Diesel as a daily driver?

[dodgemark]

Originally Posted by DouglasReid

That is Old School and not really necessary. The Glow Plugs are there only to assist in starting when the outside temp is cold. That engine will start without any glow plugs at all down to about -20 F

Ya that’s not totally true, - 20 degrees is cold. Even gas motors don’t like that but due to lighter engine oil they will start. Diesel motors are 15/40 engine oil and it’s thick at that temp. Truck really should be plugged in at that temps.

[dodgemark]

Originally Posted by BandJCarm

If idling kills diesels, why does every Semi in America leave theirs running half the night, every day, and usually when parked anywhere else, as well?

True!! And those trucks that see -50 degrees idle for days on end. No problems. I lived in minot nd. In usaf. The outside diesels idled all winter long. They never shut them down in winter months

[TowPro]

Originally Posted by dodgemark

Ya that’s not totally true, - 20 degrees is cold. Even gas motors don’t like that but due to lighter engine oil they will start. Diesel motors are 15/40 engine oil and it’s thick at that temp. Truck really should be plugged in at that temps.

All the rams (the last several years) come with 5w40 synethic from factory

[moose074]

Originally Posted by dodgemark

True!! And those trucks that see -50 degrees idle for days on end. No problems. I lived in minot nd. In usaf. The outside diesels idled all winter long. They never shut them down in winter months

I had 2011 Ram 2500 and then 2016 350 I used as daily drivers never had any problems. On my current 2018 Ram 3500 during colder weather. If I make mostly the short trips to work I get low battery message, but I follow the dashboard instructions that says please wait to start diesel preheat before starting. If I make Quick run around town all is fine.

I was stationed at Minot in early 90,s. Initially we left all the vehicles running during our shift. However during the end of my tenure. The environment officer required us to store in vehicle barn. Now those were the old GM diesel engines from mid 80’s. When transferred to Eielson we had the newer 5.9 and again it was someone not involved with maintenance stopped the practice.

That said just about every parking lot off base you would still find all the cars idling. While people shopped. Heck my neighbor had an older Isuzu truck with the diesel. He thought his glow plugs or starter or whatever was going out. So from November to around January he never turned it off. If he hadn’t been arrested might never of been turned off.

I know a lot of newer “fleet” vehicles had “ certified clean idle “ badges. I don’t see them a lot in my neck of the woods. So not sure if leaving them idle is more of environmental, maintenance or low sulfur diesel thing.

I will also say that after reading this thread. I need to reread my owner’s manual on glow plugs and length of idl.

[Jim34RL]

I would like to point out that the Cummins engines do not use GLOW PLUGS, instead the engine has an air inlet heater. The dash indicator light is a universal symbol for engine pre-heat established by SAE and ISO standards organizations.

The Cummins engines will even go to high idle on its own when the engine is cold and in park, till the engine warms up. My 2008 Dodge does this all of the time! When I am not home and I start the truck when the engine is cold and it is in park. The truck will go into high idle mode all on its own!

The engine manufactures are now using the pre-heat cycle to help the diesel engines meet emissions requirements, when ambient temps are around 55F or lower! You do not really need to wait for the sensor light to go out before starting your diesel engine. I don't! I also know several users of the Cummins engine who have removed the grid heaters. Their truck will start even when the ambient temp is below -0.

As far as daily drivers we have two vehicles, my Wife's TDI Jetta and my 2008 Dodge Cummins truck.

[ppine]

since 2002. A bunch of folklore.

[FlaNative]

We use our '05 GMC Duramax as a daily drive and have had no problems. Bought it new, and drove it to and from work until I retired in '12. We have 156,000 miles on it. We use it for towing our Cardinal and it tows beautifully.
I'm not sure if this is true, but I heard that that engine is actually manufactured by Izusu. Just recently I learned that GM now manufactures their own Duramax engine.


TitanMike: the last time I heard anything about a 6-71 was when I worked on them in the Coast Guard back in the early 70's! We used them on the 40-footers for search and rescue. The issue we had with them was that we had to let them warm up for approx. 30 seconds before we put the throttle to them because of the scavenger ports breaking in the cylinder sleeves. They were technically a 2-cycle engine with exhaust valves, (no intake valves) with a blower. The intake was in the scavenger ports. Generally they were very reliable.

[traveltrailerrookie]

Thank you all for your input. The information will put me at ease as I do my research on brand and size. Good thing I have time as I’m in no hurry to purchase until Spring.

[nayther]

2013 Duramax with 180k. Daily driver about 30 miles each way to the office. Just had to replace DEF pump and heater, first major repair. replacing it next year, with another Duramax (will be my third).

