Idle or Shut down your diesel when stopped

[Msmoto]

Well, what I am actually doing is following the engine manufacturer's recommendations. And, if someone really wants to break into the vehicle, this of course can be done.

My idea in the OP was to simply state that one does not have to have a $350 remote start to be able to allow a cool down period with the vehicle secure as recommended by the manufacturer.

[idroba]

Originally Posted by cabinetmaker

I'm a old dieselhead. Been pulling heavy with Ram Cummins diesels for years. Let her cool down. If you check your manual it has cool down times. My new 2015 Ram 3500 duelly does and my old ones did too. This isn't old school hearsay. It's important to your engine and turbo. Don't believe me just google it.

I have no opinion on the matter, but it does amuse me that Google is cited as the authority. It is my experience that you can find any opinion you wish to find on Google.

[KJRitchie]

My 2015 2500 Ram diesel supplement states to avoid excessive idling

Avoid prolonged idling, long periods of idling may be harmful to your engine because combustion chamber temperatures can drop so low that the fuel may not burn completely. Incomplete combustion allows carbon and varnish to form on piston rings, cylinder head valves, and injector nozzles. Also, the unburned fuel can enter the crankcase, diluting the oil and causing rapid wear to the engine.

After that paragraph there is a chart showing some idling times before shutting down

Stop and go: Empty load: No idle time necessary
Stop and go: Medium load: 30 seconds idle
Highway speeds: Medium load: 1 minute idle

So basically when I'm pulling off the highway to refuel I'll let the engine idle about a minute. I'll probably be forced to do so since I will be waiting for some car to get off the pump that also serves diesel.
When at GCWR, which I doubt I ever will be at, the idle times are more, 1.5 to 2.5 minutes of idle before shutdown.

Kelvin

[2012FB]

Normal towing I don't idle. Figure the time it takes to get to a pump is plenty. If I have been pulling hard I sit for 2-3 minutes with high idle engaged. It is what it's for. In my older trucks I had remote starts installed with turbo cool down timer. Set it, pull the key, lock the doors and it would shut down in 3-5 minutes.


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[Elbo]

It seems there is a lot of guessing going on when it comes to letting your Diesel idle for a few minutes. Most say it is to let turbo cool down. That is only half the reason. Another reason is that the turbo is spinning at about 10,000 R.P.M going down the road at 2800 engine R.P.M. It takes a few minutes for the R.P.M's to come down to idle 780 R.P.M. before you shut off your engine. The pistons also have an oil line that sprays up to help lube the pistons that at long idles do not have enough oil pressure to lube the piston skirts. That is another problem besides the turbo spinning at 8000 R.P.M with engine off and no oil pressure to bearing. The only reason you see truckers let their engines run for awhile when they first start is to build up air pressure and do a per trip to check that all of the gauges are working. My biggest gripe and worry is people that say what kind of "Gas" mileage they get, or stopping to get "Gas" at a fuel stop. In my 45 years as a diesel mechanic/truck driver at least once a week someone would come into our shop because of gas in a diesel fuel tank. Like one time the a wife was towed in and said her husband said "Go >gas< up the rig while I finish setting up camp" $250.00 mistake. Food for thought????

[jcl]

Originally Posted by Msmoto

Well, what I am actually doing is following the engine manufacturer's recommendations.

The engine manufacturer's recommendations were not to have extended idle periods, it is bad for the engine. If you are pulling at maximum power into the fuel stop, then up to a few minutes is a good cool down time, absolutely. If you are at medium load though, which is more typical given the ratings of these engines, then the time it takes to manoeuver to the pump from the highway is enough time to cool it down.

Originally Posted by Msmoto

Shut Down
Before shutting your engine down, let the turbocharger cool down. When an engine runs at maximum power/high torque, the turbocharger is operating at very high temperatures and speeds. Hot shut down can cause reduced service life which is avoidable by a minute or two of idling. Most mobile equipment applications include an adequate cooling period during parking or mooring procedures.

(my emphasis)

An exception to the adequate cooling period during parking would be pulling up the Ike Gauntlet (if that is what it is called) at full throttle to see if you can beat the Ram/Ford/GMC/etc, pulling into a rest stop at the summit, and shutting down immediately. Bad idea. But it is hard to imagine requiring maximum power to pull into a fuel station and park.

Just as a comment on how far oils and turbo technology have advanced in the past few years, the newest vehicles from some manufacturers are employing small turbos that turn much faster than the turbos on these HD diesel trucks. These same vehicles are programmed to automatically shut down and restart at traffic lights. For the life of the vehicle. Without adverse effects. And with much higher speed turbos.

[PaulnGina]

Unless you've just gotten off a long uphill tow and pulled to a stop, shut it off. Long idles are not good. If you HAVE been pulling hard, let it cool down for 5 min or so.

On that subject..... We're on the road again, staying a couple of nights at Lake Fort Smith. Had some really good hills getting here. When we pulled in to the park office parking lot, I made a point to see hot warm my Tru-Cool Max transmission cooler was.... pleasantly surprised that it was only warm to the touch. I am sooooooo glad I installed this 45K BTU transmission cooler on the truck!
(Last major expense for this PowerStroke is to put a U.S. Gear exhaust brake on the truck for those downhill tows.

[Isuzusweet]

You could save yourself a bit of money and wear and tear over the long haul if you install one of these.

You can set up this to run for a determined time after shut down.

Ram Diesel Problems

Cheers Tony

[Sodbust]

Pulling off a high way at speed and pulling into a fuel station without a little cool down is hard on any engine.. Even with sync oil.. But in most cases you coast down an exit ramp.. Drive around the station in 1st gear searching for your trailer safe island,, and pull in to refuel. That 2 or 3 minutes can be applied to your cool down time.. Just a minute of idle time while idling,, the engine is sucking 100% air all that time and a very small flame to keep it running.. Things cool down real fast with that amount of air flow.. Sodbust.

[cabinetmaker]

Originally Posted by idroba

I have no opinion on the matter, but it does amuse me that Google is cited as the authority. It is my experience that you can find any opinion you wish to find on Google.

I wasn't talking opinions but manufacturer recommendations. There is more to google than opinions.

[cabinetmaker]

During cool down if you are going over a few minutes don't forget to raise your idle using the cruise control. You can raise it several hundred rpm's over normal idle which is better for the engine.

[Knuff]

Originally Posted by NevadaGeo

Watch your turbine temperature gauge, when it comes down to the safe temp, you can safely turn the diesel off.

Sounds reasonable.
Sorry for my ignorance about proper procedures.



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[cabinetmaker]

The oil in your turbo bearings is the same oil that's in the sump for the engine. The fact that the engine oil also lubes the turbo is one of the reasons you let the truck cool down at idle.

Turbo is still spinning after engine shutdown. Usually at high RPM after pulling. A short idle will allow the turbo to slow and cool. Very good idea.