Hello out there...I have a simple question about idling...I have a 3500 5.9ltr 2003 dodge Laramie...now that its getting cold and I sleep in my truck for work @ nite..I was told that i should increase my idling rpms while the truck is sitting and keeping me warm..any reasonable logic to increasing the rpm's and what is the recommended increase..i have gone to 1,000 rpms and that seems to be effective..Thanks for all the input

 

The ECM on a 2003 does not support the manual high idle with cruise control. Your truck will automatically idle up when it gets below 32 deg. The reason to idle the truck up is to prevent washing down the cylinder walls with unburnt fuel. Not sure where you are at and how cold you are talking.

 

I took my '03 up to Boreal ski resort and it was blowing snow and just plain nasty. We sat in the truck with the engine runnin and the heater on full while waiting for the bad weather to blow thru. Every sooften the truck would automatically tach up to about 1200-1500 rpm and stay there for about 10-15 seconds. Then drop back to the 750-800 rpm it usually had for idle. Scared the hel;l out of me the first time it did it! It was about 20 degrees outside when this was happening. Maybe yours will automatically idle up on it's own as well. Mine is all stock.

 

Spooler...thanks for your input about my winter idling..I was told that if i am letting my truck run @ nite when the temp is 0 degress celsius or lower..that it is better for the engine to rev at 1100 or 1200 rpm..or is it better just to leave the revs alone and let the engine run normal at idle for extended periods of time..say 6 to 7 hours...thanks

 

It is better to run it at 1000-1200 RPM when its that chilly out or worse, being Canadian I don't refer to 0 degrees as cold yet............ but I understand your concern for sure.

how many miles or approx. hours on your truck?

 

I would idle it at 1100 rpms or so. That should prevent the "wet stacking" as they call it. If it won't do in automatically get a broom stick handle and size it to fit for the really manual high idle.

 

Hey Spooler..much appreciate your input..have been using a barbell to dothe job..just wanted to make sure that this was a good idea..and by the comments i've gotten..sounds fine..keep the shinney side up..

 

Hello you all...well my 3500 5.9l decided that the cruse control needed a holiday..any ideas on getting this back up and running..someone said that it could be a vaccum pump problem...have not idea..no lights on the dash..cuise turns on and does everything except to connect ..brakes and heat etc all work fine...any fuses..possible on this cruise?...
Your ideas and input are appreciated...thanks

 

that s/b check engine lights..not appearing on the dash

 

Just a wild guess, but my wife's '03 Hondas cruise stopped working with no lights or codes. The car wouldn't start one day and it turned out to be the brake pedal switch. Once the switch was replaced everything was fine, including the cruise control.

Good luck getting it figured out.

 

If your cruise doesn't work I would look into the vaccum pump line having a leak. Vaccum pump is behind/beside the passenger side battery. That poly line is known for having issues and leaking. Trace the whole line. Hopefully your vacuum pump did not take a dump.