Question for diesel owners

[Sgt B]

Owned Newmar's for years, three of them. All Cummins. I never let it idle longer than necessary to fill air bags/Brakes. Now having downsized to a smaller Winnie DP, I was surprised that to run rooms in and take off jacks the engine has to be running -- strange. Don't know if new Newmar's are that way or not, my last was a 2006. However, having said that, I pack up, put hoses, etc. away, then I idle, run rooms in, take off jacks, and by then the air system is full and I am gone. I agree with those that have said idling a diesel for long periods is definitely old school. In fact, Cummins says don't over idle. As far as idling for cool down that is also old school. By the time you get off the freeway, drive to the RV Park, that engine has cooled down. The reason for old school cool down was to allow the turbo to cool off.
Before I went to motorhomes, towed a Newmar 35' fiver with a Ford super duty. I had some instrumentation installed and part of the system was the engine WOULD NOT shut down until the turbo cooled. I could pull the key out walk away and it would continue to run until as was well. All that is now OLD SCHOOL.

[nehog]

Diesels with air brakes have to build up air pressure. That can take a few minutes but not that long. Mostly it is because of ignorance, as idling a cold engine is not good for the engine.

[DebbieMH]

I too have to idle (high idle, usually) to get to ride height before I put in my slides. Usually around 5-7 minutes, sorry if I've waken you up, but that is the way an Entegra is built. If I have to back out of a spot, then I would think my beeps would wake you more than my idle. Again, sorry ... i usually don't leave before 8:00 am ... sometimes 7:00 ...

[153stars]

My 1st high idle setting seems a lot less annoying, smoother. Regular idle is booming even with huge real muffler.

[Ray,IN]

Originally Posted by Backcountry1

Most of the time it’s to warm up the engine, the engine oil, and the antifreeze/water temperature.

It’s not good for the engine to be put under stress/strain (especially when it’s needed to tow the trailer) when the engine is cold.

Same goes with letting it idle for a few minutes after running it hard. It allows the engine and components to cool down before turning it off.

Re-read your engine owners manual.

Cummins says that is no longer true. Cummins states no warm-up is necessary after the air springs are inflated. The short drive from a CG to an interstate and lower initial speed is adequate until the engine reaches normal operating temperature.

FWIW a diesel engine will never reach normal operating temperature at low idle.

No cool-down is necessary if the CG is 3-5 minutes from the interstate, that short drive is adequate to cool the turbo.


For those that swear by warming up their diesel engine, what do you do to warm up the "cold" automatic transmission?

[BillJinOR]

If your taking more than 5 minutes to “air up”. I think you may have an air issue. Standard procedure was to idle at fast idle using cruise , to up it above 1000 rpm. To buil pressure .. normally a couple minutes
The large company worked for with thousands of tractors had a 5 min shut off rule if you weren’t moving. In fact all new tractors came that way to automatically shut off.
There are a lot of old timers here , and those who learned from old timers etc who are applying old “rules” to new equipment. Idling any diesel more than 5 min does no good in fact is damaging. Diesels don’t “warm up at idle “ Unless your climbing a mountain pass and stop at the top, no idle is needed at all when stopping also … even with that a “hot climb” 5 min is max needed . Over a million miles on most tractors I drove with these rules. The pencil pushers in industrial engineering studied it fully. Some will never believe it. They will go to the grave idling their engines[emoji6]
I build pressure ( 2 min) tops shut down after I do anything that needs the engine.. then do my outside checks. I can actually hear air leaks etc with the engine off. Turn on Engine and immediately slowly drive out of the park. The engine is now warm and I’m on my way. Easy. Few do it that way.

[Iceclimber]

So everyone can know we are better than everyone else. Ha.
I can't move my slides while the engine is running so I button up, start up and the moment the air is up - I am rolling. The best way to warm up is driving, but taking it easy.

[Rob_M]

I’m not sure how long “prolonged” is, but as mentioned, some of us have to dump all the air out of the suspension. When I start to put the jacks down it automatically dumps the air. I don’t start the engine until we’re totally ready to head out and it takes longer than I would like to air up. Because I don’t like disturbing folks, I rarely leave a campground before 7 am. And when I arrive to a new site I dump the air bags and shut it off pretty quick. Different manufacturers have different recommendations on the sequence of events, like putting slides out, jacks down, etc before or after shutting the engine down.

[CamJam1]

Ok, thanks everyone. I should have guessed that the air bags and brakes were the reason, but just like everything else I guess there will always be some who are inconsiderate of others and idle longer than necessary.

We have to slam the door on our coach to make sure it latches properly, otherwise the cats and dog can push it open. I'm sure there must be times that it irritates my neighbors. We give the dog a short walk first thing in the morning and last thing at night, and it always seems to be dead quiet in the campground when I walk her.

[96 Wideglide]

Originally Posted by Ray,IN

For those that swear by warming up their diesel engine, what do you do to warm up the "cold" automatic transmission?

Transmission is warming up just like the engine!

[Talloaks]

It would sort of make sense if people would apply the same common sense rules of campground/park quiet hours for generator use as when they plan their departure and when they go through their mobilization procedure.

I myself don't object to the sound of an idling diesel engine, but I would object to the exhaust if it was coming in my windows.

What is more disturbing to me are the neighbors who woke me up every morning with the sound of their barking dog. And just as bad, the sound of the humans barking (raised voices) at each other. I'll take the sound of a large CAT or Cummins purring for a few minutes any day over that.

[FLRosebud]

Originally Posted by CamJam1

Ok, thanks everyone. I should have guessed that the air bags and brakes were the reason, but just like everything else I guess there will always be some who are inconsiderate of others and idle longer than necessary.

We have to slam the door on our coach to make sure it latches properly, otherwise the cats and dog can push it open. I'm sure there must be times that it irritates my neighbors. We give the dog a short walk first thing in the morning and last thing at night, and it always seems to be dead quiet in the campground when I walk her.

Haha...thanks CamJam! - I told my wife the other day I was going to post this very question, as we were at a CG the other day and the DP a few spots down was idling for well over 30 minutes before he left. Thanks for beating me to it!!

Al

[Rob_M]

Originally Posted by FLRosebud

Haha...thanks CamJam! - I told my wife the other day I was going to post this very question, as we were at a CG the other day and the DP a few spots down was idling for well over 30 minutes before he left. Thanks for beating me to it!!



Al

30 minutes is definitely uncalled for. A well thought out procedure can limit the amount of noise one makes both getting set up and breaking down to pull out. But too many think of only themselves.
I was watching a youtube about a campground we were interested in the other day, and the guy was bragging about how fast his generator would charge his camper battery vs off the onboard electric charger… Wait WHAT? Beautiful quiet Smoky Mountains campground this moron was running his generator at a full hookups camp site bragging about it on his YouTube channel.

[Tha_Rooster]

Originally Posted by Rob_M

30 minutes is definitely uncalled for. A well thought out procedure can limit the amount of noise one makes both getting set up and breaking down to pull out. But too many think of only themselves.
I was watching a youtube about a campground we were interested in the other day, and the guy was bragging about how fast his generator would charge his camper battery vs off the onboard electric charger… Wait WHAT? Beautiful quiet Smoky Mountains campground this moron was running his generator at a full hookups camp site bragging about it on his YouTube channel.

Yep plenty of people don’t have a clue how their system work.