carbon monoxide in a diesel ????

hondaking38

Veteran Expediter
met a semi driver in nashville at the ta truck stop yesterday, and he told me that you dont need to leave your windows cracked at night while ideling your engine because with a diesel engine you cannot die from carbon monoxide poisoning, i drive a sprinter, any info would be appreciated...........thanks brian
 

Broompilot

Veteran Expediter
Brian I can tell you this. Last year my brand new truck a very tiny slight crack in the Exhaust Manifold no noise no nothing except for a very slight odor. Well at the same time my Pro-Heat went down one evening, was tired so cranked the engine up and went back to sleep. I do not know why but I awoke to a headache like I have never I mean never expierenced, if this was not carbon monixide poison I do not know what could explaine this.

This headache lasted until I got enough fresh air outside to get the carbon mx out of my blood stream. I had know idea that manifold was craacked until early this winter, all summer long cause it was warm it stayed swollen shut but when winter came the contraction from the cold made it show its crack. Got it repaired and glad its over. Ask others here, but I believe I would have died in my sleep had I of slept another half an hour.
 

davekc

Senior Moderator
Staff member
Fleet Owner
I would highly recommend a carbon monoxide detector. Reasonably priced at Wal-mart. Not a bad idea on a van either.



Davekc
owner
21 years
PantherII
EO moderator
 

hondaking38

Veteran Expediter
thanks for the info, your right a detector is a small price to pay.the guy actually had me believing him, thats why i asked
 

Crazynuff

Veteran Expediter
Often cracking a window at a truckstop or rest area with a lot of idling vehicles will let more CO in than you'd be letting out .
 

TJ959

Veteran Expediter
I've had a carbon monoxide detector in my last 2 trucks. It really helps the confidence and I sleep a little better. I think having one in a van is more important. They park closer together in most truck stops. It may not be your truck that gasses you but the one next door.
 

vipra

Expert Expediter
Good luck trying to keep exhaust out. The air at truckstops and rest areas is disgusting because of all the trucks idling, especially if there's no wind, and you're smart to be concerned about breathing it. Sometimes you can see a cloud of exhaust covering a truckstop or rest area as you approach. Sometimes I can even smell it coming out of my dash vents as I'm driving by on the interstate.
Here are a couple tricks I've learned because I can't stand breathing that air:
---As you drive into a truckstop, look for a flag on the building or for some visible exhaust coming out of a truck so you can see which way the wind is blowing. Then park as far upwind as possible in the parking lot so that you're getting fresh air blowing in off the neighboring field.
---As soon as you turn you engine off, open all your doors and vents for a minute to let fresh air blow out all the exhaust. Then if you're parked upwind you can be fairly confident that the air you're breathing is clean.

Vipra
 
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