Brad_Blazer
Veteran Member
I'm sorry if I implied that a 5-cyl was less smooth than a 4 cyl. I didn't mean to.
My impression of the Foton FT 404
- Thread starter Walter L
- Start date
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bluechip
Veteran Member
I had a buick straight 8 for a while and it seemed smooth. I have also tuned 283 chevy v8 to the point you could almost stand a nickle on edge on the air cleaner... of course that was pre smog, and burning real gasoline (remember that stuff?).
Now my old Jag v12 might be just a tad smoother than the Volvo S90 straight 6 I used to have, but given a choice (not often available anymore) a straight 6 is in my opinion the ideal engine (at least in a gas burner).
When Greg bought his KM454 we discussed this. At that time I went out and ran both. The KM554 sounds smoother, but I could find certain rpms where the wheel would shake in my hands, this didn't happen on the 454. these are identical engines with the difference being the added cylinder. It does not use any balance shafts.
Mostly, like Jim said (at least what I could understand of it
, it depends on the balancing of the components, so 2 of the same engines could be different based on tolerances and care of assembly. No doubt you can find 4 cylinder engines that run very very smooth, and 3 cylinders that vibrate.
Now my old Jag v12 might be just a tad smoother than the Volvo S90 straight 6 I used to have, but given a choice (not often available anymore) a straight 6 is in my opinion the ideal engine (at least in a gas burner).
When Greg bought his KM454 we discussed this. At that time I went out and ran both. The KM554 sounds smoother, but I could find certain rpms where the wheel would shake in my hands, this didn't happen on the 454. these are identical engines with the difference being the added cylinder. It does not use any balance shafts.
Mostly, like Jim said (at least what I could understand of it
, it depends on the balancing of the components, so 2 of the same engines could be different based on tolerances and care of assembly. No doubt you can find 4 cylinder engines that run very very smooth, and 3 cylinders that vibrate.Well not being even related to a mecanic,,,,,,,that 254 of mine has its smooth operating rpm its up about 3/4 throttle or slightly more than 3/4,,,,every thing below there is vibration,,not much,,but you can tell from looking at exhaust pipe where it likes to run at,,,don't run it there to often,cause its way more rpms than I need for doing the job,,tilling yeah,,run it there,,cause it needs it with that 5 ft tiller I got,,,,,I thought thats what they called the sweet spot on an engines rpm's? thingy
tat2z1969
Silver Member
bluechip said:I had a buick straight 8 for a while and it seemed smooth. I have also tuned 283 chevy v8 to the point you could almost stand a nickle on edge on the air cleaner... of course that was pre smog, and burning real gasoline (remember that stuff?).
Now my old Jag v12 might be just a tad smoother than the Volvo S90 straight 6 I used to have, but given a choice (not often available anymore) a straight 6 is in my opinion the ideal engine (at least in a gas burner).
When Greg bought his KM454 we discussed this. At that time I went out and ran both. The KM554 sounds smoother, but I could find certain rpms where the wheel would shake in my hands, this didn't happen on the 454. these are identical engines with the difference being the added cylinder. It does not use any balance shafts.
Mostly, like Jim said (at least what I could understand of it
Chip I have a 1948 Buick roadmaster rag top with a sraight eight in it, runs so smooth you don't know its running, love that old car, but thats when they cared about what they built. Years ago a fellow named Parker Bone and myself modified the tall Chevy 292 inline 6 with a split head and set it up to run ethanol for racing modified class stock car in the 70's. We balanced the engine and it ran super smooth off idle since the Isky cam we ran was radical, Idle stunk but it sure ran enough to put us in top money 27 times against big block V8's.
AH the good old days
OP
Walter L
Gold Member
- Joined
- Nov 19, 2006
- Messages
- 348
- Location
- Delhi LA
- Tractor
- LS XG3135, Foton FT404,Farmtrac 555 ,Kubota L245H offset garden tractor Mahindra 2660 cab tractor
Thanks Clint, yes one of the forums had a thread on the good or bad on the Chinese tractors (not the dealers) and I could see where this would help when reserching. I see where you have the same tractor as the Long 360 & I have had 2 Long 360's, good tractor, good engines although not many ever gets the hang of shifting the single shift hi lo without hanging it up.
