The fact that the Chinese are copying the developments of eminent manufacturers with might and main is no secret to anyone. Lifan uses licensed copies of Toyota engines in his models, which he adjusts (most likely in order to reduce the cost of production) to his standards. For example, in the popular model, but with modifications.
An engine is installed on the Lifan X60, which was copied from the legendary 1ZZ-FE series, legends about which circulate throughout the Far East.
The index for the Lifanovsky engine with a volume of 1.8 liters has the abbreviation LFB479Q.
Chain or belt
Let's immediately answer the question that worries many lifan growers, a belt or a chain? Rejoice...
Although the chain has its drawbacks, but most domestic motorists are very afraid of a broken belt, probably this is a fear from the domestic auto industry.
Engine features
The location of the power unit at Lifan X60 is transverse. Engine with a variable valve timing system. By the way, the LFB479Q version is called VVT, which clearly slips through the connection with the Toyota development of VVT-i. The Chinese removed the prefix -i (with intelegence). An interesting fact is that the British (Ricardo engineering company) took part in the development of the Chinese engine.
The Toyota engine was very reliable, it was put on the most running models, including the Corolla (the best-selling car in the world in class C), Avensis and even Celica. The most common problem was oil eating - a disease of all engines with VVT-i technology, which is caused by a design feature and manifests itself after 150 thousand km.
A photo where the rings on the 1ZZ-FE engine lay down, as a result of increased oil consumption.
In the Far East, they solved the problem in a not very beautiful way. Most owners just put up with it. They switched to semi-synthetics (whereas the specification should be 5w-30 synthetics) - it is cheaper. But it is worth remembering that in the Far East such engines are not capitalized, they simply order contract spare parts - these are spare parts with a mileage of no more than 50-70 thousand. Japan is islands, you can't run over there anymore. But the Japanese do not have contract Chinese engines of the LFB479Q series, and cannot be. The possibility of a swap is unknown.
If the Lifan X60 engine starts to eat oil, then the catalyst may soon fail. In this case, it is changed to a flame arrester, the company has worked out the technology, but the cost is not cheap.
The Lifan X60 is equipped with a 1.8-liter gasoline engine with a capacity of 133 hp. with. This is enough for a measured, calm ride. Those owners who want more from the car change the firmware. At the same time, one of the main advantages of the Lifan X60 engine is moderate consumption in the city, you can invest in 10 liters per 100 km. But it all depends on the driving style, type of drive, installed box: five-speed manual transmission, CVT.
In general, the X60 resembles the Toyota RAV-4 CA30 crossover, which was produced until 2013. Here is a similar grille, side panels, outlines of the front optics. Lifan is inferior to its Japanese counterpart in terms of reliability and technical characteristics. Although this is a decent car for the money. Consider the pros and cons.
AdvantagesLifan X60 | FlawsLifan X60 |
| ✓ Good value for money, even in the most "charged" versions | X Obvious shoals of assembly - both in the body and in the cabin |
| ✓ High ground clearance - 180 mm | X You need to get used to a kind of "clutch-box" bunch |
| ✓ Spacious interior, roomy trunk (1638 liters with seats and shelf folded down) | X Weak paintwork, in some places rust appears on the arches, trunk lid, under the door seals |
| ✓ Successful in terms of clarity and smoothness of switching box, which is rare for Chinese-made cars | |
| ✓ High energy intensity suspension |
Lifan X60 engine: detailed acquaintance, resource assessment
The Chinese company presents the Lifan X60 LFB479Q four-cylinder in-line engine as its own unique development, which was made jointly with the British company Ricardo. In reality, this is a prototype of the Toyota ICE 1ZZ-FE. The Japanese engine was installed on Avensis, Corolla, Matrix, Celica. It is considered reliable, but at runs over 150 thousand km, it starts to eat oil: oil scraper rings, exhaust valves coke, the gaps between the piston and cylinder walls are broken. This is fraught with failure of the catalyst, which is often changed to a flame arrester. To avoid such a fate, you need to follow the maintenance schedule and refuel with high-quality gasoline.
If you filled in fuel of dubious quality, we recommend using a combustion catalyst. It will increase the octane number of gasoline, minimize carbon formation and consumption, protect against the Check Engine error, which often lights up when refueling with gasoline with an octane rating below 93. Such an error can lead to changes in the engine management program.
