How Long Do You Warm Up Your Coach?

[RickO]

I've always been pretty religious about making sure my coach is never put in gear until coolant temps reach 150 degrees after a cold start, but while looking over this Cummins presentation given at an FMCA rally it indicates that NO warm up period is necessary.

http://cumminsengines.com/assets/pdf...mmins_0311.pdf

I'm not sure I'm going to change my practices but there's some interesting material in the slide presentation.

Rick

[Mr_D]

Why run you engine till it gets warm if Cummins says it's not necessary? Or do you like to waste fuel and to annoy your neighbors?

[RickO]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr_D Why run you engine till it gets warm if Cummins says it's not necessary? Or do you like to waste fuel and to annoy your neighbors?

Thank you for your insights.

Rick

[Jerry J]

I like to get up to 150° or so if I'm next to a freeway and going to floor it to get up to freeway speed in the morning. The easy drive from the Walmart or campground usually includes enough warmup. Also usually warms up enough, just airing up, bringing in the slides and waiting for the jacks to come up.
Another insight.

[Stillwater]

To warm up any equipment, machine, car or motor home start it up, high idle as soon as oil pressure is up, once the air is up, you've done up your seat belt start to travel at about 900-1000 rpm until the the water temp rises to about 150* then increase speed at less than 3/4 throttle until full engine temp is reached then your good to go. This warms up and lubricates all components like the trans, rear end and tires prior to subjecting them to full load. I have driven around the block if I have to to get satisfactory temps prior to heading out on a highway. Shutting down I follow the Cummins guidelines. I do not let the engine idle, It's either shut off or hi idle 900-1000rpm. Warming up and lubricating all components has always made the most sense to me. Now if I could only convince the DW to do the same. I guess I need to give it a little more time it's only been 40 years I've been trying.

[Jerry J]

I agree. Any idle time over 5 minutes, I hit high idle.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stillwater To warm up any equipment, machine, car or motor home start it up, high idle as soon as oil pressure is up, once the air is up, you've done up your seat belt start to travel at about 900-1000 rpm until the the water temp rises to about 150* then increase speed at less than 3/4 throttle until full engine temp is reached then your good to go. This warms up and lubricates all components like the trans, rear end and tires prior to subjecting them to full load. I have driven around the block if I have to to get satisfactory temps prior to heading out on a highway. Shutting down I follow the Cummins guidelines. I do not let the engine idle, It's either shut off or hi idle 900-1000rpm. Warming up and lubricating all components has always made the most sense to me. Now if I could only convince the DW to do the same. I guess I need to give it a little more time it's only been 40 years I've been trying.

[GaryKD]

As soon as the coach is at ride height, I'm moving. Ride height arrives about the same time it takes me to do my final walk around.

[laj]

warm up it till the temp needle starts to move
depending on what the road conditions dictate, depends how i
run it. Shutdown, cool off depends what the pyro reads.
has worked for me for yrs. and many diesel engines.
remember, you are the one paying the repair cost, not them

[RJay]

Thanks Rick, good information.

[akadeadeye]

I will set high idle (1,000 rpms) after oil pressure comes up and then do final walk around, check interior cabinets, drawers, toilet seat lid, make sure my DW is aboard, etc. and by then engine temp is usually 100-120, and I start moving, but I take it pretty easy until temp is 140 then I take off like a herd of turtles.

Don

[w6pea]

My RV isn't diesel, so to let it warm up before I am out on the road, (come up to operating temp) really doesn't come into play.
When we leave to go anywhere, we park our vehicle in the spot where our RV is. By the time I make it up one isle and down the other isle behind where the gate is we are usually up to temperature.
I know that by the time we get to the Interstate we are for sure.
When I was still driving a Semi, I would fire it up do one last walk around safety inspection and be on my way.

[RickO]

Thanks all. Great info.

Since Winnie wants me to have the engine running while bringing in the four slides... by the time I do that... and then bring up the jacks... then go to the road side rear jack and "help" it retract, during my final walk around... things will stay pretty status quo.

Thanks again.

Rick

[JManatee]

As soon as the air cuffs I go

[ga traveler]

It has been several years since I talked to the engineers at CAT and Cummins, but at that time they were advising against long warmups and cooldowns. They advised against anything over 5 min. It seems the engine goes into some kind of fuel enrichment and washes the oil off the cylinder wall.