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What's wrong with this picture?

R

RayP(MI)

Well-known Member
Was just scanning through the pictures I took at the Blanchard Steam show. One of the guys fueling up one of the puller tractors.

WHAT IS WRONG HERE? Look closely!
a200317.jpg
 
I know I'm gonna get hammered for this but here goes.....

I worked in a gasoline lab for years and at that time I smoked. Signs everywhere No Smoking.

Anyway, gasoline vapors are ignited by a flame and can't be ignited by a glowing ember. I don't know how many times I demonstrated this by putting a lit cigarette out in a bowl of gasoline. It will not ignite the fuel.

Now, that said, I wouldn't take the chance of smoking around gasoline because of a 'flare up' from the cigarette causing a flame and igniting the gasoline fumes.
 
So he is smoking it has been proven it is not the cigarette that lights up the gas but the guy who is lighting the cigarette that does. Back when I still smoked I did that thousands of times and never cause a fire. Matter of fact while it should not be done I have dropped a smoke into gas and still here to talk about it
 
I was in Ohio a couple weeks ago. Stopped in a Love's to get something to drink about 3 am. State trooper had the gas hose in then side of his Charger. He was leaned against the trunk, engine running and a lit cigarette in his mouth while on the phone. Just shook my head and hurried inside to get away. Gave me a real funny look when he came inside. Guess he didn't like the look I gave him when I walked by.
 
I took a class while I was in the Navy that trained me to work in a test lab for fuels, oils, etc. It always amazed me when we did flash point tests how much heat it often took to get the liquid to the right temp that it was giving off enough gas to become flammable.

That said, I don't smoke, but growing up nearly ever adult I knew did. I've seen someone put out a lit cigarette in a pan of gas many, many times, just so the person doing it could show someone that being able to do so wasn't just some old wives tale. Even though it can be done, I personally am not going to try it......
 
Isn't he right over the mag as well? My Dad said one time he spilled gas on the mag of his A. He got lucky--all it did was blow the cap off the mag.

oops! Guess Russ got that one in first!
 
Russelaz- just curious, how can you tell the engine is running? I zoomed in on the belt pulley and it looked stationary to me..
 
OOPS!- I see it now. It is running. That is worse than the smoking part.

Thanks for pointing that out.
 
Yup, smoking while fueling. On my origional picture you could easily see the glowing tip on the cigarette. And as someone noted, tractor was running. I don't think I've ever heard a Deere bark like that one! That's three possible ignition sources. Cigarette, sparks from the exhaust stack, and possible spark from ignition. Some guys live a charmed life!
 
I have seen guys at a gas pump holding a cigarette between the fingers of the hand they're squeezing the nozzle with. Always thought it was terribly stupid and that it was someone deliberately trying to be macho. I understand that burning embers cannot (or probably won't) ignite gasoline fumes, but I'm not going to be the one to test the theory. In fact, I've heard that cigarettes can sometimes "spark" sufficiently to ignite fumes. As a former smoker I can recall some fairly impressive 'pops' as my cigarette burned. I do know I've had enough experiences with gasoline igniting through various causes that it gets my full respect.
 
I'm sure it's inadvisable to smoke while pouring gas but I've always been told you could put out a lit cigarette in gasoline. What looks wrong to me is rubber tires on that tractor.
 
I don't smoke but I have ignited gas under the hood of a truck while starting just from a spark plug wire. Tried starting the old IH truck one time and I had forgotten to re-connect the fuel line after replacing a fuel filter. When I hit the starter gas pumped out of the line at the pump, hit the spark plug and started a little fire. Not too serious but glad I saw it quick enough to beat the flame out with a rag.
 
You can put out a cigarette in gasoline IF you get it into the liquid before the vapor can ignite. You can even do it with matches. You just need an open pan that is full or near full of liquid so no vapor is on top. If you throw it into a 5 gal pail with just a bit of gas in the bottom it will likely ignite.
 
I once bought an old tractor from a guy that had done the same thing while gassing up a lawnmower,gas caught fire burned him badly and burned his garage down.Only the real lucky stupid people that do that sort of thing can tell about it the rest get buried.
 
Maybe the cigarette isn't lit? I know a mechanic that has a cigar in his mouth all day long and usually it's not lit.
 

I think that is a small LED type flashlight he is holding in his mouth. Probably used it to look into the tank to determine how much fuel he could add without adding too much weight.

It does NOT appear to be a cigarette.
 
for ont thing that tractor is running! never a good idea when refueling weather hes smoking or thats a lite i cant tell, but the blured flywheel holes and mounting bolts leave no doubt that the thing is sitting there idling
 
Are you all assuming it is GAS because he has a RED can? The rules I was taught when I worked at the gas station LONNGG ago was ONLY diesel in a yellow can, ONLY kerosene in a blue can, and ANYTHING that will BURN (gas, diesel, kerosene, laquer thinner, etc.) in a red can. That non-styled D he could be putting in kerosene/TVO.
 
(quoted from post at 12:55:38 09/06/15) Are you all assuming it is GAS because he has a RED can? The rules I was taught when I worked at the gas station LONNGG ago was ONLY diesel in a yellow can, ONLY kerosene in a blue can, and ANYTHING that will BURN (gas, diesel, kerosene, laquer thinner, etc.) in a red can. That non-styled D he could be putting in kerosene/TVO.
Click to expand...

Not likely he would be putting kerosene in a pulling tractor. I would imagine that old 2 cylinder has been built and tuned to run on nothing less than high octane gasoline. Quite possible he is running it on E85.
 
Depends on whether you are a 'lefty" or "righty". If you are left, that is a campfire from primitive campsite making that smoke around that unlit cig. and it's just a fuzzy photo making it look like it's running. If you are a "righty" it's all pretty obvious.
 
The problem is the engine is running. If he spills gas. it will drip on the magneto. letter series Deeres put the magneto right where the gas would splash on them if the fuel tank was over filled.
 
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