The RVS-Master tribological composition will also help extend the life of the Lifan X60 engine. For processing LFB479Q you will need (the volume of oil in the system is 3.5 liters). Thanks to the processing of the Lifan X60 motor with a friction geomodifier, it will be possible to:
- Normalize compression by restoring working surfaces with a layer of cermet.
- Make cold starts easier.
- Reduce noise and vibration.
- Stabilize idle.
- To achieve an increase in resource - up to 120 thousand km.
With runs of more than 100 thousand km, it makes sense to use Lifan X60, which will improve the functioning of injectors and dynamics, eliminate failures during acceleration, and reduce gasoline consumption.
What is remarkable about the Lifan X60 box?
For the Lifan X60 crossover, a five-speed manual and a four-speed automatic are available. A manual transmission is quite durable, although aggressive driving, driving over rough terrain, and untimely oil changes can reduce its life. This will be manifested by a characteristic howl, difficulties with switching, extraneous sounds of a metallic nature. If the above problems are due to natural mechanical wear, compounding will help. This will restore the geometry of the gears, increase the resource of parts, compensate for existing wear, and make gear shifting smoother.
Automatic versions use the popular CVT from Punch Powertrain. The oil in it should be changed at a mileage of 60 thousand km. And for the restoration and prevention of breakdowns, it is advisable to combine maintenance with the processing of the Lifan X60 box with a composition.
Among the manufacturers of gasoline engines, one of the leading places in the world market is occupied by the Chinese industrial group Lifan Industry Co. Ltd (Lifan Group). The Lifan engine is produced by the company in a wide range.
Lifan Group enterprises produce power units that are successfully installed on:
- cars of any carrying capacity;
- mopeds and motorcycles;
- pumps and presses;
- garden, snowplow and household appliances.
The technical characteristics of Lifan motors meet the requirements of world standards, and the optimal price / quality ratio allows the company to compete with the most famous manufacturers of power units.
Of particular interest are automotive gasoline engines developed in collaboration with the British engineering firm Ricardo. An example of effective cooperation is the Lifan LFB479Q engine installed on the Lifan X 60 crossover.
In addition, the company's engineers, using the best practices of the world's leading manufacturers, independently design reliable car engines. So, the LF48Q3 gasoline engine, designed for the Lifan Solano model, was developed on the basis of the Toyota 4A-EF licensed agent, which has long been the standard of reliability and quality all over the world.
Technical characteristics of car engines Lifan
| PARAMETERS | MEANING |
|---|---|
| Working volume of cylinders, cubic cm | Depending on engine type: 1794 (LFB479Q) 1587 (LF481Q3) |
| Power, l. with | 128 (LFB479Q) 106 (LF481Q3) |
| Cylinder diameter, mm | 79 (LFB479Q) 81 (LF481Q3) |
| Compression ratio | 10 (LFB479Q) 9.5 (LF481Q3) |
| Piston stroke, mm | 91.5 (LFB479Q) 77 (LF481Q3) |
| Number of cylinders | 4 |
| Ignition algorithm | 1 - 3 - 4 -2 |
| Supply system | Multipoint fuel injection |
| Combustion chamber shape | Comb (LFB479Q) Wedge (LF481Q3) |
| Gas distribution mechanism | DOHC 16V + VVT-i (LFB479Q) DOHC 16V (LF481Q3) |
| Lubrication system | Combined (spray and pressure) |
| Oil volume, l | 3.5 (LFB479Q) 4 (LF481Q3) |
| Oil type | SG or higher (LFB479Q) 5W-40, 10W-40 (LF481Q3) |
| Cooling system | Forced coolant circulation |
| Fuel type | Unleaded gasoline A-92, A-95 |
| Fuel consumption, l/100 km | 8.2(LFB479Q) 8 (LF481Q3) |
The engine was installed on the following cars: Lifan X 60 and Lifan Solano.
Description
The Chinese Lifan LFB479Q and LF481Q3 engines are structurally an in-line four-cylinder power unit with two overhead camshafts and a 16-valve cylinder head (DOHC 16V).
Their design has much in common, for example, the same type of lubrication and cooling systems. Fuel supply is carried out by the method of distributed injection with an electronically controlled throttle valve.
