Possible danger of tractor side exhaust

[4570Man]

I have used several newish tractors including Kubota, Kioti, and John deer tractors without tier 4 emissions. Non of them produce detectable amounts of fumes except when lugged. If you had an old smoke bellowing tractor it might be a concern, but a smoke bellowing tractor with vertical exhaust is still way worse than a side exhaust clean burning tractor. I know dozens of people with cancer, but most of them have never or very rarely used a tractor. While I haven't had my eye put out I have taken a bunch of slaps to the face while using the L2550 with vertical exhaust.

 

[ovrszd]

As soon as the warrantee is off my Kioti the first thing I am doing is reroute the exhaust up into the air. No more grass burner exhaust for me.

Is the tractor offered with a choice?? If so, warranty would be no issue. If not, I still can't see how it would be an issue.

I'm in the timber a lot. I converted my M9540 and my Ford3910 to horizontal exhaust. I never smell exhaust fumes. 9540 dumps right by the left side step to get on. 3910 dumps out the rear.

 

[ovrszd]

I have used several newish including Kubota, Kioti, and John deer tractors without tier 4 emissions. Non of them produce detectable amounts of fumes except when lugged. If you had an old smoke bellowing tractor it might be a concern, but a smoke bellowing tractor with vertical exhaust is still way worse than a side exhaust clean burning tractor. I know dozens of people with cancer, but most of them have never or very rarely used a tractor. While I haven't had my eye put out I have taken a bunch of slaps to the face while using the L2550 with vertical exhaust.

I am slow,,,,, so I had to read your post twice to fully get it. Well Stated!!!!

 

[JD425AWS]

I have the same concern. I also thought my diesel was pretty clean when not being lugged. I realized how wrong I was one night when I had car headlights parked in front of me. It became very clear why I have carbon all over my FEL even though I am careful never to lug the engine. It is newer B3030 but it puts out a steady stream of particles that under most conditions I couldn't see. In population studies, lung cancer doesn't show up in diesel operators until they have been working around diesels for 30 years. But personally that is a concern to me. I am 45 and I have been working with diesel machines since I was 15 so that's already 30 years. I have other exposures to pollution as well - welding, gas engines, 2 stroke chainsaws, trimmers, etc. There may be lot to debate in terms of relative risk, and I think each person has to find their own comfort level. But for me, this machine is too dirty for me to be comfortable. I don't like to use it when my kids are around. On a very still morning I won't go back into the garage after I start it for 15 minutes because the particles hang in the air. To some people I am sure that sounds a little obsessive. But I went and drove a Tier 4 B3350 around the lot at the dealer. I lugged the heck out of it and didn't see a speck of carbon. I feel much more comfortable on that machine and I know I'll use it more. The disadvantage is that you have to regenerate the filter every so often which can take time, but for me Tier 4 is a strong plus in thinking about getting a new machine.

 

[Mitkof]

I have a tier 3 engine, Mitsubishi I believe, front low left exhaust. Seems to burn clean after warm-up. Haven’t smelled exhaust, but we always have 10-15mph winds 24/7 around my place. I’ll check FEL for soot tomorrow. Interesting information here, thanks. I learn something new every day.

 

[dieselcrawler]

The low left front exhaust on my JD 3005 has left the back of the loader bucket stained black...



I'm sure I've absorbed some of the fumes in the 200+ hours I've put on it, and would like to re-route it. I have plans to turbo charge the lil 1.3L beast, I may wait until then to cut a hole in the side panel for an exit, but in the meantime will likely follow the existing route from the manifold and follow my front FOPS leg to over the roof line. If it's too loud with straight pipe I will add a cherry bomb type muffler, but after 8' of pipe and more than 360° of bends as well as being over the roof, I doubt I will care how loud it is.

 

[4570Man]

The low left front exhaust on my JD 3005 has left the back of the loader bucket stained black... http://s699.photobucket.com/user/wv... Uploads/20151115_192237_zpshjo30fdg.jpg.html I'm sure I've absorbed some of the fumes in the 200+ hours I've put on it, and would like to re-route it. I have plans to turbo charge the lil 1.3L beast, I may wait until then to cut a hole in the side panel for an exit, but in the meantime will likely follow the existing route from the manifold and follow my front FOPS leg to over the roof line. If it's too loud with straight pipe I will add a cherry bomb type muffler, but after 8' of pipe and more than 360° of bends as well as being over the roof, I doubt I will care how loud it is.

My tractor isn't nearly that bad. There is no black on the bucket, and only a small about on the loader arm which is about 6" from the exhaust pipe. I have never cleaned the black off and I can still see paint through the soot after 720 hours of operation. This this is not a tier 4 tractor.

 

[lostcreekranch]

My only concern, with the low right side exhaust, is going into regen while in tall dry grass during one of our droughts. I have a LS XR4046HC cab tractor but, have never had an issue with fumes. Never noticed any soot on bucket either.

My New Holland TL100A has side exhaust but, top of exhaust is near top of the cab.

Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

 

[ultrarunner]

If I'm doing any serious work I wear a respirator and hearing protection...

Often though about diesel particulates since I work in the medical field.

Sure I take a ribbing from time to time... but at the end of the day I breath clean and hear well...

Always figured it to be an occupational hazard.

My old CAT Dozer was the least offensive Diesel wise... the straight stack did a good job diverting.

 

[4570Man]

I borrowed a D3 dozer to do some grading work. This had a vertical straight stack with no flapper. I put 2.5 gallon bucket over it to keep water out I forgot to remove the bucket before starting it, and shot that bucket 10 feet in the air when it roared to life.