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.
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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.