Tractor setting areas on fire?

[5030]

Lou... Got a question... Have you ever experience the 'wet stacking' people talk about in here? I never have, have you? In the winter I do warm up the tractor prior to plowing or blowing snow but I 'warm it up' at an elevated rpm. Don't ever idle it not even when I'm running hay. I'll let it idle to cool down the turbo for a couple minutes and then shut it down. Back when I drove semi's never had that happen either.

Just curious.

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

What type of tractor?
DPF? DEF? non of the above? Diesel or gas tractor? Exhaust through a stack that points up or down? age of tractor? Condition of tractor (hrs would be nice?) Ambient air temp and how hard was the tractor being run?etc.. all important to know.

A leaky exhaust valve on older high hr tractor and this is not uncommon. In a worst case situation a full run-away situation on a diesel will send flames out the exhaust of pre-emisions diesels that would light up the night sky.

Could it happen? absolutely! especially on an older, high hrs, downward pointing exhaust in warm/dry conditions.

 

[5030]

especially on an older, high hrs, downward pointing exhaust

What do you consider high hours? One of mine has 6K on the meter and the other has 4500 on the meter and the 6K unit just happens to have a down exhaust outlet. I cut, rake and bale dry hay all the time and never have had any issues with fires. I actually prefer the down exhaust over a stack in the middle of the hood.

 

[ruffdog]

Sparks out of the exhaust is common....

Sparks out of diesel exhaust?

 

[LHF2019]

Sparks are extremely common but you are not going to notice unless you are driving at night and working it hard. You might see a stray just running around but not as likely.

Staging hay equipment went over one of our steep hills at night. The amount of sparks coming out of the exhaust was impressive. Even my wife following could see it. It had been awhile since it worked that hard.

Another one of our tractors hauling manure over said hill at night would shoot flames from working hard. Really neat to see.

 

[LouNY]

Lou... Got a question... Have you ever experience the 'wet stacking' people talk about in here? I never have, have you? In the winter I do warm up the tractor prior to plowing or blowing snow but I 'warm it up' at an elevated rpm. Don't ever idle it not even when I'm running hay. I'll let it idle to cool down the turbo for a couple minutes and then shut it down. Back when I drove semi's never had that happen either.

Just curious.

Occasionally in a minor form, if a tractor has been just idling for a long time in cold weather then gets opened up and run. Had a 1486 that got left running one night when -30F was forecast, it was left at 900-1000 rpm overnight, the next morning it had fuel dripping down the exhaust, the temp indicator was below the run range even with the radiator covered and running when the throttle got opened up she rained fuel for a bit. And I've seen fuel tracking down from joints in the exhaust systems on several tractors when lightly worked.

 

[oosik]

Several years ago. VERY wet spring. Pond formed around one of my out buildings. 3" diesel trash pump used to pump pond into my lake. Out late at night - fill fuel tank - let pump run til out of fuel again. Upon restart it blew hot sparks for a minute or so. Very easily could have started a grass fire.

 

[RjCorazza]

My tractor isn't big enough to mount a 2.5g water can, but I have staged one nearby when there is a fire risk. A water can will put out a lot of fire if properly used.

 

[jwmorris]

Tilling next to a fence and starting fires, wire beating around inside a bunch of spinning steel, causes sparks…

 

[Rockbadchild]

he was tilling on a flint mine