Why do diesel owners idle their motors so much?

[blk6t]

Originally Posted by smoo

Why a highway run!? Minimal fuel burn/load on the engine, high airflow over the the radiator etc makes highway driving the easiest you'll get.
Now if you're towing three tonne at say over 60% load then fair enough as everything is working hard and more fuel means more heat.
Anything else and these turbo timers are purely for the **** factor.
Modern diesels will have an air:fuel ratio of about 200:1 at idle so it's not an issue... Our 15 litre cummins burn 2-3 litres per hour at idle.

Was just going to ask the same thing, makes no sense. Highway run should be very little effort on the engine...unless they are driving in second gear

More effort and strain to drive on local streets than a highway.

[mike_nofx]

The couple of turbo diesels I've owned I've fitted EGT gauges to. The general rule I'd go by was to not shut off the engine with a high EGT (exhaust gas temperature) but to let it cool first, this was generally only when offroad 4x4ing after a hill climb or similar where you may stop at the top of a hill to wait for your buddies.

On road, the EGT occasionally got on the hot side after long high speed up hill runs, but seriously how often do you climb a hill at high speed then need to pull over and stop right at the very top? Sure there are times but they are rare.

I NEVER pulled into a supermarket carpark, parked it up and still had a high EGT.

We have 3.0TD Hilux site vehicles at work which are left idling for most of the day, the engines do not last long at all. I could get some photos of the engine internals, inlet manifolds and exhaust systems of a diesel which idles all day and post them up. Of course I know this is the extreme circumstance and doesnt really compare to 5 minutes of idling outside the corner shop.

[Matty4]

Originally Posted by new2ford

I think it's embedded in the brain of Homo sapiens that when he finishes using something he turns it straight off.

Ha..............tell that to my teenage kids.
Lights, TV's, games consoles etc etc.....

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by Matty4

Ha..............tell that to my teenage kids.
Lights, TV's, games consoles etc etc.....

When the money starts to come out of their own pocket they'll learn quick smart.

[buggerlugs]

Originally Posted by Revolver

Telling people "its not necessary" is the same as not telling them at all. They ignore it. People are ignorant.

After working in a servo for many years, ive seen tons of people get out and leave their cars going. And Each and every time Ive thought: "I should get in that and drive it out onto the road, scare the beejesus out of them". That'll teach em fast.

Done that to one of my customers with a tilt tray. He left it idling (yes , a diesel ) out the front of a panel beaters business. I parked my truck down the road a bit, went back , jumped in the tilt tray and parked it around the corner, locked the truck, came back and sat across the road from the panel beaters and waited till old mate came out. He shat himself, I let it go for about 5 minutes. He was having kittens. Called me lots of "rude" names when I gave him the keys back.............

[Trevor 57]

Originally Posted by TheInterceptor

Hey all.

Its a simple thing. Why do diesel owners idle their vehicles so much? Mainly those with Landcruisers, Hilux's and Patrols. Does anybody have a valid reason why such an action is done by so many?

A common example. People arrive to a shop, hop out of their diesel vehicle and go into the shop to do their business and leave their vehicle running. No matter what exhaust has been fitted, it still sounds like a clattering mess of farts and smells as good as one too.

I see it constantly anywhere i go. Yes, by all means idle your vehicle after its done hard work (like consistant highway cruising or heavy towing, petrol or diesel vehicles) but not when your pootling around town

they let them idle for a long time to build up air pressure so that they can release the maxi brakes -

[Revolver]

Originally Posted by mechanic

Happens here all the time in summer, leave the vehicle running while checking the mail or whatever just to keep the aircon ticking over.
Surprising there's not a lot more vehicles stolen.

I think it's higher than people realise.

It's been proven that most thefts are simply moments of opportunism. Not pre-mediated

[cram_it_frog]

I plead guilty to leaving my petrol engine on today

Yes i plead extenuating circumstance this morning I took my car to get a new exhaust fitted for rego inspection

The guy said bring it in at 8:30 am and he slept in and was late and it was freezing here in Broken Hill so I left the engine on to keep warm

Please be gentle with me it is my first offense in 30 years of driving

a community order like drinking a beer in every pub in Broken Hill would be sever enough

[LG17]

I idled my diesel a lot today as well.
Far too cold outside to even think of turning it off.
I'm sure Toowoomba was moved to Antarctica overnight!

