The death of an L3901

[CobyRupert]

Oxygen deprived smoke stalling out a tractor (or any vehicle)? Never heard of it. Has this ever happened?

Man, watching YouTube videos of people driving through Forrest fires to escape...sure glad their cars didn’t stall.

I think this was also a case of the person who borrowed OP’s tractor didn’t know how to use bucket to push themselves out of pit.

 

[ericm979]

It's not something we discussed when I was on fire crew. I've driven very close to fires. I've seen dozers working in fires. Had one guy pop out of a big raging fire and ask us to use our tanker's hoses to cool off his blade. Then he drove back in! Some of those guys are nuts.

I think if it happens it's very rare, and you're probably surrounded by fire and in trouble from the heat and flames already. A burn pile's not going to do it.

 

[TX Chris]

Oxygen deprived smoke stalling out a tractor (or any vehicle)? Never heard of it. Has this ever happened?

Man, watching YouTube videos of people driving through Forrest fires to escape...sure glad their cars didn’t stall.

I think this was also a case of the person who borrowed OP’s tractor didn’t know how to use bucket to push themselves out of pit.

While this part is true, the fire pit was too deep for the FEL to reach the bottom to curl the bucket and hopefully push back. The pit was dug 4-5' deep with a backhoe - steep sides.

It's not something we discussed when I was on fire crew. I've driven very close to fires. I've seen dozers working in fires. Had one guy pop out of a big raging fire and ask us to use our tanker's hoses to cool off his blade. Then he drove back in! Some of those guys are nuts.

I think if it happens it's very rare, and you're probably surrounded by fire and in trouble from the heat and flames already. A burn pile's not going to do it.

I can't even imagine. In this case, the L3901 was consumed in less than 5 minutes and it had a water hose on it within probably 2 minutes. Nothing was stopping that fire until it was too late.

 

[k0ua]

Oxygen deprived smoke stalling out a tractor (or any vehicle)? Never heard of it. Has this ever happened?

Man, watching YouTube videos of people driving through Forrest fires to escape...sure glad their cars didn’t stall.

I think this was also a case of the person who borrowed OP’s tractor didn’t know how to use bucket to push themselves out of pit.

Driving thru a forrest fire in a car is nothing like driving right up to a fire with the air intake inside the smoke column. How much O2 do you think is in that column? There have been several accounts here of engine stalling right up next to a fire. Remember the air intake on most modern CUTS is right up front by the battery. Not even back further on the hood like older tractors. If this fellas tractor remained running that is great, but he says there wasn't time to push back out of the pit or could not get any purchase with the bucket. Of course the first thought is what in the Sam heck were they doing going downhill into a fire pit in the first place.

 

[k0ua]

Now you have heard of it.

Kansas brush truck burns in fire - Wildfire Today

 

[Oldpath05]

I would think a tractor caught up in fire should've discentergrated it, tires burn good and hot not to mention a plastic fuel tank, I expected more fire damage.

 

[4570Man]

The FD or someone put it out otherwise it would be much worse.

 

[JethroB]

This. The front tires of the tractor dropped down into the steep sides of a recently dug burn pit and the tractor could not back up on it's own.

And for the record, KTAC doesn't actually buy you a new tractor or give you replacement cost. They buy your old one back from you for exactly what you paid for it. You get a portion of the money right up front. You get the balance credited towards a new tractor if you buy a like or greater tractor within 2 months of the claim being finalized. You are more than free to take the partial payment (value at time of loss) and walk away. As far as buying a new tractor goes, the only real 'out of pocket' cost is inflation. Even on identical models, your new tractor will cost more than your old tractor and that price difference comes out of your pocket.
.

Sorry for your misfortune. And thanks for the explanation of how a KTAC insurance total loss works. Not the end-all be-all I had come to believe. Yes great coverage but with a very high annual premium.

 

[TX Chris]

I would think a tractor caught up in fire should've discentergrated it, tires burn good and hot not to mention a plastic fuel tank, I expected more fire damage.

