I smell smoke!

[mike0000]

I had a scare while using the L3901 today, I started smelling a burning odor while using the tractor today. The next thing I noticed was light smoke from the left side of the engine. I was in tall grass/weeds about 500 feet from the house and water if I needed it. I decided to hightail it to the house and shut down quickly. The smoke faded away quickly, upon inspection it looked like burnt grass near the exhaust manifold. I removed the plastic left side cover then the heat shield manifold cover. Darn mice, built a nest on top of the exhaust manifold. Glad it wasn’t worse.

Mike

 

[Smokeydog]

I worry about the very same thing. Glad the damage was caught early and minimal.

 

[big bubba]

glad you caught it & posted. they also get into air filter assemblies...this is the time of year they begin doing that. hard to escape rodents, multitude of threads discussing it. i leave my hood open & use mothballs, etc. they do avoid sunlight for nesting, & don't like to travel open spaces to nest as well. glad it wasn't worse & regards

 

[mike0000]

Thanks Smokey, and Bubba, it definitely got me thinking, I called my insurance guy and decided to add complete coverage for the tractor. Tractor is in a shed that is far from mouse tight, I may start leaving the hood up too.

Mike

 

[Roadworthy]

In addition to nesting in cozy spaces mice like to snack in their leisure time. Insulation from wires can be a mighty tasty snack. I keep D-Con behind both headlights in my car for that reason.

 

[SouthernSky]

Glad to hear all is well.

I started a fire without knowing it a couple years go when birds built a nest under the cowling. I was on gravel and the test fell as it got smaller. Luckily it didn’t burn any wires.

Birds and wasps nest have been by nemesis. Mice have not been an issue in my shed (yet).

 

[Smokeydog]

Little buggers are a constant threat to stored machinery.

Had to screen the air filter inlets to keep them from packing the filter housing with acorns.
Then they packed the exhaust pipe to muffler of the M59 with a acorns. Startup had dozens of acorns flying and ricocheting all around the tractor shed and me ducking for cover. Feral cat birthing kittens on the seat and snakes coming out the loader tube arms tend to keep them at bay sometimes.

 

[Alan W.]

Mice and birds were a problem before I adopted these serial killers.

I used a lint catcher on my air intake to limit critter access.

 

[mike0000]

I plan to go over the tractor today and try to “Think like a mouse” picking up some D-Con, and going to inspect air intake. I appreciate all the suggestions.

Mike

 

[mike0000]

Not my best work but passed the “That’s not going anywhere”
tug test. There just isnt much available space on this tractor.

Mike