The Foton has Landed: FT254 in Sweden

[greg_g]

there's a transmission dipstick/filler next to the gear-lever assembly, and higher up at the rear of the seat there's a dipstick and filler for the 3-point hydraulics. (This has no oil on it and is low, while the transmission dipstick has a good level)

Won't hurt to ask the dealer, you could have gotten the wrong manual with your tractor. Cuz what you describe is NOT a common sump design, and would typically take gear oil in the tranny and both diffs - and hydraulic fluid behind the seat.

I've found that - if you have only one mark on the hydraulic dipstick - that it's the FULL mark. When the stick comes out dry, add non-foaming hydraulic fluid (probably ISO32 where you are) only to the mark

//greg//

 

[Nuno]

Hey Nick

congratulation, nice Tractor.

I have a Jinma 244E with common sump and i have also a Dipstick under the Seat and one on Top of the Gearbox.
The Dipstick under the Seat is also dry because the Hyd. Lifterbox have an Overflow to the Finaldrive and the Hyd/Gear Fluid is only checked by the Dipstick on top of the Gearbox.
Don't know nothing about Foton but maybe this can be similar to the Jinma Sump System.

A few people i know have overfloat the 244E Gearbox by filling up the Fluid right to the Hyd Lifter Box, me too.

I recomend, if your not sure if your Tractor have the common sump,
check the Transfluid Level, start the Tractor and lift the FEL and curl out the Bucket so that all Hyd Cylinder are filled, stop the Engine and check the Transfluid Level, if the Level has go down, i am sure you have the common sump sytem.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Hey Nick

congratulation, nice Tractor.

I have a Jinma 244E with common sump and i have also a Dipstick under the Seat and one on Top of the Gearbox.
The Dipstick under the Seat is also dry because the Hyd. Lifterbox have an Overflow to the Finaldrive and the Hyd/Gear Fluid is only checked by the Dipstick on top of the Gearbox.
Don't know nothing about Foton but maybe this can be similar to the Jinma Sump System.

A few people i know have overfloat the 244E Gearbox by filling up the Fluid right to the Hyd Lifter Box, me too.

I recomend, if your not sure if your Tractor have the common sump,
check the Transfluid Level, start the Tractor and lift the FEL and curl out the Bucket so that all Hyd Cylinder are filled, stop the Engine and check the Transfluid Level, if the Level has go down, i am sure you have the common sump sytem.

Great tip.

Chris

 

[erj]

I disagree if this is first time use. If the cylinders are empty, they will suck the fluid out of the hydraulic sump whether it is common sump or not.
Think that Bob's suggestion is the best one - contact Dealer.
RonJ

 

[Nuno]

I disagree if this is first time use.

don't look like it is first time use if you see the Pics
but sure, the best to do is contact the Dealer.

 

[SensibleNick]

Right.. I'm back in the country again

Initial startup saw all oil levels to be correct. However, Use of the FEL made it clear that it hadn't been bled of air. FEL function was correct, as was 3-point. Use of FEL on an incline introduced slightly juddering motion; In my world this means air in the pickup. Given that the pickup is at the front of the hydraulic "tank" This doesn't surprise me. Not knowing the standard operating procedure for that I shut the engine down and lowered the FEL to stop any potential damage to the pump from running dry. This now left me with the question I asked to start with.

I will be asking the dealer tomorrow, but I can probably shed some more light on it for you.

The Instruction book has pictures from another model, and some data wich is outright wrong: for example it lists the gearing options as either 8 forwards and 2 reverse, or 16 forwards and 4 reverse.
My Foton actually has 8 forward and 8 reverse.

The book of assembly drawings and part numbers however seems far more up to date.
Assembly drawing show the lowest point of the Hydraulic Pickup to be above gearbox / rear diff casing level, and definately above the oil level in the gearbox.
No oil lines cross between the two, and there are no internal pipes or galleries according to the assembly drawings.

Additionally, The tech specs say:
Gearbox Oil - 11 liters
Hoister Oil (3 point) - 9 liters

So.. The manuals state that I should use "dual purpose oil" for both applications, suggesting that there's some sort of link between the two, yet there's no evidence of any link at all. Compounding this, the same manuals don't appear to list my gearbox as an option: Suggesting that since they were published the gearbox design has changed significantly.

I'm expecting to find that it has a seperate hyd system... Everything I know points towards that as the only viable option, but while the insructions tell me to use a hybrid oil while telling me my gear ratios don't exist, I'll be Checking with the guys who bolt them together

Second-to-Worst case Scenario, I go back to the oil shop and swap the oil for hybrid oil.
Worst Case Scenario... I do that, and I never find out why I had to.

 

[TTTTTT]

I believe yours has the separate hydraulics and tranny reservoirs. In the manuals they often just list one fluid that is used for almost all uses. Maybe harder in China for the locals to get a variety of different fluids for the varing functions so it is simplified for their use. I think most will confirm they use a good quality gear oil for the tranny and a good quality hydraulic fluid for the hyraulics, the viscosity depending on your climate conditions, but in Sweden as Canada , you probably use at minimum AW32 hydraulic fluid. As for the jerky motion in the FEL. When I changed my hydro/tranny last fall (I have a Dongfeng which is a common sump system). The specs called for 25l. which is what I put in and experienced the jerky motion due to the pump picking up air. The 3pt and FEL reacted the same. I topped the reservoir with about to the right amount ( approx another 6-8 l.) and all worked fine as the air worked itself out. I forgot about the 6-8l. that the cylinders themselves take after draining the entire system. I think if you top up your hydraulic level, you will eliminate the problem.

Forgot to mention, great looking tractor! I was very close to getting the same one.

Enjoy and good luck!

Dave

 

[Brad_Blazer]

Very nice Nick.
The tractor looks good too!

I like that blade with the gauge wheels.

Brad

 

[zonta223]

Hi
If your 254 is any thing like the 304 the Hydraulic tank is under the drivers seat and is a seperate item from the gear oil.......As you have stated its dipstick is behind the seat next to the filler.......goes from empty to overfull very quickly just fill the last bit slowly

 

[SensibleNick]

Thanks for the feedback Gents.... and thanks for the tractor-based compliments. The True test will be if it's as pretty in the years to come.

I need to widen the rear track a little and fix the little problems, but overall I'm as happy as can be