ideling for extented periods of time...
 

do you guys prefer leaving your trucks ideling or turning them on and off alot?? i had always heard that its better for them to leave them ideling, rather than shutting them off, running into a station say..then back out and starting them...so i try to do that most of the time..esp in the cold....but recently i had someone tell me that its not good on them to sit and idel for a long period of time..whats your opinions on this?

I will let mine idle if it's not quite warmed up yet. but I'll usually turn it off when warm to run in for a Dew. I'm trying to get the best mileage possible, so idling = 0 mpg.
I understand that it takes so little fuel to run our trucks at idle that it will allow the engine to get cool if you idle for a long period. An exhaust brake engaged will keep heat in. Maybe someone else can chime in and give specifics as to what happens when you idle our trucks for a long time.
Mike

I have run mine for up to a week in extremely cold weather...always high idle them 1100-1200rpm and it will maintain the heat no problem. This is a lot easier on them then using a tiger-torch to get enough heat to start them. Running into a store...i would never consider shutting it down. Going to a movie...maybe again depending on the temp. It was -43 here yesterday, started it at 6am and didnt shut it off until 8pm last night. Today its +11, and snow is melting-strange weather we are having!

unless u high idle the cool air entering will cool the engine down abit...and then there is the issue of bent push rod tubes.....but never ever heard of that happening.....

Idling for an extended period of time is not a good idea.

There are times when it is the Best or Only alternative!! Weather dependant!

I agree with this but I also see you are increasing your idle. 800-900RPMs all day long is a bad idea.

If I'm on a trip towin or have driven the truck for awhile at higher RPM's I let it idle for a bit before shutting it off just so the EGT's can chill out and the turbo can cool down.

These motors are darn near bulletproof just make sure you take care of the turbo and the thing will go forever.

I will agree with that 100%!

They say extended idleing will allow carbon buildup and decrease performance.

My Kenworth has been ideling for the past week straight... Only thing you have to remember is idle it up to where YOUR TRUCK runs the best and once and a while go out and "rev" er up to get rid of the fuel build up... Just my 2 cents...

I agree. people think that because semis run all day and night that its ok to do the same with pickup trucks [nonono]

alright...well thanks alot....i know our trucks arent the same as semis..but when i bought my first diesel i knew absolutly nothing about them..except they pulled good and sounded cool..and i was always told its ok to leave them running..and acaully better for them...and had never heard any differnt, but i got to thinking about it and thought i would find out the truth...so thanks again guys..

This topic comes up a lot. I know people who never shut there trucks off in the winter months and they never idle them up. I always idle mine up to a least 1100 or more depending on temp. I use my truck as my office so it gets started @ 05:00 and doesn't shut off until 19:00 or later every day. Right now I have 170000 km or just over 100000 miles and 5600 hours on the engine. Just to give you an idea on how much my truck idles. I have been told its about engine temp and fuel not burning that causes the problems.

I keep hearing different sides of this deal and I'm not sure what is best for me. I usually leave it running when out feeding the cows or running into the store, but here lately with the negative temps we have been having in Missouri I don't hardly shut it down until I'm ready to plug it in and call it quits for the day. I know when I was younger and I drove tow trucks we never shut those powerstrokes down unless it was going into the garage and they never seemed to have any problems with them.