Close call with tractor fire

Whew.

I grind feed with an old Farmall M that just stays hooked to the grinder. It?sfairly stock with added goodies like live hydraulics and power steering. 12 volts. Years ago when I started farming it was my loader tractor so I can?t bear to let the old girl go even though there are lots of better tractors to do her job.

I ground feed Saturday and noticed that the starter button was a little funky and I thought maybe it was trying to fuse the contacts since it was pretty cold and drawing lots of amps. The rest of the day I just jumped the terminals with a screwdriver to start it.

Today it was -1 when I realized I needed to grind to fill the creep feeder. It used to have a block heater but that quit years ago and it always starts anyway. I got my trusty screwdriver and shorted it to start. It popped off but I had too much choke. Tried again and not enough. Third try I noticed a wisp of smoke from the insulation on the cable running from the battery so I though I?d let it cool a minute. Didn?t get the chance - she went up. In the shed full of truck and tractors. All I could think about was that tank full of fuel right above that foot switch and wiring that were now ablaze. I ripped off the negative cable and started beating with my brand new pair of insulated mittens. I was just about to give up and evacuate when it started to slow.

I burned up my new mittens but kept the shed and it?s contents including the old Farmall. I just ordered all new cables and switches so she can go back to work. Now I need a lozenge for this sore throat. That smoke was nasty.

Glad you were able to get it put out. Good job!!

that was close!

Glad you got it out.

Wow ,not to mention it?d give the ticker a good workout! Good job and you got lucky today

Glad your eventful story had a happy ending. Best thing is you're OK!

You were lucky!
I remember back in the day, around 1965 it was in the winter here in Minnesota and cold. My dad used our Farmall M for hauling manure.
The M was park out side next to our dairy barn. My dad would take a steel hog pan and fill it with corn cobs and add fuel oil to it.
set the pan on a pail under the oil pan, instant heat, well this one time things didn't go so well heat houser cought on fire, burnt all the spark plug wires off. we threw snow on it to get the fire out. That was a close one! we did save the M and the barn.
Brian

You lucky in that your not hurt and the shed/tractor did not burn completely up. when it is cold like it is chores just take more time and energy. It makes one take short cuts that many times turn out bad. Done it myself many times. I was lucky most of the time too.

Hi, go buy some new mittens and be happy. Ed Will Oliver BC

After that I?m pretty sure I would mount a fire extinguisher within arms reach. Loosing equipment and the building would be bad enough but it sounds like you would be in a major pinch trying to feed until you could get enough replaced to mix feed

Close call! Guess it's an easy fix too.

Glad you got lucky. I had one of those similar moments last month with the JD 2010. I'm converting from LP to gas. I have a makeshift fuel setup with a tank above the carb, and a line running down to supply fuel(mistake 1). The carb is a rebuild of mine, that I tested with air upside down, but not with actual fuel on the float. (mistake 2). I also used the screwdriver method to start, because the starter is on the left side where I can work the throttle and choke to get it running. (mistake 3) I was fiddling with the right ign timing to start, and got it a bit too advanced (mistake 4). Fuel filled the float bowl, and overfilled, I jumped the starter lug, and backfired, and spit fuel forward, and some splashed back from the frame, and when I let off the starter, I had ignition, but it was on the ground and left side of the tractor. Lucky, I had a bucket and some water nearby, and then I started tossing dirt from the ground until it was all out. Lucky I saved two vintage Porsches, and my work truck.

and maybe a fire extinguisher mounted on every tractor!

I have to admit I have done some very questionable things myself....but....there is just one example of why a fire extinguisher should be within reach! They are not nearly as expensive as what you almost cost yourself. Just sayin'

that's what I do, plus a big'un at every exit door. 4' above grade,

My uncle hauled manure to a field down the road one afternoon,came back and parked the tractor and spreader in the lean to on the barn and shut the door. My cousin came up the road and saw a fan belt laying in the road. He stopped and picked it up,then went out to the barn to see if it had come off the tractor. The canvas on the heat houser was smoldering. If he hadn't gone out there the whole barn would have gone up without a doubt.

I had something similar happen. Had a motorcycle in the garage and was having trouble starting it. Sprayed some either on the air filter and it back fired and caught it on fire. Gas tank above. I could see the fire extinguisher hanging on the wall 10 feet or so away ? If I blowed on the fire it would about die down. Didn't know if I dare leave long enough to get the extinguisher ? I kept blowing on it. It burned itself out without any damage done before I passed out ! lol.

I guess thinking back on it,I set fire to two of them myself. The first Oliver Super 55 diesel we had,the lower dash cover was missing. We used to stick a can of starting fluid under there to carry it. I shoved it up there one time and it shorted across the lugs on the pre heater button. That one was blowing flame under pressure. I was darned lucky to get that out and toss it.


I was working on the 1020 Deere one time,pulled the coil wire so it wouldn't start when I turned it over. I took the gas line off the fuel pump and it shot gas on the distributor cap. I had to run to the barn and get a pail of water to put it out. I had to do some re wiring on that one.