Walt
Walt
walt, my long has been pretty amazing, plenty of pulling and lifting power. unfortunately, i spun a bearing a couple of months back (previous owner did no maintenance), thus my reading up on tractors. it's funny you mentioned people having trouble w/ the high low shift. the guy i bought the tractor from told me he only used low b/c he couldn't get it into the high range. i never had a problem.
we just bought 15.5 ac, w/ 10 in pretty thick forest and i'll be thinning it some. i want a new tractor this time, so i don't have to worry what the previous owner did or didn't do and am hesitant to drop 25-30k knowing that the tractor will eventually get scratched and/or dinged. it's also hard, for me, to justify spending that kind of money when the chinese tractors are so much less and the quality looks to have improved greatly from when i purchased my long 5 years ago. granted the chinese tractors don't have as many bells and whistles, but i tend to literally forget about all the bells and whistles - my truck has 'em, but i rarely, if ever, use 'em.
eventually, i'll either fix, or get the long fixed, but the wife wants a garden as soon as mother nature stops dumping ice on us, so i'll be buying in the next few months.
we just bought 15.5 ac, w/ 10 in pretty thick forest and i'll be thinning it some. i want a new tractor this time, so i don't have to worry what the previous owner did or didn't do and am hesitant to drop 25-30k knowing that the tractor will eventually get scratched and/or dinged. it's also hard, for me, to justify spending that kind of money when the chinese tractors are so much less and the quality looks to have improved greatly from when i purchased my long 5 years ago. granted the chinese tractors don't have as many bells and whistles, but i tend to literally forget about all the bells and whistles - my truck has 'em, but i rarely, if ever, use 'em.
eventually, i'll either fix, or get the long fixed, but the wife wants a garden as soon as mother nature stops dumping ice on us, so i'll be buying in the next few months.
Hondo1
Member
Ok so this is an older post but how about hijacking a thread to throw a pissin' contest on ones physics knowledge! Who cares about harmonic balances? I was trying to read about Foton tractors not a recitation of ones Nobel Thesis. I have no Foton Dealers near me that I can find anyway and I am trying to find out all I can about them because they seem to have the most HP for the buck. I would like to know more about their reliability and overall value. So put them away zip 'em up and let anyone who has knowledge of the tractors themselves speak up
Hondo
Hondo
Drylander
New member
- Joined
- Mar 13, 2008
- Messages
- 18
- Tractor
- Foton 404
I bought a FOTON 404 last summer. I gave it to my wife for her birthday. I Bought it mounted with a Spirit (Made in Minn.) loader (FEL), I bought a 6' Brush Hog (To light duty for my application), Post Digger, Bale Spear and Harbor Freight Quick Hitch. Since then, I have made up some equipment for it and bought a few items. I do need to buy more earth engaging implements to be fully happy. Something in me must engage the earth to find happiness.
This tractor now has 55 hours. I have used it primarily for brush hogging prairie rangeland into a decent cow pasture. I have pulled up trees and scraped some dirt/gravel. I move round bales and I dig holes with it. I have worked with it in standing water during last years unusually wet season. It is great with the front wheel assist. It is a great little tractor and I feel like I have got my money's worth (for the wife of course).
I bought this tractor while on business in Indiana and hauled it back to Texas. I knew when I loaded it up I was on my own (to far for warranty). I changed all of the fluids at 10 hrs and found everything amazingly clean as I analysed the drained material. My ignition switch went out about 20 hours ago. I'll change it out sometime this summer when I get a little time. I don't like the instrument cluster, it fogs up when it is damp (minor issue, I'll change it out if it fails). I plan to move the battery this summer to the rt side of the tractor near the step. It is currently in front of the radiator. The wires for the fender rear lights needs convoluted loom on them and to be tied up better. The power steering lines rubbed on another line, I did install another Stauf Clamp and stopped that. This is a good tractor and i believe it is a good value. My biggest struggle was buying a Chi Com product. I finally came to terms with this by knowing all small tractors are third world built and that when these poor souls in china get used to a higher standard of living, they will stand up and end the current oppression. I like this tractor.
This tractor now has 55 hours. I have used it primarily for brush hogging prairie rangeland into a decent cow pasture. I have pulled up trees and scraped some dirt/gravel. I move round bales and I dig holes with it. I have worked with it in standing water during last years unusually wet season. It is great with the front wheel assist. It is a great little tractor and I feel like I have got my money's worth (for the wife of course).
I bought this tractor while on business in Indiana and hauled it back to Texas. I knew when I loaded it up I was on my own (to far for warranty). I changed all of the fluids at 10 hrs and found everything amazingly clean as I analysed the drained material. My ignition switch went out about 20 hours ago. I'll change it out sometime this summer when I get a little time. I don't like the instrument cluster, it fogs up when it is damp (minor issue, I'll change it out if it fails). I plan to move the battery this summer to the rt side of the tractor near the step. It is currently in front of the radiator. The wires for the fender rear lights needs convoluted loom on them and to be tied up better. The power steering lines rubbed on another line, I did install another Stauf Clamp and stopped that. This is a good tractor and i believe it is a good value. My biggest struggle was buying a Chi Com product. I finally came to terms with this by knowing all small tractors are third world built and that when these poor souls in china get used to a higher standard of living, they will stand up and end the current oppression. I like this tractor.
