Combines Fire on MF 860

[moose]

I ran a 1984 860 for my father on our small custom combining

 

[AJTIII]

I have a 760 with a 540 perkins engine. The best defense I can offer against fire in the engine compartment is to use a gas powered leaf blower on a daily basis when harvesting in extremly dry conditions. By removing the "fuel" from the engine compartment for a fire you should be safe . Fuel, oil and hydraulic oil leaks in the engine compartment can contribute to a potentional fire if not cleaned up and repaired in a timely matter. Good luck.

 

[Greyhawk]

I looked at a row of Masseys in a wrecker's yard a while back ,out of 8 there were 6 with fires in the engine bay, 1 tipped off a truck and the other was ooold. The fires had mostly started around the air conditioner compressor . We almost burnt our 760 that way thats why I was so interested!! it all goes back to lack of maintenance , the heat exchanger behind the cab gets plugged up , overloads the system and the clutch of the rotary compressor starts smokin. We cleaned the system out properly , fitted a pressure cutout switch on the compressor for safety and use the leaf blower every day (always have). There are a lot of new machines burn when harvestin lupins out here Silver ones are worst then yellow , green , maroon, about in that order; static electricity they say; doesnt seem to affect old Masseys; maybe they are too cheap.

 

[parky]

I run an 1985 860 , my biggest concern with fire is that Delco alternator sitting on top of the 540 V8, generally they plug after a day's use, you must blow out daily if you want to save the alternator as they will not cool properly. My nearest fire experience were the stud bolts broke on unloading auger topgear case and jammed, there was smoke everywhere in a chaff_straw filled area around the auger belt drive. And to really make things tense, they have installed the ether start canister in this same site. MAKE sure you check for the studs coming loose on the auger gearbox.