[burnz]

Originally Posted by cram_it_frog

I plead guilty to leaving my petrol engine on today

Yes i plead extenuating circumstance this morning I took my car to get a new exhaust fitted for rego inspection

The guy said bring it in at 8:30 am and he slept in and was late and it was freezing here in Broken Hill so I left the engine on to keep warm

Please be gentle with me it is my first offense in 30 years of driving

a community order like drinking a beer in every pub in Broken Hill would be sever enough

only if i'm invited to your punishment..

[hawke]

I spent several years as the Technical Manager of Detroit Diesel Allison. In automotive applications, I saw no evidence of any turbo failure caused by shutting down by not idling it. Most turbo failure was caused by foreign matter, or by over-speeding caused by blocked air filters.

Engines that were idled excessively, only exhibited cylinder glazing.

However, in North America, where engines were idled overnight to provide cabin heat, and prevent freezing, were fitted with special piston rings to prevent glazing.

[jakkes]

to my understanding in modern turbo'd cars the turbo is cooled by the engine's coolant and lubed by the engines pressurised oiling system so it would be that people are just uneducated on the matter ..........it all comes down to this.......

HUMANS ARE STUPID!!!!!!

[cram_it_frog]

hawke that explains a lot of the top gear shows where they have slept with there engines on

thanks special piston rings

[maat1985]

all our delivery vehicles at work are diesel. all our drivers never leave the running. these vans are on the road for 10hrs a day. always stopped and turned off straight away. we have a ford transits, fiat ducatos, and an izuzu truck. one of these vehicles has a cooling fan that keeps running after being turned off.
these all have alot of k's on them and never have we had a single issue with the turbo or even engine in these. all the problems we see with our vehicles are clutches, gearboxes, and electrical problems. not a single problem with the motors at all
i cannot see any reason to leave a diesel running unless it my be extremely hot but anyways it is illegal to leave a running vehicle unattended and i hope to god someone who does it oneday gets booked, or even funnier gets their car stolen as i think it this sort of thing sums up alot of people today,
in too much of a hurry, too ignorant and arrogant to what is going on around them do not have a care for anybody else except themselves and always believe that they can do wat they want and do not deserve to get caught or something bad to happen cus they have a good reason....

[TUF_302]

I'm guilty of leaving my Patrol idling all the time, only unoccupied when in the back yard where the dog is tho, but if i'm at the shops and the missus is with me and only running in i leave it going, just habit really, done it with all my "big rigs" as you girly petrol owners say lol, if you don't like the sound or noise of my huge tractor powered barge just walk away i say lol

Really don't see what it matters what someone else chooses to do with there vehicle

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by TUF_302

Really don't see what it matters what someone else chooses to do with there vehicle

Maybe something to do with other people finding the noise and smell offensive, not to mention inhaling the carcinogenic pollution.

But if you're the only person on the planet feel free to go right ahead!

[TUF_302]

Originally Posted by new2ford

Maybe something to do with other people finding the noise and smell offensive, not to mention inhaling the carcinogenic pollution.

But if you're the only person on the planet feel free to go right ahead!

My car at idle is a little noisy but nothing offensive, and all cars give out carcinogenic fumes, so yeah should we all be driving prius's to keep you little girls happy

[Tassie f100]

Well tuf that is a very arrogant response.Engines only pump out stinking fumes while they are runing so too say stiff xxxx.shows That you don't give a damn about other peoples health

[burnz]

Originally Posted by Tassie f100

Well tuf that is a very arrogant response.Engines only pump out stinking fumes while they are runing so too say stiff xxxx.shows That you don't give a damn about other peoples health

you missed the point that was made,,

all engine emit carcinogenic but some how it's purely aimed at diesels only..
a lot of miss info here.
sound a lot complaining about smokers while sitting in front of an open fire!!