.boB

I've been reading a lot about cold morning starts, front covers, etc. I'm new to diesels, so I have to ask a lot of basic questions.

What is the most efficient operating temp? What is hot, and what is cold?

dslpwr81

Run between 190 and 210. You will hear a lot of diff. operating temps that people see. Some run 190, some run 210. Hot is probably around 230 or higher. Cold, don't strees the motor, or put a load on it until the needle comes off the bottom or shows some temp.

snoyes

My truck is normally in the 195-205 range.... Do you have some sort of aftermarket guages or are you going by the factory guages?

.boB

That's about what I figured, but wanted to be sure. I'm going strictly by factory gauges. That gets it in the ball park, although probably not completly accurate.

newtonhubcap

I am not sure if I am approaching this in the correct forum but I have a 2003 Dodge Cummins and I am some what confused at the rate it warms up to 190-195. It seems to take forever to get to full operating temps. Now, I do live in Wisconsin where for the past 2 months we have not had many nights above 0 degrees. Reason why I ask this is a friend of mine has a 2006 Ford F-350 6.0 L diesel and his rig warms up substainally faster than my rig. Question, is this the trait of Cummins or is there something I am overlooking like replace the thermostat (truck has 60,650 miles). I will mention that I do run with a winter cover on the truck.

Thanks for all replays.

Hounddog

Your truck is normal.

stealman1

I have the Commander gauge and although the factory gauge shows 190 when fully warmed up the Commander only shows 172. Does anyone else see this with there Commander?

NickBeek

newton, it is the nature of our beast. The ford has egr and variable pitch turbo that it's computer can use to get it warmer faster. Our trucks don't have those fancy breakable items so we take a little longer to warm up, But we are more reliable and powerful.

You could install an exhaust brake and get quicker warm ups and better braking, but that is an awful expensive warmer. Now if you tow heavy often, it would probably be a good investment.

To the OP my truck runs 200 +/- depending on outside temps and engine load.

quadman20

Yep warming up 3gals of oil 3 gals of water and the 15 quarts of tranny fluid can take some time. I drive 15 minutes to work and I'm just getting to 190. Now max I've seen in the summer pulling 9k up 6% in 110+ is about 215*

.boB

SInce RPM's heat oil, and the truck never see's more than 3K, I would expect that in the winter the oil would never get really warm. I don't have a manual yet, so I don't know if there's any kind of heat exchanger on the truck. But I never read about any problems with this, so I won't worry about it.

Fruitman

The other morning, 7 degrees, I started it up, went back out about 45 minutes later, still not at normal. My MPGs drop to under 17 in the winter just because of warm-up time.

It's funny, I live in the country and the terrain is hilly, and most houses are not so near. There are a couple diesels in the neighborhood, one a big rig. It's like a diesel symphony up there in the woods early in the morning. We do our part to help the ozone along.

Note - Do like dslpwr81 said, and the manual, try not to drive it until it comes off the lowest mark to the left and then, keep it under 2 grand until the needle gets outta that area between the lowest mark and the next mark on the low end of the stock guage. And I take it easy until it's at least half way to normal.

Rob

Ace

They don't make much heat just sitting there running. The best way to warm it up is to drive it. Drive it towing, even better. Idling to warm up a diesel is a waste of fuel. Even at a high idle you may not be hurting it and warming it only slightly faster, but still pretty much a waste of time. Low speed idling may even harm it from cylinder wash, long term.

Fruitman

Wow, and i've always been just a "do what the manual says" kinda guy. I even stand there a while to smoke a cig and cringe each time it goes up to a grand during idle warm-up. I figured that even though it's designed to do that it can't be good for it at that cold a temp.
Rob

Oh, 26 bucks for a Cummins T-Stat from the distributor in my areas. FYI.

Lost Lake

My Commander pegs it at 189. Sometimes it will hit 188 or 190, but the thermostat compensates and that sucker stays right at 189.

Turbo boost I can get to 39 unloaded pretty easily. I'll have to see what I can do loaded and lugging it.

Fruitman

Before all this fluctuation started mine would barely budge either way off of the 190 mark.

Hmmmm, 110 bucks for the dealer to flush/fill/pressure test. I wonder how much 5 gals of this HD coolant and radiator flush costs locally + my time and the chance of not doing it right?

Rob