Leaving a tractor in the Run (On) position unsafe?

[truckin88 104]

Guys this is probably a stupid question, but I left a tractor in the Run (on) position to see if the hour meter is working, I forgot about it, now I am not at home. Should I send someone to shut it off? Or will it just drain the battery and make the hours go up. I am just worried about my house and dogs. This is why you don't work on them when you are exhausted. It will be about 10 hours before I am home.

[SNYFIX 12]

I would say yes, if you can get someone to turn it off do so. Better to be safer then sorry.

[Operator 7]

If tractor had points, then you will burn them. Otherwise just a dead battery, and extra hours. You arent the first to do it. I suppose the dog wouldnt turn it off for you either.

[300zx 7]

I left my Onan p220 on over night and it took out the coil and electronic ignition module! I don't know why it failed, but the replacement parts were pricey. I had just bought the tractor and had pulled the engine to do the usual maintenance on the heads, valves and carb. I bench tested it and it ran great until I ran out of gas. I walked away for the night and forgot to turn off the battery pack I was temporarily using. The next morning it wouldn't start and I learned an expensive lesson. I hope you do better!

[whfan74 2,015]

Will,

Either way if it will hurt it or not........for your own peace of mind I would have someone turn it off for you.

[Jim_M 178]

If the points are closed you run the risk of overheating the coil. Best case scenario you burn up the coil, worst case the oil inside the coil catches fire.

If the points are partially open they may arc and need to be filed.

If the points are fully open, you'll just run up hours on the hour meter until the battery goes dead.

[truckin88 104]

Guys this was a 310-8 I just acquired with a M10 engine (Magnum). My dad got to it. Everything is good, the best news is the hour meter went from 274 to 277. Hopefully nothing else was damaged. He pulled the key out. Thank you for the response!!!!!!

-Will

[Jim_M 178]

An M10 doesn't have points, so there's not much chance of doing anything more than running the battery down and clocking a few extra hours.