The FD or someone put it out otherwise it would be much worse.

By the time the FD arrived, the tractor had been pulled out of the fire and was extinguished by hoses from the house. The tractor had water on it within a few minutes of getting stuck , while being pulled out, etc.

 

[CobyRupert]

Now you have heard of it.

Kansas brush truck burns in fire - Wildfire Today

Think that truck really had a carburetor snuffed out by smoke? That is, think it had a carburetor at all? I may be wrong, but my understanding is EFI replaced carbs in the late 80’s.
I could see the motor choking out if the air cleaner caught on fire, but otherwise I’d think the engine compartment would pretty much have to be fully engulfed before most engines run out of oxygen.
Especially a turbo.

 

[k0ua]

Well, you all are fully welcome to keep driving your tractors up close to fires if you all want to. I am not going to risk it. I have heard of too many engine stalls from lack of oxygen up in the fire stream. An older tractor or bulldozer with its air intake up top and further back down the hood would be in my mind much less susceptible to being in a low oxygen area, but most modern CUTS suck in air right up front and run a risk. That is my story and I am sticking to it. YMMV.

 

[Oldpath05]

By the time the FD arrived, the tractor had been pulled out of the fire and was extinguished by hoses from the house. The tractor had water on it within a few minutes of getting stuck , while being pulled out, etc.

Lots of times one answer makes another question, how did the tractor get pulled out when not running?

 

[Oldpath05]

I dont see how driving up to a brush fire stops a motor, motor requires oxygen, fire requires oxygen also, so for both to run there still has to be oxygen somewhere or both would stop, Although a hydro tractor requires much more oxygen to run then a gear tractor, thats my story and I'm sticking to it..........

 

[k0ua]

Although a hydro tractor requires much more oxygen to run then a gear tractor, thats my story and I'm sticking to it..........

Yes, that is a known fact. BUT you misunderstood what was being stated, it is not the hydro tractor that requires more oxygen, it is the hydro tractor owners that require more oxygen, simply because of their larger brains! Obviously they have more brain power because they purchased hydro tractor in the first place.*



* fire suit is now on.

 

[rademamj1]

I hate to interject in such a lively and interesting conversation. Vehicles can in certain unique situations become "oxygen" starved when close to fires. Fires will put out large volumes of smoke which is a mix of both carbon particulates and CO2, and CO2 is an inert noncombustable gas which can at ground level displaces the air containing the Oxygen needed for engine internal combustion, and stall a vehicle.

Not all fires will saturate ground level with high enough CO2 to stall an engine, in fact the stronger the fire, the quicker oxygen rich air will rush into support the fire, and smoke rich updrafts will be created, which should normally have no effect on ground vehicles. Unless such vehicles are operating at a higher elevation to the fire, like in a mountain region.

 

[aczlan]

Which if this fire pit was cut into a hillside and the tractor dropped over the edge from the uphill side would explain why it shut off because it would be pulling in fresh air from the other side and the intake would be right in the smoke plume which would not have much oxygen.

Aaron Z

 

[Oldpath05]

Yes, that is a known fact. BUT you misunderstood what was being stated, it is not the hydro tractor that requires more oxygen, it is the hydro tractor owners that require more oxygen, simply because of their larger brains! Obviously they have more brain power because they purchased hydro tractor in the first place.*



* fire suit is now on.

:laughing: Some here know me to well..................

 

[Oldpath05]

Did I read right the OP got a new tractor, if so this story has a happy ending but I dont recall a picture of it.........

 

[chim]

One possibility other than being starved for oxygen would be that it wasn't in a low range and simply stalled when panic set in and the operator mashed the back-me-up end of the pedal

 

[k0ua]

One possibility other than being starved for oxygen would be that it wasn't in a low range and simply stalled when panic set in and the operator mashed the back-me-up end of the pedal

I have never seen a Kubota yet that would stall the engine with a hydro transmission even if it was in high range. The relief valve would just open. Even up against a tree.