Hi Everyone. I'm new to this forum. I own my first truck ( 08 international with the Maxforce dT10 engine). I run across Canada all year around and in the winter time it gets very cold (-30 to -40 degree celsius). Lot of times I don't have a plug to plug in my truck at night. Can I use my cruise control and bump up my idling to 1000rpm all night long? Will it hurt the engine if I do it for a week? I see lot of truck at the truck stop idle untill morning.
Low and high idling
- Thread starter agentm
- Start date
You could, but here is why you shouldn't.
Your truck has a DPF (the soot filter for the emission rules). At idle or high idle (1000rpm) in those temperatures it will fill up fairly quickly and go into re-gen mode which uses a lot of fuel to burn it clean again, this process will happen several times a night while you do this, fuel is not that cheap. Your engine will also be running cool, the temp gauge may show it is warm but a lot of things inside your engine will not be including your oil. This can lead to condensation build up which attaches itself to the sulfur in your oil (combustion by-product) and creates sulphuric acid, not real good for bearings. There are a host of other reasons why it's a bad deal.
If you are going run in the cold regularly it would pay huge dividends to you to buy a diesel fired heater (Espar or Webasto). The payback will be very quick in fuel saved alone!
How do you like the new DT10 motor?
Your truck has a DPF (the soot filter for the emission rules). At idle or high idle (1000rpm) in those temperatures it will fill up fairly quickly and go into re-gen mode which uses a lot of fuel to burn it clean again, this process will happen several times a night while you do this, fuel is not that cheap. Your engine will also be running cool, the temp gauge may show it is warm but a lot of things inside your engine will not be including your oil. This can lead to condensation build up which attaches itself to the sulfur in your oil (combustion by-product) and creates sulphuric acid, not real good for bearings. There are a host of other reasons why it's a bad deal.
If you are going run in the cold regularly it would pay huge dividends to you to buy a diesel fired heater (Espar or Webasto). The payback will be very quick in fuel saved alone!
How do you like the new DT10 motor?
While Piper is correct for the most part with the aux heater which should be setup to heat the coolant in the motor as well as provide heat in the cabin, I have to be a little wary of not running the motor in temps like -40. At this temp oil sitting in the oil pan turns to sludge and would take a lot of minutes to warm up enough to be useful. Myself having listened to my uncle who worked for the MTO and ran a fleet of diesel trucks in extreme temps once it goes down to those temps he advised to run the motor and prefereably at high idle. Reason being it kept the oil at a full flow temp. Agreed there will be areas of the motor not upto operating temp but at -40 and colder the mines and such keep their outdoor required equipment running full time as otherwise many won't start and take too long to get to ops temps. Even with a block heater they take a long time to get upto temp and the oil is not circulating properly (especially at -40 with a -15 or -20 windchill on top so -50/-60). Therefore if running in this temp range for awhile it wuld be advisable to go to a better flowing oil like 10w-30 or a synthetic like 5w-40 diesel oil (although aren't the new motors running a 5w-40 syn?). But even with a better cold temp oil at -40 and colder.... i prefer to run the motor (just me).
I agree that for the newer engines the dpf does provide a problem of sooting up and creating a regen much sooner and I'm not sure what other problems this could lead to with these newer motors.
Another minor point is that batteries don't work well at -40 or lower temps and therefore not advisable to leave them without use for too many hours. Extreme cold really affects vehicles and equipment.
Rob
I agree that for the newer engines the dpf does provide a problem of sooting up and creating a regen much sooner and I'm not sure what other problems this could lead to with these newer motors.
Another minor point is that batteries don't work well at -40 or lower temps and therefore not advisable to leave them without use for too many hours. Extreme cold really affects vehicles and equipment.
Rob
mjolnir131
Veteran Expediter
actually with my experience with a 08 MBE is low idle means regen more often. in a freightliner anyways you need to keep the exhaust was warm as passable. that is why states with a 55 mph limit means you have to regen more often. when the rpm is below high idle like at 55mph Manuel regen goes up why?,lower heat more exhaust emission,the sulfur is not burning and collects in the regen unit.
if you leave it to a lower idle it will collect and need to do a manual re-burn while at a higher temp it takes care of itself
if you leave it to a lower idle it will collect and need to do a manual re-burn while at a higher temp it takes care of itself
Thanks for the info. I have driven other motors before and I find this motor the most quiet of all. I have 2 small tank and it cost me average $450.00 total and I can get about 1200km on it. Although it only have 310 hp and 1050lb/torq. It is enough for the load I'm carrying.( gross 45-65,000 lb) The down side is the computer program at first, nobody really know how to fix the bug last year but now it's getting better.
