Every self-respecting summer resident digs up his plot with a walk-behind tractor before the start of the summer season. But not everyone can afford to buy a new unit. That is why summer residents use cultivators made back in the USSR. On such walk-behind tractors, all kinds of problems with the engine often occur, but there are many reasons for this. Basically, the cause of breakdowns is the period of operation, which has long since passed. Recently, such problems have been solved by Lifan engines on a walk-behind tractor, because this is a profitable way to solve the problem on your own and for a long time.
Engines from Lifan, what is it?
The Chinese company Lifan has been around for quite a long time, because the company was founded in 1992 and continues to develop until today. At the same time, Lifan is considered one of the main, or to be more precise, one of the leading companies in the Chinese motor market.
The company itself develops not onlyengines. Its main direction is the production of cars, motorcycles and other motor equipment. The company has really great experience in the development of engines for various vehicles.
In Russia, this company became famous for its Chinese engines for walk-behind tractors, because this is a fairly developed type of motor technology that is widely used. If earlier it was written “made in China” on the product, then for many Russians this caused rejection, because the Chinese rule worked - it means poor quality. Now the opposite is true, with the growth of the Chinese market, the quality of products has increased significantly, while the price of the goods is still very reasonable.
Characteristics of Lifan engines
"Lifanov" motor-block engines have different specifications, according to which it is worth choosing a specific engine model for a specific model of a motor-block. The first and main feature is the correspondence of the installation dimensions. It will be very good if you can find an engine that fits perfectly with the current mounts. You can choose the model yourself. It is also possible to contact the nearest motor shop for professional help. It is important to remember that if the fasteners do not match, then they will have to be redone yourself.
The next important characteristic is engine power, which is usually measured in horsepower. The most common universal engines for walk-behind tractors have a powerat 6.5 horsepower. This power is usually quite enough for most walk-behind tractors. The engine models are very similar in installation and maintenance as well as operation.
Lifan engines for a walk-behind tractor should be selected in accordance with the intended tasks that will be assigned to it. If you only need to dig up a small area once a year, then you should not spend money. It will be quite enough to purchase a simple model from the cheapest price segment, although basically the cost of such engines starts from 9 thousand and all engines of this company are considered very cheap compared to other brands.
How to install a Lifan engine on a walk-behind tractor?
The Chinese engine is usually put in the case when the native engine has become unusable or it is already pointless to repair it. The new engine in this case has great advantages over any Soviet one. After the purchase, the engine will delight its owner for a long time with the way it is perfectly tuned. After all, as a rule, any new engine starts easily and works correctly for many years.
As mentioned above, the engine must be selected taking into account the size of the seats, so the complexity of installing the Lifan engine on a walk-behind tractor depends only on the model of the frame itself, on which it is supposed to be mounted.
The installation itself will be completed in a few simple steps, which even a person who is far from the topic and has never done this can handle:
- Removing the old engine. Usually done with conventionalopen end wrenches or sockets. It is simply completely removed, after disconnecting the gas cables, if present. Also, before removing, you should throw off the belt that transmits torque to the gearbox.
- Installing a new engine. Produced using the same fasteners, if they match. If not, you can remake these mounts yourself by drilling holes or even welding on additional metal plates if needed.
How to install the Lifan engine on the Cascade walk-behind tractor?
The "Cascade" walk-behind tractor itself is interesting for summer residents because it is quite compact and convenient for transportation. Designed mainly for work in suburban areas, small gardens and orchards. But with all this, there is a good opportunity to expand the capabilities of this walk-behind tractor due to attachments.
Installation is quite simple, most often the engine mounts "Lifan" 6, 5 coincide with the factory ones and you just need to replace the engine, start it and start using it. But there are cases where the mounts are slightly different. In this case, you can “get out of the situation” in different ways.
The easiest way is to make an adapter plate in which you need to make holes for the engine mounts and weld it. If this is not possible, just screw it into regular places on the frame.
Is the Lifanovsky engine suitable for the Mole motoblock?
On the "Mole"a weaker engine is installed, with a capacity of 4 horsepower, due to the fact that the frame of such an instance simply does not allow the installation of a more powerful engine.
