Rain in the exhaust

[AndrewFromNS]

Hey,
My goal is to store my 'new' Super-C inside all the time. However, you all know what they say about the best laid plans...mice, men, and that whole bit. I'd like to be prepared at all times, always have the tractor inside when I'm done with it, never leave it outside, etc. But Lets face it...that just can't happen. Quick showers when I take a break for lunch, sudden rain, etc.

When running, I don't think rain would be an issue...exhaust pressure ought to be enough to keep rain from entering (please, someone, tell me if i'm wrong!). However, when stopped, there's a somewhat large pipe pointing straight up that I forsee rainwater getting into.

The thought of putting one of those self-closing 'clapper' exhaust covers over the stack, like some construction equipment has. A google search using the best terms I could think of wasn't as helpful as I'd hoped...

Anyone have opinions on the problem of rain down the stack? Where can I find one of those clappers? I know it won't look original, but it shouldn't be a hard item to remove, should the need arise.

AR

 

[Goose]

Any farm store, maybe auto supply.

 

[JoshuaGA]

A good auto parts store will have them. The correct name would be a raincap. Measure your exaust diameter, go to the store, and get one. They are cheap insurance.

JoshuaGA

 

[big jt]

Search "RAIN CAP"

I would suggest looking right here on this site. I did a quick search and found over 1000 hits and the first ones were in the store section.

Don't worry about appearance they have been a very common add on for over 50 years.

jt

 

[Roy Suomi]

Your "Clapper" is really called a rain cap..Any NAPA or farm supply should be able to get you one of those noisey contraptions...

 

[rrlund]

Just a suggestion. When you put one on,put the hinged part toward the front so it opens in the rear. If it opens in front and you catch a tree branch,it can get caught and bend your muffler. By all means though,one way or another,don't let an excessive amount of water get down the exhaust. I bought an Oliver 66 that the owner had let water get into. It wouldn't compress the water when they tried to start it with the starter,so they towed it. It bent a rod so bad thet when it came back down on the down stroke,the oil ring expanded below the sleeve.

 

[armand tatro]

Keep a tin can that will fit over the exhaust pipe in the toolbox on the tractor and put it over the exhaust pipe when needed. In a high wind those rain caps have been known to stand straight up and let rain down the exhaust. When you don't need the exhaust covered put the tin can back in the toolbox. Armand

 

[phillip d]

In the mean time,put an empty soup can on top of it when not in use.

 

[old]

Those rain caps work well but even with one on some times rains still gets in. A little bit of rain in the engine is no big deal unless it sits for weeks and if it does that can lock the engine up. In the summer most of my tractors sit out in the hay fields so they get rained on so what I do is in a day or so after it rains I go out and fire them up to make sure any water that might have got in is blown out and dried out of the engine. Some times it makes a mess but would you also believe having a little water get in at times helps clean out the carbon in the engine
Hobby farm

 

[Dave H (MI)]

You can buy those just about anywhere from TSC on up to the real tractor suppliers. Throw a 5 gallon pale over it anyway of it sits out in the rain or learn to love black spots all over your close from the initial startup burp. Don't mean to argue with my friend from Sheridan but I was always taught to keep it pointed front ways. Not sure why....and I have caught a couple on branches.

 

[Bill in Colo]

Rain caps are fine if the tractor or motor is started monthly or so , but long term a can works better.
Depending on a cap cost me the engine in a 55 JD combine. sat two years a was stuck beyond repair.

 

[Heyseed]

try this site,
http://store.airflo.com/exhaust-rain-caps.html

 

[Mathias NY]

I tried posting earlier but it kept getting deleted. TSC is a good bet. There is a really good online place too, I just can't post the name of it here. They 'Build' things of 'Value' if you catch my hint. Email me if you want the link.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Just another suggestion. A friend of mine who is now deceased said to put the caps on crossways. That way if you are hauling it, it is less likely to open in the wind and get water inside if it rains. I know it looks ugly, but think of the cost of an overhaul.

 

[Joe Pro]

Rain caps work good but make sure you get the right size. I've found that them plastic small coffee cans work better than tin cans beause they dont rust. I have seen many a tin can rusted out and a motor stuck.

 

[Hugh MacKay]

Andrew: If the exhaust is tight, and tractor is away from higher objects such as trees and buildings, you will not get enough water down the stack to harm anything in a 6" rain fall. In an open field 90% of the rain blows right over the stack. It requires a deflection to put any amount of water down a stack.

One of the most common deflections is one of those stack flap covers, wind blows it up and in turn it deflects water down the stack. Park the tractor well away from high buildings or trees and most important keep the exhaust system tight.

If your parking it outside long term, put a tight soup can over the stack, and again make sure you exhaust is tight. I've been running tractors for over 50 years, 9 of them at one time during the 70s and 80s. I never covered a stack overnight, and the only time I ever saw excessive water was a Farmall 300 with exhaust pipe loose in manifold. In a 2" rain fall, enough water ran along the hood, followed the pipe, filled one cylinder and manifold to the top. We took out the plugs, cranked it a few revs, put the plugs back and started it.

The same 300 and a 560D, nothing over stacks, in middle of an open field in a 9" rain fall in 24 hours. Nothing blew out the stacks when we started them. The difference tight exhaust and no deflections.

 

[AndrewFromNS]

Wow! Lots of replies. Thanks guys!

So far, the field (pardon the pun) seems to be about evenly split. Some love the 'rain caps', some are rather fond of tin cans, and some prefer nothing at all. I read the comment about the tractor being started monthly...I'm hoping to start the thing weekly at the very least. And like I said, 9 times out of 10, It will be inside. So I might not even bother. Something about me, though, thinks a rain cap would look so much better than a tin can. Heck, I might even get one for the enjoyment of watching it 'clap' up and down...I kinda like it...

Thats probably an illness I should have checked out...

Thanks again!
~AR

 

[Hugh MacKay]

Andrew: When Sam gets home, (by the way he was here at my place in SW ON yesterday) why don't you find a tin can that snugly fits inside the exhaust pipe. Put some caulking around it down inside pipe, then put the mufler back on. Leave the tractor in the middle of an open field. Place a rain gauge about 30' from tractor.

Here's betting you'll have about 90% more water in the rain gauge than in the can in the exhaust pipe. WHY? 2 reasons. The tractor creates and updraft, thus very little of the actual rain fall goes down the stack. Secondly 50% of what does go down the stack, runs down inside of mufler and exits between exhaust pipe and mufler. That is not a water proof clamp.

Then after doing that, unscrew the exhaust pipe loose enough so it touches hood. Water will run along the hood, follow the pipe down and fill one cylinder plus the manifold in 20 min, of heavy rain.

Yes, I agree if the tractor is out there more than one day the exhaust should be covered and covered well. A can that fits tightly over pipe is the only sure way to keep water out. This is why I say one day is ok, after that rust starts.

 

[Don-Wi]

Al of our tractors got 'em on, most sit all winter long outside and we don't have any troubles with water in the stacks when we fire them up for the 1st time in the spring. And this is after the spring thaw and all the April showers, so there is plenty of rainfall to attempt going down the stack.

A good hard down pour will put lots of water down the pipe, and we get those often enough. A tin can works great, but there are times where you forget, or think it's only gonna be overnight and it's not SUPPOSED to rain.... A rain cap works for us, and I've never seen one blow up in the wind yet.

Donovan from Wisconsin