A couple of questions?

1. First of all, what is that thing (kind of acts like a CHOKE) when its too cold and the truck just idles for a few min in the morning and all of the sudden the truck starts idling at 1000rpm and NOT 750, what exaclty is that called?

2. How long do you wait for the engine temps to get untill you start moving. I dont believe in waiting forever for it to warm-up but about 2-3 mintues MAX and that point its at about 80 degrees and I just start off driving slow untill about 150 or so when I know its getting warmer and I can feel the heat blowing.

Im pretty sure this is a NORTHERN climate question ONLY

 

While it might be more relevant for the yankees among us, us southern boys can get pretty cold here to (30's are cold). I usually drive off as soon as the fluid in the tranny gets pumped up and oil pressure is up(about 30sec). I just drive very slowly and try not to take it over 1500-1600rpm's until I see the temp gauge come up. The engine doesn't like it but then again my engine has never liked the cold. It's a lot like me in that aspect.

When the engine automatically raises the idle it's just the factory high idle program kicking in.

 

When its cold outside you dont want to let it idle very long to warm up. I usually just take off as soon as I start it, just dont haul a** until you have given the motor time to warm up to operating temperature. You can blow a head gasket doing that before its warmed up. The reason you dont want to let it idle in the winter time is because the fuel can wash down the cylinder walls, thats why the high idle feature kicks in, it bumps your rpms up to 1000 instead of 750. I would have the high idle feature enabled if I were you since you have an auto.

 

I get half way to work before mine get to operating temp. I usually give mine 1 or 2 minutes then I'm gone.....

 

With mine my drive way is 6miles long an i usally run the whole drive way in third gear putting along and she is warm before i make the other 5 miles to the highway

 

Start engine and GO! Just take it easy.

 

Yep, I start engine put truck in gear and idle out of drive way....30seconds, and then I'm rolling. I don't shift out of 1st until 2800rpm so I do that on the downgrade of the slope I live on.....truck takes about 10 minutes to get up to temp and then I go.....When I load logs on the trailer the truck is pretty cold as its only a 5 to 10 minute idle from my house so then I let it idle at 1200 for about 10 minutes as when its time to go its 4 Lo with 25k of trailer on up a grade... ... usuallly in mud ... pinned to the floor. To warm the tranny I park into the hill put the parking brake on and throw it in D....not in 4 Lo an let it idle for about 5 minutes.....not great but better than nothing. ks

 

I usually hit the high idle and seat warmers and go back in for a bite to eat, but this morning I was in a rush. Its a dang shame tho - I got to a stop light beside a Gasser that was lifted and all, well he tore off the line, and I had to be easy on my cold truck. I bet he thinks he beat me - and that erks me!!!

 

I took off at what the commander said was 47deg! I just start mine and roll out easy!

Like this morning, I started it and immediately put it in gear, then drove off slow. My truck was parked on the street!

 

I start the truck, wait about 60 seconds whether it's 18° or 80° outside and drive away easily, shifting at about 1800rpms.

I can't imagine there being any likelyhood of damaging the engine in cold temps. We used to have a fleet of Ingersoll-Rand 375cfm compressors with Cummins ISB's in them. They would fire up and go straight to high-idle, then pressurize the compressor/tank. It was not uncommon to see the motors go well past 10,000 hours without so much as a water pump replacement.

 

I just wait about a minute and then take it easy. Dieselsmoke is right about head gaskets, esp. on harley dav. base gaskets, but JC's comment make you realize what a great engine the ISB is. I'm jealous of DodgeCowboy's driveway! Sound like a muleowners paradise, plus my Jack Russels would have further to run away to.

 

I usually try to wait for the water temp (on the Commander) to get to 60* and then ease off. But the last few mornings I've been waiting about a minute and sticking it in first and putting about 1200 rpm down to the barn and idle while feeding, then it's usually about 130* so I drive it just below normal.

 

as soon as mine kicks into high idel, i bugger off. These engines WILL NOT warm up idleing they need too be driven, when it is 0-30 *F i just slowly run it up in second gear and leave it for a few seconds at 2000 rpms, then shift and do the same thing in third., after that i just accelerate slowly untill i reach my desired speed.

 

I let her circulate the oil for about a minute (do this with all my vehicles) then go. The Commander says coolant temps are about 50* at this point. Then I just drive like an old lady until I see about 180* coolant temps. At that point anything goes...

 

I let mine idle about a minute and then drive easy with shifts about 1600-1800RPM intill I see the guage read about 150° then I start driving a little harder but still drive like an old guy untill it is up to normal opperating temp.