Alright then chaps, what’s your take on engine idling for extended periods. Got a Patiner truck a few spaces down that has his engine running along with his lights on, curtains closed up. He’s not pulling a fridge and the truck looks brand new so I can’t see the need to idle. It’s not hot so no need for AC.
Not overall bothered myself because I’m far enough way for it not to get annoying, plus i have no trouble sleeping next to fridges.
Been here for 20 odd minutes so far, still running lit up like Blackpool tower.
Engine idling is a myth for warm up. Always read the owners manual and trust it. Many modern trucks require no warm up at idle (excepting cold temp procedures) and in fact warn against it due to increased wear based in variables not considered. It’s a common procedure to warm up driving under light load/acceleration.
Still, many a man persists in the 1960s view of believing you have to warm the oil at idle for ten years and that’s that, it’s the only thing to consider.
It’s more complicated that that. Put it this way we can go from a cold start in my Job with a 60,000lb thrust turbine engine to full take off thrust in -5 degrees with about 5 mins idle thrust time. To clarify, that’s each engine (of 4) produces nearly 30tonnes of thrust laterally after 5 mins from cold. That’s because it’s allowed and it doesn’t damage the engine and men with extremely large brains have deemed it correct.
It does an engine no good whatsoever to leave it idling, before or after use, an engine will never warm up unless it is under load and modern oil will protect a spinning turbo when the the engine stops, as has been said look at the handbook.
You often see club plant pot having a 45 with the engine running.
Regarding cold starts.
On the other hand, depends how long you want it to last, it could be argued it’s in the makers interests for vehicles not to last the 10/15 reliable productive years they used to in the days a ■■■■■■■ Fuller Rockwell would if looked after incl warming and cooling.
Car makers are telling their buyers that they can leave oil changes for 20,000 miles now, funny how they have so much faith in that philosophy they only guarantee the thing for three years.
I look at thing slightly differently.
In my left hand i have the cost of a cupful of fuel that i used to warm the engine up for ten mins on a cold start and for 3 to 5 mins shutdown tickover.
In my right hand i have the bill for 1 or 2 new turbos, another bill for breakdown, and the headache of a let down factory manager who didn’t receive his just on time bulk load of food stuffs.
I’ll take the left hand every time ta.
As for idling whilst parked, i’ve had knackered batteries on some scabby jobs that if i didn’t run the engine for half an hour just before i got in bed on a cold night the thing definately wouldn’t start in the morning, could be a multitude of reasons why the bloke’s ticking over.
My opinion is that in ordinary circumstances where your vehicle starts OK and you aren’t trying to power a load of appliances, the engine should be turned off when stationary if you know it’s going to be a good minute or so.
I find it really annoying being stuck in a queue for a gatehouse and all I can hear is another wagons engine ticking over & over relentlessly in the background - just turn it off ffs!!
Parked up last night in Quebec and it was -24’c. Started my diesel generator and it seemed to be keeping up with the temp and blowing warm air in to the cab so I turned the main engine off. Woke up some time in the night and the outside temp had dropped below -30 and the bloody generator was blowing in rather cold air. Wish I’d left the engine running now.
The generator does a great job of keeping the motor from freezing and keeps the batteries 100% charged etc but when it gets that cold it struggles to generate enough heat for a comfortable nights sleep.
robinhood_1984:
Parked up last night in Quebec and it was -24’c. Started my diesel generator and it seemed to be keeping up with the temp and blowing warm air in to the cab so I turned the main engine off. Woke up some time in the night and the outside temp had dropped below -30 and the bloody generator was blowing in rather cold air. Wish I’d left the engine running now.
The generator does a great job of keeping the motor from freezing and keeps the batteries 100% charged etc but when it gets that cold it struggles to generate enough heat for a comfortable nights sleep.
Is there enough generator output to run a 1.5 KW electric fan heater ?.If not there are portable 2 kw generator options for less than £500 which is what I’d be carrying there as a matter of course anyway just in case.
Own Account Driver:
You mean experts who happen to be in the business of selling new trucks though.
And giving courses.
I run mine for 5 or 10 mins of the pre start checks. If I’m using one of the diggers in the yard then that will tick over while I get the lorry in position also. Our JCB is stop-started regularly especially when loading our puddle jumper, we’d get a flat battery if we didn’t leave it running.
robinhood_1984:
Parked up last night in Quebec and it was -24’c. Started my diesel generator and it seemed to be keeping up with the temp and blowing warm air in to the cab so I turned the main engine off. Woke up some time in the night and the outside temp had dropped below -30 and the bloody generator was blowing in rather cold air. Wish I’d left the engine running now.
The generator does a great job of keeping the motor from freezing and keeps the batteries 100% charged etc but when it gets that cold it struggles to generate enough heat for a comfortable nights sleep.
So really it was just chilly and not cold
I remember my 1st night out in Canada -40 and that engine pumped away all night
mike68:
It does an engine no good whatsoever to leave it idling, before or after use, an engine will never warm up unless it is under load and modern oil will protect a spinning turbo when the the engine stops, as has been said look at the handbook.
You often see club plant pot having a 45 with the engine running.
A modern engine does not need warming up but of course a engine will still warm up from cold if idling. Look at your temperature gauge on your car go up the longer it idles.
The issues agaisnt idling are for environmental reasons, pollution and effecting mpg rather than engine wear.
As for cooling a Turbo, I think the reasons are more about lack of lubrication by oil not flowing through it if the engine is cut before the Turbo has coolled.
People here are using idling to charge the battery. This shouldn’t be a issue if the batteries are fine and a better way to do it is just check the voltage on the dash when using electrical items.
Patinter Lda is a Portuguese firm that hires Eastern European drivers, with a mix of Ukrainian and South American drivers.
They run their engine to power up the battery if they have been watching their satellite tv .
Freight Dog:
Engine idling is a myth for warm up. Always read the owners manual and trust it. Many modern trucks require no warm up at idle (excepting cold temp procedures) and in fact warn against it due to increased wear based in variables not considered. It’s a common procedure to warm up driving under light load/acceleration.
Still, many a man persists in the 1960s view of believing you have to warm the oil at idle for ten years and that’s that, it’s the only thing to consider.
It’s more complicated that that. Put it this way we can go from a cold start in my Job with a 60,000lb thrust turbine engine to full take off thrust in -5 degrees with about 5 mins idle thrust time. To clarify, that’s each engine (of 4) produces nearly 30tonnes of thrust laterally after 5 mins from cold. That’s because it’s allowed and it doesn’t damage the engine and men with extremely large brains have deemed it correct.
Read the manual for ones vehicle and use that.
Just one of them on my truck will be fine - you got the link for buying them?
Woke up at 3am and he was still running. The wagon and drag I was parked up next too also starting idling just before I went to sleep. Didn’t seem to bother me though.
wouldn’t bother me we used to let it tick over all night in Greece etc. .2 of a gallon an hour to get a decent cool nights sleep is fine by me and yes I did pay the fuel bills back then.
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