Fast Warmup tune with Smarty JR UDC

[PWirth]

When the temps drop below 10F I would really like to be able to start my truck 20 minutes before I drive it and have the cab heat actually start to work. Right now, it doesn't seem to ever heat up if left idling. I have a winter front covering the radiator, the truck is plugged in, but when it is sitting at high idle it doesn't heat up. All of the older non-CR engines that I have dealt with will be blowing hot air and defrosting the windshield in the same time frame. There have been a couple of times that I will take the truck out and get it up to 60 mph for 5-10 miles and driven back home to get the cab warm enough to load the kids up.



I have a Smarty JR and got the UDC dongle for Christmas. I want to make a 'winter tune' that would help the truck to warm up faster, but I am not really sure what would be most effective. I can adjust the timing and the duration. My thought is to extend the duration but leave the timing at default, basically wasting fuel to generate more heat. Am I heading down the right path?

 

[Prairie Dog]

My exhaust brake helps it warm up much faster. Maybe a good excuse to get one?

 

[JR]

Are you plugging your truck in at night? You should have the high idle feature as well, between plugging it in at night and kicking it into high idle for 5 to 10 minutes, my trucks making enough heat to pile the kids in and go.



Edit: oops, reread your post, my apologies. The Mrs was just getting into my eardrum a little and got me distracted

 

[cerberusiam]

Until you get over 1500 rpms you won't be off idle and there will little or no extra fueling even with a programmer.



If it takes that long to warm up it might time for a thermostat change. Failing that, an adjustable stick on the throttle pedal would be the next best thing.

 

[rscurtis]

I can drive my signature truck about 14 miles in this weather before the thermostat opens- and that's starting in a 50* garage in PA, not Montana. Since you have a manual transmission, an exhaust brake would be your best option.

 

[jelag]

When my truck sits out and I expect the temperature to get below 40* I plug it into a circuit I have that's on a timer. The timer is set to come on about 3-4 hours before I need to use the truck... I see warm air within a mile.

If I'm out where I can't plug the truck in, I start the truck 10 min before I need it... the exhaust brake will heat the engine up in that time...

Hope this helps...

 

[PWirth]

Thanks for all of the replies. While I would like to add an exhaust brake, it isn't in the budget right now. I have left my truck running for an hour to try to get it to warm up and still not had the gauge register 140 degrees. My dad's old 7. 3L Powerstroke has the cab hot in 20 minutes. My assumption has been that the efficiency gained from the optimized fuel delivery from the HPCR just makes the engine create less heat at low load.

The UDC feature with the Smarty Jr give me the ability to change timing and duration based on load % and rpm. I just need to put my OBD reader on the truck to look at what load % the engine is at during high idle and try extending the duration at that precise point. It will waste fuel late in the burn without getting additional power from it. I will report back if I get it working.

 

[rscurtis]

As a point of information, the 7. 3 uses a "warm-up valve" in the exhaust to enhance engine warm up.

 

[AH64ID]

I would change your thermostat, as that seems to be slower to heat than it should. These motors are very slow to heat up thou.

I am not sure that you could do anything to increase the warmup time with UDC thou. The only thing that may work is lowering rail pressure, but then you run the risk of lower combustion efficiency and increase the chance of cylinder washing. In addition that would take upgrading to a Smarty Sr.

A little more retarded timing would increase the exhaust temp, and thus put more heat into the head and the coolant. The ECM already retards the timing to help warm up, so I am not convinced you would want to go much more.

The load at fast idle will be 0-1%, maybe up to 5-6% as the grid heater cycles with COLD oil. But generally at 1100-1500 rpms on fast idle my OBDII load says 0. 00%.

Really you shouldn't be idling that long anyhow. Cummins says 3-5 minutes, and anything over 10 should be avoided. If you want it to warm up then drive it!!

So IMHO, stop wasting fuel and risking damage to your motor, just start it and drive. If you really want cab heat when you start driving get an ESPAR.

But honestly, start with a new thermostat.

 

[cerberusiam]

But generally at 1100-1500 rpms on fast idle my OBDII load says 0. 00%.

I am curious, does it read anything lugging it under 1600 rpms higher gears?

 

[AH64ID]

Yes, it seems to be inaccurate when less than 5%. The rest of the time it appears correct. So really the only time it reads like that is idle.

 

[NIsaacs]

I have left my truck running for an hour to try to get it to warm up and still not had the gauge register 140 degrees. QUOTE]





When it is real cold out the Cummins can't produce enough heat at idle to overcome the heater core's radiator affect with the blower on high, try the next lower blower setting, it will help some. Also you might whittle a 5" plug for your tail pipe with a small hole in it as a warm up aid:-laf All joking aside, I think it would work... .



Nick

 

[LNaugle]

I would change the thermostat, make sure you use a cummins 1 and deffinetly use the lower blower settings. My 03 works great w/o messing with the smarty like you are saying. -9 here this morning.

 

[Gas Hauler]

Curious about how the exhaust brake would help with engine warm up? I am fairly new to diesel pickups and dont have an exhaust brake on mine, yet.....

 

[rscurtis]

It restricts the air flow through the engine and puts a small load on it. I had a Mitsubishi FE truck with the EB, and it was also cold blooded like the Cummins. Ten minutes with the EB turned on and the idle turned up and it was nice and warm.



Another thing you can do to make the truck "feel" warmer is to run the system on "recirc". You'll feel warm air from the vents and you're not heating cold outside air. I used to do that with my signature truck when I used it as a daily driver.

 

[Yo Hoot]

Does your truck go into high idle when it's cold by itself? Mine does.

 

[NavyDood]

Plug it in at night. When you go out to start it, have the emergency brake on and let it idle in drive or reverse. It is fact it will warm up at least three times faster.

 

[NIsaacs]

Plug it in at night. When you go out to start it, have the emergency brake on and let it idle in drive or reverse. It is fact it will warm up at least three times faster.

The OP has a standard transmission and does plug it in.



Nick

 

[Alaskaskiff]

Of all the warmup strategies out there (and I think I have tried/use most of them other than moving south) a diesel heater like an Espar or a Webasto may be the most effective for cab heat and going easy on the engine.

 

[mwilson]

Heater core may be partially plugged, it should be making quite a bit of cab heat in that time frame.



There doesn't have to be much crap in the core to make a huge difference in heat output.



At 10 degrees or lower outside even 90 degree coolant temp is quite a nice feeling in the cab if the core is flowing properly... ...



Mike.