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Idling a diesel

showcrop

showcrop

Well-known Member
This subject comes up every now and then, and I will tell my story of how my truck cooled down more idling than shut off, and it also comes up how many new trucks are programmed to shut off or to go to high idle to protect the motors from the harm of idling. A few days ago I noted that a friend had his 6.0 idling when I went by one time and still idling when I stopped in 20 minutes later. Today I was doing some hooking and unhooking and getting ready to pull a trailer on an errand. I had the EGR deleted on this truck about two years ago after having the oil cooler go bad. This morning it had not warmed up yet and as I walked back to it the white/gray smoke that is so typical of a diesel that is not yet up to temp was wafting out of the pipe and I thought how if I still had the EGR, how the motor would be sucking that stuff in and getting plugged up all over again. Out of sight, out of mind I guess.
 
The little VW Diesel I had would not come up to operating temperature by idling. Some models even had a glow plug in the coolant to try to put heat in the engine. I always drove it easy until it warmed up.
On shutting down, I never shut down when super hot, like pulling off at a highway rest stop. I always let things cool off for a minute or so. I live two block off the freeway, so when coming home I figure coasting down on the off ramp and idling home is enough.
Now these new engines, I don't know. I wonder about ambulances since they have all the emissions stuff on them. Need to keep them running for the equipment inside, but too small for an APU.

Josh
 
My tractor owner"s manual says idling and warm-up are two different things. Warm-up is supposed to be 1200 RPM for 3 or 4 minutes, idling is 725 RPM.
 
Truck manual says that on a Turbo'd engine your
supposed to idle the engine for at least 3 minutes
to give the Turbo a chance to cool down before
shutting the engine off.
 
The 1956 B61 Mack I drove had a tag on the dash that said to idle it for 5 minutes after starting and 5 minutes before shutting down. Pretty sure there was a reason for it. I wish I had that old Mack now.
 
(quoted from post at 08:30:50 03/27/14) Truck manual says that on a Turbo'd engine your
supposed to idle the engine for at least 3 minutes
to give the Turbo a chance to cool down before
shutting the engine off.
Click to expand...

The need to cool a turbo for three minutes after a HARD PULL is extremely rare for a truck, simply because you are almost always going to drive on level ground and then make your way to a place to park before getting to where you may shut it off. About the only time it would be necessary is after pulling a hill. I drive a 2013 Mack occasionally and if it needs to cool down before shut down the computer makes it do it, otherwise it shuts right down. Idling while out of the truck for ten-thirty minutes shortens the engine's life.
 
People won't know how cool you are and what a
he-man trucker you are at the grocery store, if you don't let your diesel idle in the parking lot. Rule around here is the less you earn as an hourly wage, the more your truck must idle in the parking lot to compensate. 90% of idling has nothing to do with the engine and everything to do with the owners self image.
 
(quoted from post at 20:53:34 03/27/14) ...... 90% of idling has nothing to do with the engine and everything to do with the owners self image.
Click to expand...

So the question becomes: Do YOU idle yours, Edd?
 
(quoted from post at 19:53:34 03/27/14) People won't know how cool you are and what a
he-man trucker you are at the grocery store, if you don't let your diesel idle in the parking lot. Rule around here is the less you earn as an hourly wage, the more your truck must idle in the parking lot to compensate. 90% of idling has nothing to do with the engine and everything to do with the owners self image.
Click to expand...

I think that you probably have it there,Edd.
 
A diesel by design , not having an intake throttle . Which
operates the engine excessively lean with unused airflow
passing through the combustion chamber. They operate too
cold to be efficient at idle,"light loads and low rpm.
Applies to combustion gas turbine and boilers too.
This is why is light duty putting around operating and light
highway use. A gasser is cheaper to run than a diesel.
On the other hand , in a constant heavily loaded state. A
diesel is the hands down winner over a gasoline . Eg field
tractors ploughing, heavy highway tractors,marine propulsion
and utility peak power generation.
 
For the type driving I do, I can not justify the cost of a diesel truck, and it is really not as well suited to short hops and lots of stop/start driving.

As for the unnecessary noise and black smoke, I really don't much want to generate either of those.

Generally,I use my gas tractors in winter for short runs and small jobs. Diesel tractor for bigger jobs and mowing and haying in the summer.
 

If you go over to the FTE board(FORD TRUCK ENTHUSIAST) every two weeks there is somebody that wants advice as to weather he or she should buy a diesel or a gas engine.My only thought is if you don't know,you don't need a diesel.
 
The only reason I would idle for more than a few minutes in the morning is if theres frost on the windows.
When I make runs to the package store, or any store for that sake, I may leave it idling in the parking lot if I am simply running in and out. Has nothing to do with my manhood. I think that over the years of doing that a starter simply wears out faster.
 
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