Facts about diesel ideling

GordonThree wrote:
If all these facts are so well known, why do so many leave their diesel pickup idle, for example, the entire time they're setting up or breaking camp, half an hour, maybe more? When are all diesel going to come with an automatic shutdown on idle?

They let them idle because they don't know any better. Either that or they just like the noise and the smell.

I had one start up and idle at 7:15 this morning just a couple of yards from my bedroom slide. The noise and exhaust smell made me have to get up and leave the bedroom. Some people are so SELF CENTERED that they don't give a #$@&.

GordonThree wrote:
If all these facts are so well known, why do so many leave their diesel pickup idle, for example, the entire time they're setting up or breaking camp, half an hour, maybe more? When are all diesel going to come with an automatic shutdown on idle?

These are people that either are living in the past, what we call Bro Dozers or just simply uniformed. EGT gives a good indication of turbo temperature and that is usually the last thing to cool down once parked. I like to see under 200 degrees before I shut down and with a old engine I get there within 30-60 seconds. Newer trucks with all the black magic under the hood take longer but can't imagine any would need longer than 3-4 minuets to cool down.

In the old days truckers would idle all night long for two main reasons. Heat was one as there was no other source of not freezing while you slept and also you just didn't know if your truck would start again.

jjj wrote:
Also to add that here in California there is a 5 minute idle law.You can get a ticket if your found idling over 5 minutes. I drive a Semi here in cali. and know a few who have tagged by the man for it.Our Freightliners even come from the factory with a 5 min shut down if it idles over 5 minutes.

5 Minute idle law is for commercial vehicles only? I know our equipment at work has warning stickers about it and cite the code violation but don't think it apples to private not for hire vehicles.

Interesting timing on this post. Yesterday my wife and I went to the Home Depot here in Las Cruces, NM, to pick up some project stuff for the rig. A few spaces from where we parked the car (we run errands in the Corolla - not the F-350) there was an older Dodge with the Cummins diesel. The truck was unoccupied and idling (very noisily, I might add). We were in the store for a good 30 minutes and, when we came back out to leave, the Dodge was still there... unoccupied and idling. Methinks is was probably a younger guy and a testosterone thing. It certainly didn't seem smart or necessary to me. Oh - temp was in the low 70s and I was in shorts and a T-shirt, so cold weather wasn't a factor.

Rob

I NEVER bring my rigs up to full temp towing or not. "IF" I need to idle I will have my EB turned ON.

I have the oil reports to prove my engine is doing great NOT warming up the engine. 98 12V, 2011 HO Cummins and 15 Cummins HO.

GordonThree wrote:
If all these facts are so well known, why do so many leave their diesel pickup idle, for example, the entire time they're setting up or breaking camp, half an hour, maybe more? When are all diesel going to come with an automatic shutdown on idle?

To bring the engine up to operating temperature, starting a cold diesel and pulling a heavy load you will see degraded performance.
I start mine and activate the EB to bring to operating temps before pulling out.

Diesel engines are giant air pumps and will warm up very little even at a higher idle UNLESS the exhaust brake comes on to make it work a bit harder. The best is to idle it long enough to get it lubed up and then start out slowly.

My 2001.5 had a cold weather 3 cylinder idle feature that kicked in at about 15 degrees. With the Bank EB in warm up mode the engine would die when three cylinder idle kick in!!! Something that Dodge did not account for, as they did not put exhaust brakes on in those years.

My 2015 has both high idle and exhaust brake idle for warm up. We idle for AC here in snowbird country once and a while and I see a noticeable drop in mileage.

Chris

GordonThree wrote:
If all these facts are so well known, why do so many leave their diesel pickup idle, for example, the entire time they're setting up or breaking camp, half an hour, maybe more?

Part of the myth that is hard to get people to let go of is:
The diesel engine uses so little fuel at idle that it takes more to restart it than to let it idle for XX minutes.

Of course that is absolutely false because with fuel injection and a warm/hot engine it takes almost NO additional fuel to restart.

It is a tough myth to break though. In Orlando, Fl on the SunRail commuter line, they let the diesel locomotives run at idle between scheduled runs. Mid-day that can be as much as TWO HOURS. And those are BIG engines. Stupid.

It may be me, but I won't take off until my oil reaches at minimum 60 degrees. Then I let it idle for a 30 seconds to a few minutes, depending on temp, before shutting it down. Didn't realized this caused concern with people.

If all these facts are so well known, why do so many leave their diesel pickup idle, for example, the entire time they're setting up or breaking camp, half an hour, maybe more? When are all diesel going to come with an automatic shutdown on idle?