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idleing and Engine warm up?

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Hey guys, just have a question regarding engine idleing and warm up. So I know according to the owners manuel your not supposed to idle your engine for a long period, and of course it doesn't specify what a long period of time is but aren't you supposed to warm it up in the winter? If this is the case iv'e noticed since owning this diesel that takes quite a while so wouldn't this hurt the engine since your not supposed to leave them idle for long periods of time? confussed. just another newbie question :lol:

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I try to stay at 3-5 min. If below 20 will give a extra min. It will warm up faster running down the road. You can have high idle enabled at dealer or using Smarty.

  • Author

Ok so it won't hurt anything if I don't let it idle for 10 to 15 before taking off when it's cold out? I was just always brought up to let your engine warm up before taking off but then again most of my vehicles when I was younger were older! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  • Owner

Between pull the truck out of the shop, then getting to the gate and opening the gate, then closing the gate and locking it, then get to the highway waiting for traffic its had more than enough time to idle and warm up. Starting temps are typically above 32*F.

If really cold you can always plug in for a couple hours. Mine is on a timer comes on 2 hr before I leave for work. When I was vol. fire poor truck only got about 30 40 sec. before out the drive. Just enough time for oil to get pumped around. Diesel is slow to warm.

If someone PM's me their ESN I will post info from Cummins. I know for my Common Rail Cummins wants 3-5 minutes of operation prior to a load, and 160 engine temp before full power operation. No more than 10 min of idling in cold temps, especially on a cold motor.

On my 05 I usually limit it to under 5 minutes, if I start it with the key I kick on the PTO fast idle right away, if I start it with the remote start I usually use the 5 min rule and if it is cold enough the auto fast idle feature idles it up within a couple of minutes.If the 05 isn't plugged in and it is cold enough it goes to fast idle instantly at startup automatically.On my second gen I usually just let it run for a couple minutes and drove it easy for a couple miles is all.With my auto trannies once the temps get to the point it allowed for converter lockup it is game on then.:thumbup2:I think coolant temps at 140*F is when converter lockup happens.Another scenario is from VW like my wifes TDI Jetta, VW wants absolutely ZERO warm up idle time no matter what the ambient temps are with their diesels, start it and drive it easy for a couple miles is all and then let er buck.

  • Author

Ah64ID, PM's do you mean IM? So as far as what I'm getting out of everybody's post you don't have to warm them completely up before take off when it's cold out right? And that you shouldn't idle them more then 10min right? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

10 minutes is on the long side, all you need it to build up the cylinder temps and get the pistons and cylinder walls warmed up before driving it hard. depending on how cold the ambient temps are one could let it idle all day and not see the needle even move off of the peg.

My 02 second gen warmed up 10 times faster than my current 05, this thing is really slow to warm up even out on the road.

PM is private message. My 05 is much slower than it was stock, thanks to the free flowing turbine, cam, and coolant filter. It's SLOW!!

PM is private message. My 05 is much slower than it was stock, thanks to the free flowing turbine, cam, and coolant filter. It's SLOW!!

The only heat it is seeing now is the heat from the parts washer.....................:lmao2: Sorry couldn't resist that jab.:tongue:

The only heat it is seeing now is the heat from the parts washer.....................:lmao2: Sorry couldn't resist that jab.:tongue:

yup, probably warms up faster in there too!

This is what I do in order for startup:1. Turn key to, ON2. Listen for lift pump to prime3. Wait for grid heaters to cycle4. Crank it5. Look for lift pump pressure6. Look for Oil pressure, within 10 seconds7. Give it about a minute to let crank oil circulate8. Drive easy until truck is warmed up to full temp9. Open 'er up if you need to!I have a 53 block and even though I have not been there for its approx. first 200k miles of its life, I have yet to develop a crack in the block from my driving habits.

  • Author

Yea I've decided from everybody's posts that I'm only going to let it idle when it's real cold maybe 7 to 10 mins other than that just a minute or two before take off. And then drive it real easy until full temp. Thanks to everybody that chimed in on this post!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  • Author

WOW you really did some digging! Great thread! I would have to agree that idling for a minute or two then taking off and babying it until full temp would be best. which is what I plan to do. But it just goes to show you these engines can really handle a lot if idling for long periods of time is supposed to hurt the engine according to the owners Manual, and Caj can make it a Million miles even with idling for a few hours than that's one hell of an engine!!!! Gotta love Cummins!!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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