Community Forums

Bill.gonervn · 01-09-2019, 08:13 AM

We live in NW Ohio and store our coach outdoors with noway to plug it in. I start the generator once or twice a month and run for 2-4 hours with approximately a 50% load. The engine is the question. We have a 2018 Phaeton with a Cummins 360. Should this be started also? Should it be run at fast idle if started? I would like to be able to drive it when started, but that is not always, if ever possible. The coach is basically stored Dec-Feb. I believe Cummins says you should not start an let idle at low speed. I guess my concern is if it just sits without starting it, will it start in March.

lwmcguire · 01-09-2019, 08:19 AM

I wouldn't start it unless you are going to drive it and really get it warm. More diesels sit all winter than are started up for exercise.

Soppy · 01-09-2019, 08:20 AM

Do not start the engine unless you will be driving the coach . As long as the batteries are good , it will start when you take it out of storage. When I park my equipment in October, it will sit till May before I start it. Never had a problem.

Crasher · 01-09-2019, 09:13 AM

With a diesel engine, it doesn't matter if it sits for 1 month or 6 months. If it rolls over creating compression in the cylinders and fuel is injected, it will be running. When farming, I had several diesel engines sit from Nov to April or May. They started just like they were shut off the day before. The rule was to never start an engine unless you are going to drive it.

Ivylog · 01-09-2019, 10:06 AM

Unlike gas, diesel does not go bad. I recently needed to start a 6-71 engine that had sat for 10 years. Fresh batteries and less than one turn it started right up. I’m also not into exercising the generator when it’s really cold.

Bill.gonervn · 01-09-2019, 11:18 AM

Thanks

Crasher · 01-09-2019, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ivylog

Unlike gas, diesel does not go bad. I recently needed to start a 6-71 engine that had sat for 10 years. Fresh batteries and less than one turn it started right up. I’m also not into exercising the generator when it’s really cold.

50 years ago, I had a 6-71 Detroit engine on an irrigation well. It originally came out of a Navy PT boat. They had 2 Detroits in them. One had a right hand rotation and the other had a left hand rotation. They were 2 cycle and had a unique sound when running. At night I could hear it 1 1/2 mile away. It was fine till it blew a piston and threw all the oil out the exhaust.