Winter Time Warm Ups and the Auto Trans

[Matt400]

With cold weather now I find the need to start my truck and let run for 10-15 minutes before I leave for work in order to get some heat from the heater. Even when I do that it still won't produce heat like my 02 QC gas truck did. Temps in our area at the moment are running +20 to +40 deg.



Anyway I was wondering if that idle period is bad for the trans since no fluid is being pumped through the cooler lines in park.

I could set the brake and pop it in neutral for fluid flow but would rather not waste my time if that does nothing for the trans.

 

[DPKetchum]

The auto Chrysler products I've owned I always put in neutral while cold idle in A. M. just to circulate fluid. Got a 98 1500 slt 318 always do this particularly after sitting several days. Its a habit. I also did this on my 93 W250 I owned and told new owner same thing. I think it prevents it being sluggish and keeps seal etc from dry takeoffs.

 

[amsoilman]

Warm up

If you want the truck to warm up faster, why not just plug it in?



When I plug mine in, the heater warms up very fast!



Wayne

amsoilman

 

[Summit]

Re: Warm up

Originally posted by amsoilman

If you want the truck to warm up faster, why not just plug it in?



When I plug mine in, the heater warms up very fast!



Wayne

amsoilman

unfortunatly,, not all of us have the cord, yet. .

plugging it in dont heat the transmission fluid but.

i put mine in N while it idles in am, its not near as sluggish shifting

 

[RankRam]

Will the high idle work when the truck is in nuetral and the park brake is on?

 

[FPoitra]

High idle does work with truck in neutral and park brake on. Its important to engage the park brake because as the thick, cold transmission fluid warms up, the truck may roll on the slightest incline. Trust me! I plug in below 30 degrees. Try putting your vent setting on the re-circulating feature. (All the way to the left). I dont know if the 03's have this setting though. This dramatically makes a difference in getting warm air in the cab. It keeps on heating the same air in the cab of the truck rather than taking in cold outside air. But dont forget to switch back when you pull out or the windows will fog up.

 

[phoekema]

letting truck run when cold

It is my experience that cold weather idling with a diesel is pretty much a waste of time. Diesels idle so efficiently that in cold weather they never really warm up unless they are working a bit. Running a short time in neutral with a stock transmission is, however, a good idea to circulate the fluid. I would just start driving (easily at first) to get heat from the engine.

From what I hear, you can engage an exhaust brake when idling and the engine will warm up better that way. Not having an exhaust brake, I cannot speak from expierience, just what I have read.

 

[DPKetchum]

Will take forever to warm up at idle. Techs in the shop would do this and I would come unglued. HAS to be driven to get to operating temps. They will idle 45 minutes or more to just kinda get warm in a shop at 65 degrees.

 

[dnitzel]

Read the owners manual. The owners manual says in cold weather starting to allow engine to idle for three minutes at fast idle after the manifold heaters have kicked off. Then release parking brake and drive. The manual also says to avoid prolonged idling. I thought for sure there was a reference in the owners manual about idling the engine more than 20 minutes, especially in cold temperatures. It warms up very quickly if you drive it a bit. Otherwise, I plug it in all winter just to get heat fast (and help the engine).



To me both of my CTD's never seemed to warm up at idle, and it seemed to be a waste of fuel. I also cover the radiator. I generally leave the rad covered in the winter unless I pulling a trailer or ambient gets above 50 - 60.



After a brief idle, I drive mine conservatively for say the first two or three miles or until the engine water temp gauge moves when empty, even if I start it at 0-10 DEGF. The 48RE does not shift into OD until it reaches a certain temp in cold (below 10 DEGF??) start conditions. I figure that if it's not shifting into OD, then it's go slow until it's warmed up.

 

[WoodChuck]

There is no difference between neutral and park on an auto trans as far as hydraulic circuits are concerned. In neutral no clutches or bands are applied and the same holds true in park. The main difference between the two positions is in park there is a pawl engaged in the park gear to prevent vehicle movement.



While your engine is idling trans fluid is being pumped and circulated everywhere, including the torque converter. When you select a gear the valves or solenoids direct the fluid to the appropriate combination of passages to engage a gear (via clutch packs and or bands) or cause a shift. When you select a gear the torque converter is now under a load and pressures inside it increase and this causes fluid to circulate through the cooler lines.