However, there are significant differences in the design of the motors. For example:
- the timing mechanism in the LF481Q3 engine is driven by a belt, the service life of which does not exceed 100 thousand km, and in the LFB479Q a metal chain with a large margin of safety is used for this purpose;
- the combustion chamber of the LF481Q3 engine, unlike the LFB479Q, has a wedge-shaped shape, which ensures a high fuel combustion rate and reduces coolant losses;
- the piston stroke in the LF481Q3 motor is smaller than the cylinder diameter (short-stroke engine), which requires higher revolutions to achieve maximum power;
- motors and electronic control systems differ. The LFB479Q power unit is equipped with an efficient VVT-i variable valve timing system, which allows you to get maximum torque (168 Nm) already at 4200 rpm. min.
tuning
Chinese engines LFB479Q and LF481Q3 in specialized tuning studios can be subjected to chip tuning.
Engine tuning performed by specialists will allow:
- Increase power.
- Eliminate factory software flaws that lead to unpredictable jerks and twitches.
- Increase engine life.
- Increase the responsiveness of the electronic gas pedal.
- Reduce fuel consumption.
- Increase the amount of torque.
For firmware, an OBDII diagnostic connector is used, which, as a rule, is located in the pedal area.
Lifan low power motors
One of the priorities in the work of the Lifan Group is the development and mass production of gasoline engines with a capacity of 2.5 to 15 hp.
Among them there are also models:
- with electric starter;
- with reduction gear;
- with automatic clutch;
- with lighting coil.
These engines are installed on:
- Motoblocks.
- Electric generators.
- Motorized towing vehicles, motorized winches, etc.
A typical representative of this type of product is the Lifan190F-R single-cylinder engine, 15 hp, designed for installation on cultivators and other low-power equipment. It is durable and economical, and the presence of a reduction gear allows you to expand its scope.
In addition, the motor is equipped with a lighting coil, which makes it possible to connect the necessary equipment with a total power of not more than 40 watts.
To start it, a transistorized ignition system is used, which ensures reliable operation in any operating conditions.
Whole photo session The idea of a perpetual motion machine is many hundreds of years old. But there is still no working model - the law of conservation of energy cannot be deceived!
Four of us comfortably loaded into the cherry X60, we also stuffed the trunk to the eyeballs, and now we are slowly rolling towards Mount Akhun. The fuel level indicator flashes and unobtrusively hints that our crossover is about to stall. But after all, we have already driven about thirty kilometers along mountain serpentines in the vicinity of Sochi and have never even turned off the air conditioner!
China has finally built a working model of a perpetual motion machine?!.. Everything is much more prosaic, on our X60, which just yesterday left the assembly line, the fuel level sensor does not work. The design of the float is such that it is easy to damage during the assembly of the fuel tank. And it's not clear who to blame - the Chinese, who designed such a fragile part, or the workers of the Russian Derways factory, who showed negligence during assembly.
Looking to the best
The suspension design of the X60 is classic - McPherson front and independent three-link rear. But they are not set up in the best way, when cornering with good asphalt, the crossover rolls heavily, and its rear wheels “walk” left and right in the transverse direction. Although the car is quite stable on straight sections. Is that a little harsh overcomes the joints and pits. But if you are a supporter of the saying “you drive more quietly, you will continue”, you will not find anything particularly negative in the habits and manners of the X60.
Most importantly, in the bustle of the city, the X60 feels like a very compact car, which, due to huge mirrors and a large glass area, is easy to change lanes and park even on the tightest streets.
"Go at full sail"
Imagine this situation: you need to get somewhere by sea, while the time allotted for the journey is not limited. What will you do? Raise the sail and, due to the energy of the wind, you will sail calmly, wherever your eyes look. Why not a perpetual motion machine? The main thing is to avoid storms and periodically patch up the sail when it leaks. Of course, you can move on land under sail only in the deserts.
But in general, the essence is very clear - for free and for an arbitrarily long time today you can move only at the expense of "gratuitous" wind energy ... well, and also at the expense of solar energy, of course. But the night happens much more often than absolute calm on the sea.
So the Chinese company Lifan has chosen “perpetual motion” as its logo - three stylized sails, symbolizing quality, innovative technologies and customer care.
True, we did not find exceptional innovations in the Lifan X60, and the quality of the car, despite the Circassian assembly, remained at a “typically Chinese” level. The plastic door sill in the area of the left rear door came off right during the test drive, under the arches there were pieces of exfoliated sound insulation, and on the suspension arms there were traces of poor-quality casting and subsequent processing.
