Community Forums

LeeB · 01-03-2016, 08:49 AM

I have a new to me Cat 350 C-7 and have it stored at home.

Every once in a while I have to need to move the MH a few feet.

I know it's not good to start the engine and not let it run until it reaches full running temp. Is it OK to start it for say 5 minutes or less?

Thanks LeeB

palehorse89 · 01-03-2016, 08:53 AM

Short answer is NO, Lee!
What is the need to do this? If you are not going to drive/use it, let it sleep. You are for sure not doing your Kitty-Kat any favors waking her up for no reason. Suggest parking in a place where you do not have to move her so often.

wildtoad · 01-03-2016, 09:00 AM

You answered your own question before you asked it. When you feel the urge to move it, take the time, make the effort to take it for a ride down the road. Good for the tires, engine, tranny. Start the generator and let it run for a while too. Simply letting it run for 5 minutes or so really has no value.

LeeB · 01-03-2016, 09:17 AM

I had a feeling that "NO" was going to be the answer... The reason for asking in the first place is because I live on a fairly busy street and getting it in and out is kind of a pain... The reason for moving would be to pull forward enough out from under the cover to wash the rig and to get to the underneath storage..

Can I pull it out and leave it running (at High Idle) for a specific amount of time? I know driving it would be best but this would not happen very often....

stuhly · 01-03-2016, 09:22 AM

Even at a high idle it won't get hot enough to disperse any moisture created. Don't do it.

palehorse89 · 01-03-2016, 09:33 AM

Content CAT sleeping

After being woke up all the time

It is your Engine.........

LeeB · 01-03-2016, 09:40 AM

Ha ha ha ha

OK OK you guys win......... It shall be driven washed and put away......

Thanks.......

FIRE UP · 01-03-2016, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeeB

I have a new to me Cat 350 C-7 and have it stored at home.

Every once in a while I have to need to move the MH a few feet.

I know it's not good to start the engine and not let it run until it reaches full running temp. Is it OK to start it for say 5 minutes or less?

Thanks LeeB

Lee,
Is your "CAT" going to self destruct just like the lead-in tape on the beginning of a Mission Impossible episode just because you start it, run it for five or so, then put it away, waaaaaaaaaaaay before it reaches any form of operating temp, NOOOOOOOOO!!!

Are you going to shorten the operating life of it by thousands and thousands of miles by doing that short engine run practice every once in a while, NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Is it good for it to do that sort of thing, no. The primary reason is, if an engine is dead cold, and that could be anywhere from 45 degrees up, anytime you start it, move it out from it's parking spot enough to do what you need to do, then, five minutes later, you re-park it, the internal temps do not rise high enough to burn off the combustion by-products like moisture in the blow-by system. That moisture, can, rare but can, come in contact with bearings etc. and start to deteriorate them.

Does this happen instantly, no. Does it happen every time, no. Another part of the operation is the exhaust system. It too will see moisture as a cold system is partially warmed from the engine combustion process. You may see that in the form of dripping exhaust tip during a cold engine run-up. Then, as things heat up from continued running, the moisture disappears, due to all the components are heated up.

Of course it's BETTER if you can fire the big beast up and take her for a ride to at least start the heating process before putting it back in its cave.

In a 30 year career with the FD, on many, many occasions, we'd be dispatched to some form of an emergency only to be canceled almost right out of the gate, due to many reasons. Well, we sure as he.. were not going to drive around for how ever long it took those big Detroit engines to reach operating temp so, we turned them around and backed them back into the barn. Did any of those fire truck engines/exhaust systems self destruct because of that practice, nope, NOT ONE. Your CAT will survive.
Scott

palehorse89 · 01-03-2016, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIRE UP

In a 30 year career with the FD, on many, many occasions, we'd be dispatched to some form of an emergency only to be canceled almost right out of the gate, due to many reasons. Well, we sure as he.. were not going to drive around for how ever long it took those big Detroit engines to reach operating temp so, we turned them around and backed them back into the barn. Did any of those fire truck engines/exhaust systems self destruct because of that practice, nope, NOT ONE. Your CAT will survive.
Scott

The one thing and the biggest item that I would like to point out here Scott, is that the trucks/engines were always kept in a warm fire station if I had to guess? That make a very large difference. Our fire trucks at the Refinery where I work, are plugged into a air supply and the block heaters are plugged 24/7.............ready to roll. The OP's Coach is stored outside.

tankcj · 01-03-2016, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIRE UP

Lee,
Is your "CAT" going to self destruct just like the lead-in tape on the beginning of a Mission Impossible episode just because you start it, run it for five or so, then put it away, waaaaaaaaaaaay before it reaches any form of operating temp, NOOOOOOOOO!!!

