To idel or not to idle.... that is the question..

[heavydutyfd]

Ok for my first post and it is a repeat question…. . sorry.



So I went to get my first oil change 2 weeks ago, while there, the Dodge dealer did the entire preventive maintenance ritual as per my owner's manual. About 2 hours later the service writer came in and asked me about my idling procedure. I told him that I usually let it warm up to about 3 minutes during the cold weather and since I bought the truck new in Oct 07 that I have not seen much warm weather. His comment was that they hooked my truck up to the computer and it was showing that I don't idle enough. I took that as constructive criticism, and B. S. that the computer could know that



My question is…… just how long should I let my CTD idle on cold morning starts with the temperature being in the 20's?



Thanks,

Chris

 

[DonFitzwater]

Your doing fine and your dealer is an idiot.

 

[KBertetto]

Your doing fine and your dealer is an idiot.

I second that.

 

[Skydiver]

What does the owners manual say about this subject? Take the manual and ask the idiot to show you the correct procedure.

 

[AMcCormick]

I'm curious about this as well. Seem to see lots of diesel trucks ideling in parking lots with no one in them. I've heard that you should be letting the truck run as opposed to shutting down for five minutes? Also heard "excessive" ideling builds up chunk in the fuel system?

 

[DPKetchum]

Sure he didn't say it idles TOO much. Anything under a 1000 rpm shows up in the computer as idle time. It is NOT good to idle these engines. Carbon buildup on injector tips,pistons,valves etc. Plus what is called cylinder wash. Not enough heat to burn the fuel and it gunks up piston rings etc. Diesels don't make much heat at idle. One of the reasons for the MANUAL ramp up idle feature thats enabled through the cruise switchs. So YOU can up the idle to 1200 to 1500 rpm to aide in fuel combustion. Its NOT good to idle for long ANY diesel unless rpm's are RAMPED up. Use the SEARCH function. Should be LOTS of reading on this. Once EGTS are down at IDLE its best to shut them off like any other engine. Now ramp it up to say 1400 rpm in the summer turn ac on and go in and eat lunch or same deal in the winter. Just don't let them sit at 750 rpm with temp gauge far to the left.

 

[dclassens]

I have never let mine idle over one hour. I know, most say that is way too long, but I never let it sit idling under 1000 RPM. This makes heat stay up and as service bulletins say, does not make oil varnish build up in valves.



TSB # for 2002 trucks - 18-019-01



PS I live in northern MI. It was 5 out today.



Dave

 

[Bekim]

Just read this in a post today about idling.
Diesel engine idling, from an authority: Detroit Diesel « BusBuilding.com
Very interesting reading! Bottom line is idling is not good, for warm up, and only very little is ok for cool down.
Mike
###

 

[TCDiesel]

Nice Write Up. .

 

[AMcCormick]

Thanks, my questions answered

 

[heavydutyfd]

You all have answered my question also. thank you all very much



DPKetchum-- The service writer did say that I dont idel ENOUGH..... I am sure of that... .

 

[JHardwick]

I idle mine 6 hours or more sometimes. I've been on the road for 7-10 days and never shut it down one time ... ... ... ... not for fuel, not for sleep, not for lunch, not for nothin!

 

[JVermes]

interesting info to read. i just have one question, all the big rigs you see on the highway idling for hours on end while they are sleeping or just lounging out in their cabs, I always thought that these engines were just fine doing that.

 

[betterthanstock]

I just saw an old 7. 3 ford diesel idling at the hardware store, locked up.

Some people just like the "macho" clatter.



Makes no sense to me. A hot diesel is the easiest thing to start, so why waste the fuel?

 

[JHardwick]

Some people just like the "macho" clatter.

Is that what it is?



Call it what you will, when I live in it for a few days at a time, I want it warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

 

[MMeier]

I just saw an old 7. 3 ford diesel idling at the hardware store, locked up.

Some people just like the "macho" clatter.



Makes no sense to me. A hot diesel is the easiest thing to start, so why waste the fuel?

Being a dorf, the owner may have been afraid of it not starting when he wanted to leave!!!!:-laf

 

[MMeier]

Is that what it is?



Call it what you will, when I live in it for a few days at a time, I want it warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

... X 2 !!!

 

[p-Bar]

UPS tells their drivers to shut down between deliveries. Probably big fuel savings with that fleet. Love to be the starter supplier for them though.

 

[betterthanstock]

UPS tells their drivers to shut down between deliveries. Probably big fuel savings with that fleet. Love to be the starter supplier for them though.

Those starters likely outlast the engine. UPS even had Bosch redesign the infamous VP44 (they still use it) so it wouldn't fail anymore.

I don't know about our starters, but I have yet to read a story on here of a failed starter.

 

[icman95]

interesting info to read. i just have one question, all the big rigs you see on the highway idling for hours on end while they are sleeping or just lounging out in their cabs, I always thought that these engines were just fine doing that.

That is a misconception. They idle because there is (actually, used to be) no other choice for climate control or electricity. A necessary evil. Now there are APUs (auxillary power units) that can be installed on these trucks to do the climate control and electricity. Problem with these is cost. A lot of them are in the neighborhood of $8000 installed. A ton of cash for a cash strapped truck owner.



Idling at night uses about 1 gallon an hour for the big rigs. Federal regs require at least 10 hours downtime each day. Assuming that the engine is idling for all that time-usually not all of it, but let's just say so-that's 10 gallons a day x $3. 59 per gallon (price in CT today) or $35. 90 a day just idling. That's $251. 30 per week up in smoke, not to mention the costs associated with extra wear and tear on the engine and more frequent oil changes. The APUs use anywhere from 1/10 to 1/4 gallon per hour depending on model. You can see a huge difference in cost and wear and tear there.



Moral of the story: Idling is not ok, but is necessary. Most independents-including me- can't afford the initial investment of the APUs which is really too bad, because they would pay for themselves in a year or less. When idling, the cruise control can be used to bring the rpms up to increase engine temp and fuel combustion. My Freightliner (of course with a Cummins-14 liter) has a computer readout of total engine run time as well as total idle time.