number of cylinders.

//greg//

possibly on paper, yes. But for real world purposes in buying a foton tractor the 4 runs smoother than the 3. There is no point of arguiing and you are more than welcome to come run one side by side.

 

[greg_g]

you are more than welcome to come run one side by side.

That's the point Mike - I have. I've owned inline twos/threes/fours/fives/sixes and eights (yes, I'm that old).

I cited the physics of 3 cylinder harmonics versus four cylinder harmonics for the purpose of suggesting that the vibration complaint is valid. The three cylinder SHOULD NOT produce more vibration than the same displacement four cylinder. If anything, it should be the same or less. That said, the vibration may be grounds for some investigative maintenance and/or warranty work.

//greg//