Can you tell me where to get the diesel heater. Although I go to the west once every 1.5 months. I think it's a good idea to get one.
My DPF light have not turn on yet. I do a equal city and highway driving and now it's 90,000km on it. If I high idle, wouldn't it be like driving on the highway use? Because the instruction on my DPF is whenever the warning light is on, I either drive it on the highway or use the re gen button while I sit and wait until it's done.
Also, so far my engine can start at -20 celsius. Don't know with the wind factor.
The Espar or Webasto can be had in most places you have a large number of truck dealers. There are speacialty shops in the Mississauga area with ATC being one that handles Espar units. Call ahead if your in the area and have to do a time reset and put it in as the boys there can do it quite fast. There are other dealers around but I know they have good relations with Espar. But that's only one place there are several. If I remember correctly a D5 heat unit would be around 1800 area and does both engine and cabin.
As for the new engines needing a regen more often at low idle I can believe that as they have increased the cooling capacity due to the higher heat generated in the motor. So a higher cooling capacity would be cause for temp drops at idle changing the burn. Interesting how while trying to meet emmissions standards they have caused new problems. Of course we all see this with the cars as you can no longer work on them ourselves due to the high integration of sensors and computers.
As for the new engines needing a regen more often at low idle I can believe that as they have increased the cooling capacity due to the higher heat generated in the motor. So a higher cooling capacity would be cause for temp drops at idle changing the burn. Interesting how while trying to meet emmissions standards they have caused new problems. Of course we all see this with the cars as you can no longer work on them ourselves due to the high integration of sensors and computers.
mjolnir131
Veteran Expediter
without a block heater in extreme cold you have to idle other wise starting can and does become a challenge
i use a schedule I'll idle for an hour espar for 5 idle for 1 and when it gets cold enough that the last start was sluggish i modify that schedule.
i have sat idleing in high idle for 12 hours and when i did move the exhust recycled it's self so i did not have to stop.
i use a schedule I'll idle for an hour espar for 5 idle for 1 and when it gets cold enough that the last start was sluggish i modify that schedule.
i have sat idleing in high idle for 12 hours and when i did move the exhust recycled it's self so i did not have to stop.
moose
Veteran Expediter
I believe you will find the term "Wind Chill" was coined by the U.S. Army for service personal serving in Greenland. It was trying to determine how quick the skin freezes at different wind speeds. It has no effect on wood, metal or what ever.
mjolnir131
Veteran Expediter
on solid objects your right but anything that has a liquid in it ,will have a great effect. and the last time i checked motor oil is mostly a liquid
also should check out which states have anti idling law's to
also idling the truck you will use about 1 gal of fuel for every hour of idling
so if you are some place for the weekend could cost alot
something to think of
a good gen set is something to think of
also idling the truck you will use about 1 gal of fuel for every hour of idling
so if you are some place for the weekend could cost alot
something to think of
a good gen set is something to think of
Jack_Berry
Moderator Emeritus
i don't have either yet BUT i have had quotes. the webasto seems to quote about 500 bucks higher than the espar. espar prices vary also. local thermo king quoted 2k$. espar in romulus was 1500 and a place in ohio recently did danthewolfs for 1250. then he had the engine heater also installled on his sprinter and it was close to 3K total.
What Bearcat said! 40 degrees below zero is 40 degrees below zero no matter what the wind speed. Eventually your oil will reach 40 below zero. If you got your nose pointed into a 30mph wind your engine will cool off quicker, but it won't get any colder than the outside temperature.
Now if you are out standing along side your truck and the temperature is -40, that 30 mph wind will make your exposed skin feel like it is -60 or whatever. But the outside temperature will still be a balmy -40.
Somewhere along the line television weather weasels latched on to this wind chill factor to make their forecasts more dramatic.
RLENT
Veteran Expediter
Probably was "the Master of Meteorlogical Disaster" .... that Jim Cantore guy on the Weather Channel ..... every time I see him on the 'tube it reminds me of that Eagles song, Dirty Laundry:
"We got the bubble-headed-bleach-blonde who
Comes on at five
She can tell you bout the plane crash with a gleam
In her eye
Its interesting when people die-
Give us dirty laundry"
Well, Jim's not blonde (mostly bald) ..... but then maybe he dyes what little he has left ......