Short Trips with the CTD

[LEerkes]

Couldn't find much of anything on this subject in the owners manual. I've heard it said that short trips are "bad".



Wife loves the new truck and likes to steal it from me and take it to work. Her trip is about 5 miles, the temp gets up into the normal range (over 140) but no where near normal operating temperature.



Are a few short trips a week OK for the CTD or should I try to convince her to take the scenic route to work? What is the consensus out there?



I was also asked this related question on another forum, anybody care to comment?



"I think I've decided on the Dodge 3500. Now I've been told that because of blow by I can't use it for short trips. Its not really a problem as I have two other vehicles to drive, but does anyone know if blow by is a problem with the new Cummins HO? I could ask the salesman, but you know what he is going to say. No problem. "

 

[CLAYTON]

Yup. . these trucks can take it.

 

[KMeek]

There are only two solutions to your problem. Divorce the wife and find a wife that won't drive your truck or move your home to a distance farther from her workplace.



I drive my truck to work a shorter distance every day--only 2-3 miles. And, here in Montana in winter it is sometimes 20-30 or more below zero. I am sure these trips are tougher on the motor than long sustaned trips but after 35,000 miles I have not experienced any problems. I can tell you this for sure, though, that I get my best performance and mileage out of the truck after it has been driven hard pulling my 5th wheel. I think these motors are designed to work hard and work best when that occurs. After you have worked the truck hard you will find that it tends to run smoother and I always get my best mileage running empty after a good towing workout.

 

[LEerkes]

KMeek,



I've already noticed that and I've only got 900 miles on mine!

 

[XcumminsX]

I only have a 8 mile commute to work every day. And my girlfriend lives less than 1 mile from my house so i go on LOTS of short trips. What i do to assure my motors stays happy is i change my oil VERY often. Every Saturday i take the truck out and get it to operationg temp (around 200) then i drive it at about 2700 rpm for about 20 minutes straight... just to make sure the crap gets burned up and doesnt gunk everything up. How often do i change my oil exactly? well i have 7800 miles on it and ive changed it 2 times already.



Nick

 

[Eric_77]

Well with playing around with gauges I have found it takes about a hour to get the oil up to its operating temp (around 190) transmission (manual 140 auto 170)depends on how hard it is worked but about hour also. That is with air temps around 70.

I also do a bunch of short trips and find that truck is much happier if I use the block heater for a couple hours at temps of 40 or lower then add time as needed basically I use 2 hours as base and an hour for every 10 degree temp drop so 30=3 20=4 etc. by using the block heater I find the oils/collant come up and it is at operating temp in about 30 minutes instead.

 

[klenger]

If you drive a lot of short trips, you may reduce the life-span of the engine, meaning you'll only get 400,000 miles out of it instead of 500,000.

 

[BRayls]

my old 97 2500 has 142,000 and it was driven to and from work 4 miles each way most of its life. oil changed more regular then also.

 

[y-knot]

I usually only take short trip myself, I do not see a problem with it. Yes the truck takes a while to warm up, and yes short trips may cause some oil related problems, but who cares. Change the oil regularly and try to take an extended trip every so often. The biggest looser is the exhaust system, the truck just never gets hot enough and long enough to burn off the water, so it will just rust out soon. All the more reason to add a high flow stainless steel system. Enjoy

 

[LEerkes]

Good point Y-knot,



There is an advantage to the short trips, get's rid of the stock exhaust faster and the wife will be all for it since she can't stand exhaust leaks.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Nick Sommers

nailed it. . . if you do a lot of short trips, take it out and get it hot once a week or so and give 'er a good run. That's the best thing you can do for it



Vaughn