At the same time, the gaps on the body differ in places, only a person with strong muscles can close the tailgate, and the mechanism of the backstage of the manual transmission lever crunches during switching.
What the Chinese are really good at is customer care. They promise to present by next year a version of the X60 specially for the Russian market with a dark leather interior, as well as with all-wheel drive.
At the same time, with service and service, for which the Chinese are traditionally scolded, Lifan is also all right. Several million worth of spare parts and consumables have already been delivered to the central warehouse in Moscow, and soon regional dealers will also have their own stocks, by the way, there are as many as 79 of them.
But the segment of affordable cross-country vehicles is constantly expanding. And now there is strong competition in it: you can buy Chinese analogues of Chery Tiggo / Vortex Tingo, you can support a domestic manufacturer and get a Chevy Niva, or do it easier and buy a bestseller - Renault Duster. How does the Lifan X60 stand out against the background of this fraternity? Its main advantages are rich equipment and a spacious interior. And the quality of the Circassian assembly and Chinese components, the representatives of the company promised to stabilize.
Chinese manufacturers do not stand still and produce more and more new cars with enviable regularity. And for some reason, their new items are much more attractive, at least outwardly, than the new items from AvtoVAZ. And if things were to be improved with the build quality on the derveys, then the cars would be the first in terms of price-quality ratio. Well, as long as there is what is...
The new Lifan X60 crossover does not personally remind me of anyone, and in general, you can give a lot of examples of similar cars from other brands. The big minus of the Lifan is that it is a front-wheel drive crossover. It was originally planned as an SUV, but four-wheel drive would have made the car much more expensive. And the Chinese rightly decided that for now they can’t pull the competition in the SUV segment.
Few people will buy Chinese cars expensively; preference will be given to more well-known brands in the same price category. So they decided to make cheap and beautiful.
Well, it turned out to be a very nice car for moving along city roads and highways. The small volume of the trunk can be compensated by installing a streamlined trunk on the chicken. There are already railings for it.
Well, now closer to the body. Let's look at some characteristics of the new X60 bra.
Engine
The motor of this SUV was named LFB479Q. But in fact it is a copy of the Toyota 1ZZ-FE. The engine size is 1.8 and it is equipped with a continuous -i system. Like the Japanese, this motor is long-stroke, which allows you to develop good traction at low crankshaft speeds. Bore 79 mm and stroke 91.5 mm.
But the engine is still different from the Emgrand one. On the X60, it has an electronic gas pedal, and on the Emgrande, the 1.8 engine is equipped with a cable drive.
Related video: Test drive lifan x60
Ignition coils on X Sixtieth are individual for each cylinder, which, however, in my opinion, does not give any tangible benefit, but only leads to an increase in the cost of the entire structure.
Well, I immediately foresee the question: Where is the thermostat on the Lifan X60? It is not located in the most usual place. It is at the location of the thermostat that coolant flows from the radiator to the engine. Here are two photos to make it clear where the thermostat is located.
Transmission
The X60 has a mechanical 5-speed gearbox. Single disc clutch with hydraulic drive. Possible clutch failures. Clutch vibration may be due to uneven pressing of the disc, slipping of the driven disc. Also, the clutch will vibrate when the disc is oiled or the clutch housing is loosened.
Noise manual transmission
1. Lack or poor quality of oil
2. Worn or damaged bearings
3. Worn or damaged gears
4. Damage to the synchronizer.
Difficulty shifting gears
1. Fork is deformed
2. Worn or damaged friction cone of the synchronizer ring
3. Faulty gear selection mechanism
4. Poor mobility of the gearshift cables.
Malfunctions of hinges of equal angular speeds
A crunch in the front with the wheels turned out and driving at low speed indicates the need to replace the external CV joint
Vibration at the beginning of acceleration when driving in a straight line indicates the need to replace the inner CV joint
Chassis
suspension type:
Rear suspension - three - wishbone independent with a trailing arm
| Parameter | Meaning |
(car not loaded) Note Front camber -1°12′±30′ Front toe-0°43′±30′ (-7.5~-3.5mm) adjustable ′±30′ Rear camber -0°57′±30′adjustableRear camber -0°6′ ±30′ (-1.1~2.8mm)adjustable
Engine compression
Setting marks on the timing chain when replacing it on the Lifan X60 engine
The photo below clearly shows how to set the timing marks when replacing the chain.