Are you going to shorten the operating life of it by thousands and thousands of miles by doing that short engine run practice every once in a while, NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Is it good for it to do that sort of thing, no. The primary reason is, if an engine is dead cold, and that could be anywhere from 45 degrees up, anytime you start it, move it out from it's parking spot enough to do what you need to do, then, five minutes later, you re-park it, the internal temps do not rise high enough to burn off the combustion by-products like moisture in the blow-by system. That moisture, can, rare but can, come in contact with bearings etc. and start to deteriorate them.

Does this happen instantly, no. Does it happen every time, no. Another part of the operation is the exhaust system. It too will see moisture as a cold system is partially warmed from the engine combustion process. You may see that in the form of dripping exhaust tip during a cold engine run-up. Then, as things heat up from continued running, the moisture disappears, due to all the components are heated up.

Of course it's BETTER if you can fire the big beast up and take her for a ride to at least start the heating process before putting it back in its cave.

In a 30 year career with the FD, on many, many occasions, we'd be dispatched to some form of an emergency only to be canceled almost right out of the gate, due to many reasons. Well, we sure as he.. were not going to drive around for how ever long it took those big Detroit engines to reach operating temp so, we turned them around and backed them back into the barn. Did any of those fire truck engines/exhaust systems self destruct because of that practice, nope, NOT ONE. Your CAT will survive.
Scott

Well said Fire Up!

1ciderdog · 01-03-2016, 06:16 PM

I tend to agree with what Scott wrote. I've read that these CAT engines should be good for 300,000 miles but it is rare that any motorhome gets that much use. But I do try to run mine a good period of time any time I start it up.

LeeB · 01-03-2016, 07:28 PM

First and foremost I want to thank those who responded to my post....

So in conclusion I will start and move my MH the short distance and time, but I will be vigilant in doing so and keep it to a minimum.

Again Thanks.........

FIRE UP · 01-04-2016, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by palehorse89

The one thing and the biggest item that I would like to point out here Scott, is that the trucks/engines were always kept in a warm fire station if I had to guess? That make a very large difference. Our fire trucks at the Refinery where I work, are plugged into a air supply and the block heaters are plugged 24/7.............ready to roll. The OP's Coach is stored outside.

palehorse89,
You are most certainly correct in that, our fire trucks were/are plugged in 24/7/365. But, in the 30+ years I was on, we had many, many block heaters self destruct due to the fact that they were plugged in constantly. And, it (that particular fire truck) would remain like that for sometimes, months due to the fact that our repair center was so overloaded with other repairs/breakdowns/alterations etc.

I would work in multiple fire stations and, as an engineer, it was my job to check on that kind of stuff, among a few thousand other responsibilities on those trucks, and, I'd check the records and, a bad or defective block heater might have been "just reported" or, reported quite some time before I got to it.

While shop supervisors and repair facility Division Chiefs were aware of this issue, it was simply determined that:
1. Based on the design and, consultation with the engine manufacturer(s) i.e. Detroit Series 60 and later the CAT C-9 and C-13, the engines would and could tolerate "cold start and high speed runs" without potential damage.
2. We also had small air compressors in each fire station that supplied air to the air systems on the trucks, while parked in the barn. That program was later terminated due to the fact that Kussmal, a supplier of small, 12V air compressors could be added to the trucks, that would keep the on board air pressure up.

I don't disagree with you at all. In all of our (anyone reading this) diesel coaches, it's surely much better if, you're going to start it, get it to operating temp if at all possible before shutting down. But, for individual reasons, that's not always possible. I do it too. I read on here that folks will start their diesels up in a campground and let them idle until they're at operating temp before taking off, out of the campground.

I wouldn't do that if someone paid me to. The primary reason, if I start my C-7 up on any given day, dead cold, in any normal ambient temp, that engine would idle for well over 1/2 to 3/4 of an hour before it reached its thermostat temp. Heck, even driving it takes quite a bit of time before the operating temp is reached.
Scott

1ciderdog · 01-04-2016, 08:43 PM

Am I correct in that block heater heats the block (coolant) and not the engine crankcase oil. I understand using a block heater makes it easier to start in cold weather but does it save any engine wear? Those fire trucks start right up and then put a heavy load on an engine before the oil has warmed up and able to circulate freely. Just wondering.