coloradotruck

What's the real story? Should I be letting my diesel idle in the morning to warm up on cold winter mornings or is this killing the engine.
I keep the RPM's at 1000 for the first minute or so to kick oil up and then let it idle for about 15min before leaving for work.
I usually plug it in at night also.
Thanks

79warlock

Depends on temperature, it may tell you in your owner's manual. If you get cold temps and allow for extended idling, carbon can build up and cause piston to valve contact resulting in at leas a bent push rod tube. How cold of a morning are we talking here?

TIMMY22

thats fine.

I wouldn't try to let it idle till you make heat in the cab. this could be a while.
Mine will make good heat about 2-3 miles down the road (depending on outdoor temp).

79warlock

What year is your truck also.

DodgeCowboy

I idel up the truck in my sig too about 1100 and let it idel while i am feeding the horses and that give me defrosted windows and a warm cab.

Shovelhead

Fast idling @ 1100-1200 rpm is recommended by Cummins if you're going to let it run for more than 10 minutes.
The Dealer can enable a fast idle in your ECM by plugging it into their DRB and punching the correct buttons.
But that only works below certain outside temps and whether or not the Block Heater was plugged in.

I use a stick cut to the correct length to allow 1200 rpm.
Works anywhere, anytime.

WVAussie

Good tip, got any on how you keep your truck so clean.

Shovelhead

Old picture.

coloradotruck

Thanks for the suggestions.
Truck is an 01 dodge with 150,000
Mornings here recently have been from5 to 30 degrees.
I like the stick idea,,,goes to show that no matter how much technology we have sometimes the simple approach is still the best

Ram1999

Mine will not warm up from just setting at idle. I now have a Smarty so it will idle up when it's cold, then it does warm up some. I usually hit the road, run it in forth gear at 2000 RPM for a few miles, that warms it up good.

ajg617

I plug it in for about 4-6 hours before starting. We've been getting low teens and supposed to be going close to 0 the next few nights. The plug makes a big difference in how quickly mine warms up and how noisy it is when it starts. Seems to help the tranny shift better also. Chews up electricity though. Been toying with getting a 15 amp timer from Home Depot so I don't have to plug it in as long.

TIMMY22

I have an outdoor timer that comes on at 5am and off at 7am. I just screwed the timer to a 3 foot piece of 2x4. I lean the 2x4 against the back of the house next to the outlet with a 75 foot extension cord pluged into it.

when it's going to be cold and I have to go out early, I just plug it in at night and let the timer do the rest.

JKM

Just to add on to what ED stated , they can also enable 3 cylinder high idle ,and they can also enable a manual high idle , controlled with the cruise switches.

All of those options are only available on 24V trucks though, us 12v guys get to carry around a stick.

zulusafari

I idle mine, but I also like to give it some load. I have put it in Drive, set the parking brake while the truck is chocked from the front to absolutely prevent movement. This way, I heat my tranny a little, too. I do not have the dealer enabled high idle, so I don't have to worry about the rise in RPM's overpowering my brakes or wheel chock. If you have the option, I prefer the dealer flash or parking stick, but I have had many neighbors complain if I idle at anything over Stock. I am moving, so I won't have to listen to their prejudiced gripes anymore!!

Clayten

I just flip on the Pac Brake and let it idle. Before the Pac I would use the stick at 1000 rpm. With the Pac it warms up 50% faster.