Leave the Diesel running or shut it down??

[Clay L]

Originally Posted by Ed-Sommers

Idling a diesel for long periods, when not absolutely necessary, is normally done only by company drivers that do not have to purchase the fuel, or pay for the repairs, or are misinformed. IMHO

Ed

Nowadays many/most companies don't allow their drivers to idle for long periods of time.
Many of the trucks have monitoring systems that store the idle time, speed , etc, info or broadcast it to the company.

[Zoafan]

I have a ISB 275 with the '53' block so I always leave my coach on high idle until water temps are 170* and will always let the coach cool 5-10min before shutting it off. When at a campground this usually gives me enough time to inspect campsite, back in and extract jacks and slide.

Now while on the road and we stop and get something to eat or run inside a beef jerky place I just let it idle if I am going to be 10-15minutes.

I understand that on the new diesels it's different but on mine this is what I have been told is best for the engine.

[Craig N Deb]

Hey Guys!!
Thank You for the great advise!
I will be shutting her down if I am going to be more than a couple minutes.
I really appreciate all your input!
Thanks Again!
Craig

[Randy blase]

I a three second guy but if I pull into a camp ground I will let it run while I check in and then park and shut her down this give it plenty of time to cool down

[jmckinley]

Apparently the thing to do is to start it up as soon as you wake up at 6:30 am in the spot next to me. Run it at high idle until air pressures and water temp are fully up, then let it idle for two hours while you pull in your awning, roll up your patio mat, dump gray and black water, unhook water hoses and wash the windshield. Then pull out of the spot and block the road for 30 minutes while you hook up your toad. Discuss loudly and at length with your DW as you are doing it. If possible, play your toad radio at near max volume while you listen to the news as you hook up. Let idle for another 30 minutes while you wash up and have another cup of coffee. These things burn at least .5 gallons per hour at idle so all this will only cost you about $10 a day, depending on your procedure when you make camp in the evening.

[CHCam42]

JM he was parked next to me on my last outing.....

[TRAILERKING]

Originally Posted by jmckinley

Apparently the thing to do is to start it up as soon as you wake up at 6:30 am in the spot next to me. Run it at high idle until air pressures and water temp are fully up, then let it idle for two hours while you pull in your awning, roll up your patio mat, dump gray and black water, unhook water hoses and wash the windshield. Then pull out of the spot and block the road for 30 minutes while you hook up your toad. Discuss loudly and at length with your DW as you are doing it. If possible, play your toad radio at near max volume while you listen to the news as you hook up. Let idle for another 30 minutes while you wash up and have another cup of coffee. These things burn at least .5 gallons per hour at idle so all this will only cost you about $10 a day, depending on your procedure when you make camp in the evening.

Now that's funny

[Zoafan]

Originally Posted by jmckinley

Apparently the thing to do is to start it up as soon as you wake up at 6:30 am in the spot next to me. Run it at high idle until air pressures and water temp are fully up, then let it idle for two hours while you pull in your awning, roll up your patio mat, dump gray and black water, unhook water hoses and wash the windshield. Then pull out of the spot and block the road for 30 minutes while you hook up your toad. Discuss loudly and at length with your DW as you are doing it. If possible, play your toad radio at near max volume while you listen to the news as you hook up. Let idle for another 30 minutes while you wash up and have another cup of coffee. These things burn at least .5 gallons per hour at idle so all this will only cost you about $10 a day, depending on your procedure when you make camp in the evening.

While I am the guy who has had to leave early and let my coach idle I am nowhere as bad as that. I get all packed up the night before so all I have to do in the morning is let the coach warm up, retract slides and jacks and hookup toad.

It sucks but I'm not going to drive my coach with a cold engine as many have stated that is what cause the cracks in the block for specific model. If I annoy someone for 20 minutes I'm sorry but I would much rather that guy be mad at me for a whopping 20 minutes than have to fork over $10k in repairs

[clyon51]

Originally Posted by jmckinley

Apparently the thing to do is to start it up as soon as you wake up at 6:30 am in the spot next to me. Run it at high idle until air pressures and water temp are fully up, then let it idle for two hours while you pull in your awning, roll up your patio mat, dump gray and black water, unhook water hoses and wash the windshield. Then pull out of the spot and block the road for 30 minutes while you hook up your toad. Discuss loudly and at length with your DW as you are doing it. If possible, play your toad radio at near max volume while you listen to the news as you hook up. Let idle for another 30 minutes while you wash up and have another cup of coffee. These things burn at least .5 gallons per hour at idle so all this will only cost you about $10 a day, depending on your procedure when you make camp in the evening.

LOL John. I just spent 5 months in one campground, couldn't have said it better. In addition to that, we were very close to the entrance office. Never failed, a diesel would pull in (or leave) and let it rattle away for 1/2 hr or more. Day, night or time made no difference. My favorite was evening just after dark with a fire going. Pull in, leave the headlights pointing right at us, leave engine running, go in and BS for an hour. Come out, walk the dog, unhook towd, BS with with other arrivals, ect. Some people just don't think.

[Muddypaws]

Any oil that's left in the turbocharger when you shut off 'stays there'. If the turbo bearings are > 300F some of the oil will cook. I think the proper term is coking. It turns into something other than a lubricant. When you start it the next time the 'not a lubricant' is the first thing the bearings get upon spooling up.

When I bought my F250 the first thing I did was to put a Turbo Temp Minder in it. The TTM will not allow the engine to shut down until the exhaust temprature is less than 300F. (I set mine at 280F) Most of the time it only idles for 15-30 seconds but after a long uphill pull sometimes it would go on for more than 5 minutes. Helped cool the transmission too.

The Cat C7 is a slightly smaller engine with a mild tune but I always allow it to idle for a minute, more if it's been a hard pull. If we're setting up it takes more than a couple of minutes to deploy the jacks & slides.

[MSHappyCampers]

I think I remember reading in my owner's manual where you are not supposed to idle the ISC350 Cummins more than 10 minutes.

[Deucenut]

How do you guys deploy the slides and jacks with the engine running? Doesn't the air need to be dumped to deploy jacks? With the engine running, the air will get pumped up again correct?

[Mr_D]

Cummins says never to leave the engine running over 5 min without putting it on high idle.
They also say that, under normal running conditions, just going down the off ramp with the throttle closed is enough cooling off time. If you just climbed the GrapeVine or Eisenhower pass then you should let it cool down for few minutes.

[flaggship1]

Originally Posted by Deucenut

How do you guys deploy the slides and jacks with the engine running? Doesn't the air need to be dumped to deploy jacks? With the engine running, the air will get pumped up again correct?

By flipping this lever.