Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) your thoughts on inactive engine

[Sageair]

I know that this will be one of those how many licks to an ice cream cone kind of questions but here goes anyway. I try not to start my 2001 H/O Cummins just to run to the corner stop and rob which would not allow it to reach operating temperature. I use my 82 Jeep CJ-5 for almost all of my in town commuting,and save the Dodge for long trips and towing. The rest of the time it resides in a heated garage. There are times when the Dodge may not start for up to 2 weeks at a time. Do any of you think there is any chance I'm allowing any damage to occur by the inactivity of the engine? My truck is on a strict 3,000 mile oil change program using Delo 15-40. Another factor to consider in this question is the fact that I live in the high desert of Northern Nevada where the average relative humidity hovers around 20%. When I do start the truck it is usually headed for a trip of at least three hundred miles. I currently have 33,000 miles on this truck which was purchased in Sept of 01. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

 

[FourBarR]

engine storage

hi sageair

i would not be concerned in your situation . i have a 98. 5 with 143000 mi . i live in a very wet inviorment , west caost bc . i would be concerned to leave my truck for any length of time here. if our aircraft dont fly for 30 days the engine gets inhibited. dont worry be happy , and enjoy your truck. Oo. Oo.

 

[willyslover]

Just pop the hood once a week and remove the mice beds off the exhust manifold and all is well

 

[LSMITH]

No chance of damage at all unless it is the mice:-laf , just run it.

 

[Deezal Man]

Up till recently, my 98. 5 has been used almost exactly like yours. Never an issue.



Common problems from "sitting" result from dried out seals... translating into leaks. This doesn't happen in only 14 days. Especially if your truck is in a heated garage. Moisture is always an enemy.

 

[illflem]

No problem

Just think of all the Cummins and other diesel engine brands used for emergency power at hospitals, etc. Except for the occasional test start they may sit there for years waiting for the one time the power goes out then be expected to start right up under full load...

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Cummins says

I saw a post eons ago where this subject came up. If the engine hasn't been started for some time (ie, weeks) Cummins recommends spinning the engine over without starting it for a few seconds to get oil pumping, then fire it off. This will require either removing Fuse #9 or setting up a switch on that circuit to interrupt the "run" command to the injection system so you can turn it over without it firing up.



Vaughn



ps: Sageair, I drive my CTD exactly like you don't want to drive it. . . lots of short trips where it doesn't hardly warm up much in the winter. I drive 3. 5 miles to work. During the week I would estimate 50-75% of my mileage is at less than operating temperature. I usually make up for it on weekend trips. Good news is, I do an oil sample every 10,000 miles and they always come back excellent. . . very low wear, no moisture or fuel, and low soot. I change my oil every 20,000 miles

 

[BigBadDodge]

When I was stationed on a ship out of Wilmington NC, we would get underway for 6 to 8 weeks at a time my rig sat there on the water front the whole time, and when I came back she fired right up with no problems. I disconected the batteries, that was it.



BBD

 

[DBoyd]

On my '97, which sits w/o starting for 2 weeks to a month at a time, I unplug the wire that runs to the fuel solenoid and spin the engine on the starter till I see oil pressure, then plug the solenoid back in and fire it up.