You will not do any damage to the trans while idling when cold in park or neutral. It’s not under a load and isn’t generating any heat. Extended idling is not considered good for any engine though. The best thing to do is let it idle till you get oil pressure then drive easy till it starts to warm and gradually increase the load as it warms.



I just sold a 91 W250 (first owner and 310,000) miles and I recall one cold Southern California winter morning (don’t laugh it can get pretty cold here) driving through a canyon going to work. The temp gauge had reached normal temps going up the hills, then on the back side I had about a 4-5 mile decent at about 5% grade and when I got to the bottom the gauge looked like it had bottomed out again. You would think the thermostat would close (which I’m sure it did) and keep the engine warm. But at idle with low ambient temperatures and a 50 MPH breeze coming through the grill there wasn’t enough heat being created.



Think of the heritage of these engines. They’re meant to be worked hard and take forever to warm if they’re just idling. I recall reading once about the older Power Strokes that they had a valve in the exhaust whose only purpose was to increase back pressure to shorten the warm up time.

 

[dieselpilot1969]

just cut yourself a 1 x 4 long enough to go between the seat mount and go pedal, long enough to idle a lil above 1100 and it will warm up quick! well i say quick more like 10 mins or so!

 

[DPKetchum]

I beg to differ on a Chrysler built auto trans being different in park or neutral. In neutral it is pumping fluid. In park its NOT. Thats one reason it says check fluid in neutral engine running not PARK. G. M. auto trans DO pump fluid in PARK and I assume Fords do also. Their fliud level is checked in PARK. But not D. C. auto transmissions.

 

[rbattelle]

Could be dangerous, but...

Why not FIRMLY set the parking brake and put the vehicle in drive or reverse? That would put a significant load on the engine, and pump lots of transmission fluid too! I do this with my wife's Civic while I brush the snow off it. I know, it's dangerous, but you could also chock the rear wheels.

 

[dieselpilot1969]

Re: Could be dangerous, but...

Originally posted by rbattelle

Why not FIRMLY set the parking brake and put the vehicle in drive or reverse? That would put a significant load on the engine, and pump lots of transmission fluid too! I do this with my wife's Civic while I brush the snow off it. I know, it's dangerous, but you could also chock the rear wheels.

That's true also, truckdoes warm up even faster that way, I would just be afraid to leave the vehicle unattended

 

[PLaFrombois]

I just let it idle enough to get out and scrape the windows, then slowly drive away. Longest it's idled was 5 min. As others have said it's a waste of time and fuel for extended ideling for start up.

 

[Summit]

03,04 trucks have the high idle software and it works very well for a. m. warm ups. on cold mornings (single digits) it may take 10 or 15 min but its at 175+*.

open door,set brake, put in N, wait for light, truck almost instantly goes to high idle.

even on colder days truck will idle up after a few minutes of idleing ,,go in to store,,, come out three min later and truck is idled up but it only does it when the comp says 30 or less.

 

[LightmanE300]

Summit, some of us can only imagine what it's like to be able to go into a store for 3 mins with the truck running outside. Around here it wouldn't be there when you got back!!

 

[dnitzel]

Originally posted by LightmanE300

Summit, some of us can only imagine what it's like to be able to go into a store for 3 mins with the truck running outside. Around here it wouldn't be there when you got back!!

I carry the spare key fob in the truck for this. No wife, dogs can't drive.

 

[DPKetchum]

In Gran Isle Neb. ?? I've been there several times on my way to a freind in the Sandhills. SENECA Neb. near THEFORD. I thought it was pretty laid back?

 

[dnitzel]

Originally posted by DPKetchum

In Gran Isle Neb. ?? I've been there several times on my way to a freind in the Sandhills. SENECA Neb. near THEFORD. I thought it was pretty laid back?

Never been to Seneca (been by it), but been to Thedford many, many times. I help out with trails at the Nebraska National Forest near Thedford/Halsey. Visit my web site for there at www.halseytrails.com There's FAR more cattle than people there, some counties have only one person per sq mi. Nice WIDE open country, nice people. Area has the brightest sky in the nation at night there if you like star gazing.