345 caught on fire

[55acwd45]

Hi,

We have/had a 345 that we bought new in 95/96 that recently caught fire. After looking online it appears that this was because a faulty design with the fuel pump/drain. Damage is estimated at $3700 by the dealer so basically what ever it can be parted out for is what it is now worth. We were never notified of a supposed recall for this tractor and we are the original owners and have never moved. Tractor has always been kept in a heated garage, well maintained and had less than 800 hours.

John Deere did not care about the situation when talking corporate. Had there been more than minor injury trying to put it out (had a full tank, next to the house) we would have been talking to a lawyer instead.

I will try to get some pictures of this. I would have went and bought the redesigned parts on my own dime had I known, but I was never notified. JD does not have any record if they sent anything out when I spoke with them.

 

[Nooodles]

Fuel pump drain?

 

[55acwd45]

Fuel pump drain?

Yes. There was a recall for the fuel pump. It can leak gas directly onto the muffler.

 

[BBO]

Damage is estimated at $3700 by the dealer so basically what ever it can be parted out for is what it is now worth. .

I had the similar issue with a LX188. The mower was running and I just luckily happened to see something leaking all under the front.
There is a fitting on the pump that can open up and I have no reason what is the design reason.
But it was indeed spitting raw gas all over the muffler and it's a wonder I did not have a major fire.

I ordered a new pump and it came with a extra hose to hang down below the mower.
The old pump is on the left and the new design on the right has the extra hose.
This is a different part number to the one on yours so I do not know if the like this or not.


I know it was scary to me when this happened.
When something abnormal happens inside the pump it starts pumping gas out this overflow.
I just do not know the reason for this yet.
The little hole on the bottom was where the gas was coming out.

 

[Carl Bert]

Just thought I'd mention that most home owners insurance policies cover your tractor if the incident happened on your property. I say this because a couple of years ago the same thing happened to a friend of mine. Not only did the insurance cover his tractor, which also was a JD345, but they gave him replacement value for a brand new one. He had an old cab on his, so he collected about $10,000. Not bad

 

[BBO]

Well for those of you that have one of these with the little hole in the fuel pump I would check into the recall, and possible go ahead and replace it even if JD will not pay. I know the older LX188 had this and with the muffler below, and it's dangerous.

I do not know if this is a high pressure relief or what, but when the pump malfunctions gas pumps out.
The new design has the relief hose that would pump gas out underneath the mower. (Away from the muffler, but still a concern)
The wild part on mine was that the engine never stopped running. Not even abnormal, just with gas spitting down all over the muffler.
I shut it off, raised the hood, then RAN away looking for a fire extinguisher.

Mine is also a 1995 year model.

 

[mfreund]

I would doubt you will gain any traction on getting any mfg to stand behind a fuel pump that worked flawlessly for 17 years and then caused a fire. I think personally you got all the good out of the fuel pump and when it failed it took the tractor with it. Unfortunate. This falls in the same realm of timing belts on cars that when broken, bend all the valves. Poor design but not neglegent. Sorry for the loss, but at least no one got hurt.