[Cowracer]

Find a new tech, because he obviously don't know what he is talking about.

Tim

[Electra glide]

2015 2500HD. I bought it January 2016 with 130k on it. 150+k now. Drive it daily in the winter and it tows my 40 foot fifth wheel. Harley in the warmer months. No issues except Def heater that I replaced myself. So almost 4 years no major issues. My commute to work is 2 miles one way. I typically work 7 days a week unless I'm camping.

[B and B]

DD here.

Run about 32 km one way to work. 64km total trip daily. Rural Roads 80 kmph.

Always warms up.

In cold the exhaust brake comes on and engine is on high idle till it warms up.

I love my electric cab heater, gets the windshield clear faster like all the ice today.

Cheers from Canada.

[herbike]

Originally Posted by BandJCarm

If idling kills diesels, why does every Semi in America leave theirs running half the night, every day, and usually when parked anywhere else, as well?

If done right it won't hurt them. We were told to idle up to where the oil pressure came up to normal operating pressure. That stops the washing down of the cylinder walls with unburnt fuel. At least that is what the Detroit Diesel tech told us when I was driving the dang things for living.

I wish that the small engines had the feature to where they could be idled up too once in awhile. It all worked with the cruise control on the big engines.

[Lins]

Originally Posted by dodgemark

Ya that’s not totally true, - 20 degrees is cold. Even gas motors don’t like that but due to lighter engine oil they will start. Diesel motors are 15/40 engine oil and it’s thick at that temp. Truck really should be plugged in at that temps.

Originally Posted by TowPro

All the rams (the last several years) come with 5w40 synethic from factory

Exactly. Both our VW (gas 2.0T) and Ram are running 5W40. The much higher compression doesn't help on the diesel.

[NMWildcat]

To say short trips and long idling hurts a diesel is misleading. The diesel engine itself doesn't care any more than a gas. Now the emissions system is a different story.
My '07 Duramax was driven 3 miles one way to work, usually 4 times a day (home for lunch. The only emissions was an EGR and cat. It now has 170k and we are retired, so it gets used much more. I think it is fine
Now, my son's Border Patrol station stopped buying newer diesel fleet pickups with DEF, as the long idles (all shift) caused too many problems with the emissions, but not the engine.
But I doubt any private owner would idle their pickup for 12 hours a day, so it should be fine!!

[TheWolfPaq82]

Two years, two very harsh Nebr. winters. 22 miles round trip to work and back. Zero issues. 2014 6.6 Duramax.

[Cowracer]

Originally Posted by herbike

If done right it won't hurt them. We were told to idle up to where the oil pressure came up to normal operating pressure. That stops the washing down of the cylinder walls with unburnt fuel. At least that is what the Detroit Diesel tech told us when I was driving the dang things for living.

I wish that the small engines had the feature to where they could be idled up too once in awhile. It all worked with the cruise control on the big engines.

Ram's can be idled up off the cruise control. IIRC, you can idle it at any speed you like up to about 1500 or so. I know older GM's had a pin in one of the ECU Connectors that, if connected to ground, would idle it up to about 1250RPM. I put a switch in my old 94 GMC to turn on the high-idle.

I don't know about new GM's or Fords.

Tim

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by Cowracer

Ram's can be idled up off the cruise control. IIRC, you can idle it at any speed you like up to about 1500 or so. I know older GM's had a pin in one of the ECU Connectors that, if connected to ground, would idle it up to about 1250RPM. I put a switch in my old 94 GMC to turn on the high-idle.

I don't know about new GM's or Fords.

Tim

Yep, almost all diesels have a high idle setting. You just have to do a little research in how to turn it on/off. On mine you have to turn on the left blinker, press the brake 4.5 times while holding your left ear, and make sure the Eagles CD is playing.
I honestly don't remember the gyrations to turn mine on as I never use it. But I know it's available

[Theb2b]

To engage high idle on my Ram 1500 it is a combination of settings and temps. Not quite as complicated as NMWildcat but close.

If outside temp is 50 or less, and the engine temp is not "up to operating temperature" and cabin temp is set to high then the engine will idle at 1,000 RPM. If outside temp is 30 or less and all the above are the same, engine temp and cabin heat setting, then the engine will idle at 1,250 RPM.

My truck doesn't have automatic climate control so I can't comment on how that effects the high idle setting.

[TheWolfPaq82]

My 2014 GMC, you went into the info section on the dash display...select "High Idle On/Off...and set it to on. Done.