Do you leave your diesel running ...?
I see many diesel drivers who leave the engine running while fueling (or other short-term occasions). For a while, I asked why they did that, just to see what their reason was. Never got the same answ...
Forum Discussion
majorgator wrote:naturist wrote:
The 18 wheelers can point to the wear on their starter motor and batteries vs the teaspoon of diesel fuel needed to idle for 20 minutes.
We've all seen semi's with an idling engine, at the fuel pump, stopped at a delivery, overnighting...
Funny thing is that I haven't been able to point to any specific reason why they do it anymore. Anytime we get a freight delivery from a major commercial carrier, they shut the engine off when the get out of the truck. Even its only for a few minutes, they still do it. Look at the smaller companies that do commercial hauling, and their drivers leave it running. Look at the owner-operator and he turns it off. I once had an owner-operator tell me that if someone's leaving it running, its because they don't own it and don't pay the fuel. So who really knows.n old friend of mine drives 18 wheelers for a living. He used to shut them off. Then one time when it was VERY inconvienient, it wouldn't start.
He never shut one off again, till it was time to go home.
For me, the answer is yes, I leave it running.
For me, the answer is not, I don't leave it running.
Really, though, it just depends on what I'm doing. If I'm hopping out for a quick top-off, then I let her run. On a cold morning when the truck hasn't reached operating temp yet, or on a hot day when I want to keep the cab cool, I let her run. At a fast-food drive through or bank line, I turn it off (for the other people). But my truck fuels better with less air-lock when its not running, so I almost always shut down for a complete fill up.
I let me gas vehicles run all the time when I'm fueling. Always have.
But I never shut down my diesel if my EGT's are still high.