The engine for motoblock "Mole" is much cheaper, which for many will seem only a plus. For the size of this walk-behind tractor, this power is enough, it copes with the main task - to plow the land. Of course, it is worth using it in very small areas where you do not need a lot of power and long work.
Lifan engine reviews
Since walk-behind tractors are small-scale mechanization, they are popular in many countries where people are engaged in agriculture. After all, without walk-behind tractors it is difficult to dig up the ground in your small area. A tractor is not always convenient and profitable, and digging by hand with a shovel is long and difficult, especially if the earth is quite dense.
Lifan engines for motoblocks have proven themselves really well, because they are not expensive. In addition, they do not require large investments during operation, are unpretentious in maintenance. With all this, the engines perform well and are reliable.
Their development is mainly the achievements of Japanese engineers. Chinese industry rarely develops something of its own, new. Most often, they simply adopt the experience of their brothers, taking a successful specimen as a model. It should be noted that such engines are often used inportable generators, for which the main criterion is the reliability of the installed engine. Some even use walk-behind tractors as local transport, which can carry sand, firewood or something else.
Running in a new engine
In this topic, opinions differ greatly. Some advise to start and immediately work at half power. Others advise letting it idle, warming up the engine. In fact, you need to do exactly as it is written in the instruction manual, because it is not stupid people who make it up, but those who develop the motor and calculate its loads.
It usually takes a long time to break in an engine, but if everything is done according to the manual, then no problems should arise, and if there are, it is important to remember that this is a new engine and this means that it is on warranty. It will be replaced with a new one without any problems or at least repaired.
Engine Service
During operation, there should not be any significant problems in the case of a completely serviceable new engine, while it is better to check it at maximum power within the warranty period. Engine maintenance is carried out by the owner himself, although there should not be any problems with this with Lifan engines for walk-behind tractors.
If you still have problems, you need to perform a series of simple procedures, after which the engine will work again “like new”:
- Replace spark plugs.
- Change oil.
- Check the integrity of all connections.
No further adjustments are required, since the ignition in such engines is electronic. After completing the above steps, you can try to start the engine.
Motoblock repair
If you suddenly fail to start the Lifan engine installed on the walk-behind tractor, then you should perform a simple check. To do this, you need to perform a series of actions, during which you can easily determine the cause of the engine malfunction and easily eliminate it:
- Check the fuel supply. The motor can “grab”, but at the same time not start, because bad suction of gasoline from the tank is produced. The reason may be a blockage in the drain hole in the plug, which serves to allow additional air to enter the tank instead of gasoline that escapes from there. The hose could be clogged with debris or something could get into the tank itself. We need to check all possible options.
- Check the candle. If suddenly it gets sooty or completely pierced, then it is necessary to replace it, because it cannot be repaired.
After fixing these problems, you can try to start the engine. If this does not help, then the cause must be sought in the unit itself.
How to adjust the valves?
After a certain period, it is necessary to adjust the Lifan engine on the walk-behind tractor, because failures occur, that is, it starts to work incorrectly. In fact, there are not so many problems for which the unit may behave incorrectly. Oneone of the main ones is incorrect valve adjustment. It is quite simple to make it, all work is carried out in several stages:
- Remove the valve cover.
- The gap, as a rule, is from 0.02 to 0.12 mm according to all standards, so you need to take some kind of measuring probe or device for accurate setting.
- Next, the adjustment itself is performed using a screwdriver and a measuring probe, which should be placed under the valve. The screwdriver, in turn, unscrews the adjusting screw.
- After setting, you need to replace the cover.
Oil change
The oil in the engine of the Lifan walk-behind tractor should be filled with high-quality, all-season, preferably from a good manufacturer. Replacement is quite simple. First, the old oil must be drained. Next, a new one is opened and poured into the motor. It is advisable to carry out the procedure on a warm engine, but it should be turned off.
The amount of oil, as well as the quality of the required oil, can be found in the instructions for the motor. It also describes all the repair and maintenance activities in sufficient detail, so this should not be a problem.
