# Foton 404 Overheating



## firetractor (Dec 11, 2012)

Hello-
I have recently purchased a 2008 Foton 404 40hp tractor with loader. The tractor has only 112 hours on it and has been kept in a barn since it was bought. The lady that I bought it from said she only used it for a garden she and her husband had. Her husband passed away 1 year ago and it has not been used more that 5 hours since then. It started right up and everything worked when I picked it up. I got it home and noticed a leak of fuel. I had to change the fuel lines on the top of the block due to dry rot. No more leakes. After about 30 minutes of runing the tractor, the temp guage gets into the 100 degree C in the red and it starts to steam. I changed the coolant after it cooled down and it is getting up to the red on the temp guage. Any thoughts or suggestions on what I should do or try? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Enrique


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## herdsman (Jun 7, 2012)

Remove the radiator cap, start it, and bring it up to temperature. (Do NOT bring it up to temp and then remove the cap, BTW!) You should be able to see coolant circulating in the top of the radiator. 

If it isn't, then you have a blockage or a faulty water pump. Could be the thermostat is bad, the radiator is plugged - if the other things on the the tractor show signs of old age as you say, it could even be the lower hose is collapsing. Could be the belt is loose, could be the vanes in the water pump are worn out or corroded. 

If it is circulating then you might still have enough restriction in the radiator to prevent sufficient cooling, the fins on the radiator might be plugged up. Could be the thermostat is opening, but not enough to allow sufficient flow. 

Could also be a bad head gasket allowing exhaust gases to enter the cooling system. A pressure check of the system will show that, also if you see bubbles in the radiator that could also indicate a bad head gasket.

Good luck!


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## firetractor (Dec 11, 2012)

Herdsman-

Thank you for all of the advice. I will check it all out this weekend. I was trying to look for a chart that shows what rpm it should be ran at for each gear. It has a high and low with 1-4 on each. Would you might have a good understanding on this? Thanks again.


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

herdsman said:


> Remove the radiator cap, start it, and bring it up to temperature. (Do NOT bring it up to temp and then remove the cap, BTW!) You should be able to see coolant circulating in the top of the radiator.
> 
> If it isn't, then you have a blockage or a faulty water pump. Could be the thermostat is bad, the radiator is plugged - if the other things on the the tractor show signs of old age as you say, it could even be the lower hose is collapsing. Could be the belt is loose, could be the vanes in the water pump are worn out or corroded.
> 
> ...


Or, heaven forbid, a cracked head if there is smoky bubbles in the rad.


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## herdsman (Jun 7, 2012)

firetractor said:


> Herdsman-
> 
> Thank you for all of the advice. I will check it all out this weekend. I was trying to look for a chart that shows what rpm it should be ran at for each gear. It has a high and low with 1-4 on each. Would you might have a good understanding on this? Thanks again.


Can't really help you there. An owners manual would be a real wise investment. Possibly someone on this site, or here could help: http://ctocf.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=foton


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