Facts about diesel ideling

Owner operator with 40 years exp(who tows his W+P 5th wheel with the big truck) here.
I avoid idling, have the 5 minute shutdown engaged in the ECM. If it is going to be below 10 deg F I will start it a few times while sleeping in it to insure it starts in the am, letting the diesel fired aux heater(webasto) keep me warm in the cab. Service calls are big bucks.
Most municipalities that have idling laws also specify temps when extended idling is allowed. Nothing uniform. Very few truck stops have any shore power.
Unnecessary idling is one of the biggest problems in the trucking industry. Huge amount of misinformation and downright selfishness out there. I am sitting next to a major truckload company truck right now who has idled at least 6 hours and it is 60 degrees outside.
Major big truck engine manufacturers all say the same thing. Start the truck, let the temp gauge show a little movement, start driving but don't put serious load on the engine until at operating temperature. And this is aimed towards the operator of a vehicle grossing 80k lbs.

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Looks good to me!

Yep, love my mid 90s 5.9L Cummins engine too. Best thing about it is that it is installed in my boat. Ya, it is loud. 7" diameter exhaust out the back. You don't want to hear me starting up early in the morning.

Cummins12V98 wrote:

GWolfe wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Looks good to me!

My first thought was of the movie "Twister" when I saw this.

Great looking truck, my favorite body style of the Dodge/Ram trucks, although the first gen with the Cummins in the ext cab looks pretty awesome too.

Sorry got a little off topic.

Thanks, the 3rd gen wheels really look great IMHO!

These are by far the toughest and easiest to maintain Dodges on the road. Although you won't win any friends when you start it up early in the a.m.!!!

The first myth about idling for warm up time is in direct contravention of my owners manual. My manula states that, the vehicle should not be driven at higher than 1200 RPM until the engine reaches normal operating temperature.

Beside the fact that this article seems to be geared toward the commercial trucking industry, not the personal owner.

GWolfe wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Looks good to me!

My first thought was of the movie "Twister" when I saw this.

Great looking truck, my favorite body style of the Dodge/Ram trucks, although the first gen with the Cummins in the ext cab looks pretty awesome too.

Sorry got a little off topic.

Thanks, the 3rd gen wheels really look great IMHO!

blt2ski wrote:
Some of you are forgetting about the old 2cycle detroits with wet? sleeved cylinders. If you did not warm them up before a hard start, the cylinder would come out! THAT is and only HAS been the reason from what I have heard to truly warm up a diesel.
For some, yes, overnight sleeping in a cab. But as noted, one needs to keep the motor at a higher then normal low idle.
I've never generally speaking let any of my now about 6 different diesels to idle at start up for long. My equipment will idle per say for 5-10 minutes. but that is so the hydraulic oil etc warms up. The motor, start up and go generally speaking.

Trains, some boats etc, they leave the motors when stopped, so the units have AC power, due to many being a diesel run generator. WHile the diesel needs to run, the generator runs the AC and DC with in the unit. So shutting them down is not always in the best interest of ALL involved.

Marty

I ran many Detroits in sub zero weather. They often needed a lot of either to start, but never had one come apart. The hydraulics always worked immediately also.
Really enjoyed the 8V92's.

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Looks good to me!

My first thought was of the movie "Twister" when I saw this.

Great looking truck, my favorite body style of the Dodge/Ram trucks, although the first gen with the Cummins in the ext cab looks pretty awesome too.

Sorry got a little off topic.

I grew up in a trucking family. My parents owned Moving and storage agencies from So California to North Carolina. We owned probably a hundred trucks most diesels. I grew up repairing them and driving them and loving them.

My dad (stepfather) was an idler for sure...got to let it idle! Until my Mother (the brains and the CFO) showed him we could save probably $25k a year in fuel if the drivers just shut off the trucks most of the time.

Our 1964 Cadillac cost $7000 new my Mother told him. That's three free Cadillacs...(plus some new clothes for her)

The order went out...Cut the idling by at least half. And despite my Dads contention that it might affect repair and reliability it didn't.

I remember this all so well as it was dinner time argument for a long time.

This is an economic argument too. Why waste the money? Ya you may be richer than God but you didnt get that way by needlessly wasting it.

FishOnOne wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Looks good to me!

Now that's a nice lookin truck.

Thanks!

I may be buying it back from my Son.

hotpepperkid wrote:
Its my truck my fuel and my money, if I want to let it idle all day I will. If it is really hot out and it get that way in AZ and I going into a store in is going to be idling with the AC on until I come out and if I lived where it was 0 I would let it idle with the heater on until I come out of the store however long it takes

It is your truck and your money however it is definitely NOT just your AIR you are needlessly polluting. And doing so for the worst reasons... your personal comfort level.

But it is definitely NOT good for a diesel to idle for long periods unless the idle is raised up.

My Dodge has this feature and I thought the others did too but maybe not. I just hit the cruise "on" button and then "set" and the idle will raise up to a safe level if you want it higher just keep hitting set.

Idling while you are shopping so your cab can be cool is just irresponsible in this day and age.