Too Much Idling?
08-04-2007 | 04:16 AM
#16
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 5,680
Likes: 2
From: McKinney, TX
08-04-2007 | 12:29 PM
#17
DTR's 'Wrench thrower...' And he aims for the gusto...
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,668
Likes: 3
From: Smith Valley, NV (sometimes Redwood City, CA)
To Hohn and Dieseljunky,
I am not saying that it is "good" for it. I am just saying I haven't seen any proof that it "hurts" it to idle.
Sure fleet managers are going to gripe about idling. It burns more fuel to idle than not. Fuel costs money.
I agree with you that it probably does shorten the life of the engine some. It is still putting wear on it to run. Of course, cranking it on a cold morning puts wear on it too....so how much wear the idling causes vs. the cold start...hmmm......honestly I don't know.
My point is a thread will pop up here every so often and create a debate like we are having here now. But in the end, nobody has provided a documented case of engine failure due to the idling that im aware of.
This board has almost 39,000 members. Some are very abusive to their trucks in many different ways. Excessive idling. Excessive horsepower. Pulling excessive loads in excessive cold or heat. I don't see any reporting any failures due to idling. You do read threads about blown head gaskets due to high pressure though...for example. You do read about transmission failures. You do read about lift pump failures.
Problems due to excessive idling?....SHOW ME.
I am not saying that it is "good" for it. I am just saying I haven't seen any proof that it "hurts" it to idle.
Sure fleet managers are going to gripe about idling. It burns more fuel to idle than not. Fuel costs money.
I agree with you that it probably does shorten the life of the engine some. It is still putting wear on it to run. Of course, cranking it on a cold morning puts wear on it too....so how much wear the idling causes vs. the cold start...hmmm......honestly I don't know.
My point is a thread will pop up here every so often and create a debate like we are having here now. But in the end, nobody has provided a documented case of engine failure due to the idling that im aware of.
This board has almost 39,000 members. Some are very abusive to their trucks in many different ways. Excessive idling. Excessive horsepower. Pulling excessive loads in excessive cold or heat. I don't see any reporting any failures due to idling. You do read threads about blown head gaskets due to high pressure though...for example. You do read about transmission failures. You do read about lift pump failures.
Problems due to excessive idling?....SHOW ME.
I agree completely. This is a non-issue that has turned into a big debate. If someone needs to idle for extended periods, fine. It's their machine and they are using it for their needs. To cause someone to worry that they will ruin their CTD because they idled it for a while is ridiculous.
Now let's move on to drag racing, sled pulling, or towing while bombed. Third gear burnouts, etc. If you want to recomend against something that "might" damage the engine, go to these subjects.
Or talk about startup wear in cold climates.
Meanwhile, let's not panic till someone shows us a blown up Cummins that was left idleing while they waited at a stop light. Or someone blows one up that ran for a month in Alaska because it was too cold to shut it down.
Remember, these are just machines. And they are very robust. We have them to serve us and our needs. The more we beecome a slave to them, the less valuable they are. I say use your truck in the way that serves you best, enjoy what it can do, and don't try to dream up something to worry about.
John
08-04-2007 | 01:15 PM
#19
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,118
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From: Winchester, TN
From the time you slow down and pull into a parking lot somewhere cruising around looking for a parking spot your turbo is cooling down. When you park it's ready to turn off. As soon as you slow down and you're rpms stay relatively low that counts as cooldown time. If you pull a 6% mountain grade get to the top and suddenly decide to pull over and kill the engine it might be a good idea to let it idle for about 3 minutes. So you get the idea. Use your own judgement. Nintey% of the time just shutting the truck down as soon as you stop is fine. Turbo timers are useless.
08-04-2007 | 01:16 PM
#20
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,043
Likes: 2
From: Skiatook OK currently Pecos TX
I start my pickup about 6 in the morning and shut it off about 6 at night most days. Ive never had any problems it runs from daylight till dark All my pickups have done this for the last 10 years. I'm not saying its good for them but I have had no mechanical problems from doing this.
08-04-2007 | 02:21 PM
#21
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 813
Likes: 0
From: manteca ca
thanks for the info on the cool down as far as the idle issue i am new to the cummings truck i do how ever have a very intamite knowlage with heavy equipment and lets all face it a diesel is a diesel they all work on the same principals cat cummings deer all the same idea and i have a 320 cat that has over 10,000 hours of nothing but idle time and wide open time we have had to do some work to it such as head gaskets and so on but nothing major and lets face it the average american truck owner will not own a truck long enough to see the impacts of idel time on a truck sure it leads to build up on the valves but when you run that truck hard it burns off most of the build up. i think most of the ppl who say its a prob have a point but how valid is that point when the average american will trade his truck in 3 or 4 years latter. i love my truck but its a truck and i will use it as a tool that helps me threw my day and in a few years i will trade it in and get another
08-04-2007 | 02:39 PM
#22
Registered User
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 6,564
Likes: 6
From: Cummins Technical Center, IN
To Hohn and Dieseljunky,
I am not saying that it is "good" for it. I am just saying I haven't seen any proof that it "hurts" it to idle.
Sure fleet managers are going to gripe about idling. It burns more fuel to idle than not. Fuel costs money.
I agree with you that it probably does shorten the life of the engine some. It is still putting wear on it to run. Of course, cranking it on a cold morning puts wear on it too....so how much wear the idling causes vs. the cold start...hmmm......honestly I don't know.
My point is a thread will pop up here every so often and create a debate like we are having here now. But in the end, nobody has provided a documented case of engine failure due to the idling that im aware of.
This board has almost 39,000 members. Some are very abusive to their trucks in many different ways. Excessive idling. Excessive horsepower. Pulling excessive loads in excessive cold or heat. I don't see any reporting any failures due to idling. You do read threads about blown head gaskets due to high pressure though...for example. You do read about transmission failures. You do read about lift pump failures.
Problems due to excessive idling?....SHOW ME.
I am not saying that it is "good" for it. I am just saying I haven't seen any proof that it "hurts" it to idle.
Sure fleet managers are going to gripe about idling. It burns more fuel to idle than not. Fuel costs money.
I agree with you that it probably does shorten the life of the engine some. It is still putting wear on it to run. Of course, cranking it on a cold morning puts wear on it too....so how much wear the idling causes vs. the cold start...hmmm......honestly I don't know.
My point is a thread will pop up here every so often and create a debate like we are having here now. But in the end, nobody has provided a documented case of engine failure due to the idling that im aware of.
This board has almost 39,000 members. Some are very abusive to their trucks in many different ways. Excessive idling. Excessive horsepower. Pulling excessive loads in excessive cold or heat. I don't see any reporting any failures due to idling. You do read threads about blown head gaskets due to high pressure though...for example. You do read about transmission failures. You do read about lift pump failures.
Problems due to excessive idling?....SHOW ME.
My specific reference in this case is a Cummins TSB dealing with idling in arctic temps:
http://dodgeram.info/tsb/2000/cummins01-06-00.htm
Idling in Georgia heat isn't harmless, but as close as you can get.
JH
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