If you start a diesel, work it?

[hube2]

I have read many topics here on TBN about this. If you start a diesel then you should run it, work it to get it up to operating temp. This burns off any condensation you might have in the oil, HST. It will also burn off any diesel that may have migrated to the oil. I've also done my own research on this independent of TBN and everything I can find suggests this is the case. My question is not whether or not I should work it when I start it.

What I would like to know is what to do those times when I must start it but don't really have any work to do?

As an example: Winter is just about over and I need to prep my blower for storage. Basically I need to start the tractor and disconnect the blower in the location where I'll apply a coat of paint and do other prep. I'll also take the chains off when I do this. Total run time for this will be 5 or 10 minutes. Will not be worked and will not get it up to operating temps while I'm doing this. Then when I'm done with the prep I will move the blower to where it will be stored till October, another 5 minutes. So that 2 starts that I know of where I won't be running it for any work and now work in between either.

Should not worry about these types of start ups?
Should I take it for a ride down the road or around the block, maybe do figure eights in my yard? Will this even do me any good?

 

[LouNY]

It doesn't have to be operated enough to get everything up to full operating temperature every time it is started.
That said a lot of short run starts and stops are not good for any internal combustion engine.
But a few are not going to hurt your tractor.
Many of our tractors will get dozens of starts in a day, some may be just 3-4 minutes during hooking up and lubing attachments or equipment.
Then the next one could be 3-4 hours of hard work, or even 4-6 hours of light work such as raking or tedding hay.
Many of these have well in excess of 10,000 hours and still get started and used often.

 

[hube2]

Thanks @LouNY that's pretty much what I was thinking, but being new to diesels I was not sure if my thinking was correct. I don't want to do anything that might cause issues since I plan to have this tractor for a very long time. I've actually been doing a neighbors driveway all winter (my wife's aunt, she is 70 something) just so that it got the extra work time. Tractor will not really need to be used between now an sometime in late April or early May, whenever I decide it's time to start mowing and it hasn't been moved in about 3 weeks now. Although that might change since it's snowing and blowing pretty good right now. Hoping there is not enough to get the tractor out though as I've had my fill of winter this year. But I can get prepped which means several short runs moving stuff around, hooking and unhooking.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Whereas diesels like best to be worked, they are also TOUGH animals, and will also suffer more abuse than a gas engine.

I put so little hours on my equipment, that it isn't a worry. Something to be mindful of, but not a worry. I'm not ever going to notice the difference between whether I got 4000 hours out of an engine or 6000 on account of my operational habits. I simply won't ever get up there.

 

[Agvg]

We are quit a few that uses diesels in our cars and live in a cold climat, when I'm using my van in the winter it's basically running short trips and never get close to anything that is optimal temperature for the engine, millions of cars and vans run like this all the time with very few problems.

 

[Agvg]

Most modern diesels are so effective that very little heat is produced unless it's under heavy work. Mye van uses a little under 4,5L diesel to drive 100km so not much is left for heat, most small diesel vans and cares have aux heaters to keep the car warm while driving. So you probably never have a chance to get any engine heat while just driving around with no load on a modern tractor.

 

[Industrial Toys]

What does tick me off, is with my only emmissions of any type Diesel, my 08 GMC Duramax. Come home from town and it starts doing it's burn off routine as I'm parking . And there is no way to allow or disallow, favouring let's say a longer trip of many hours just the next day or so.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Depends on what they are burning. Pollution control would be difficult with Bunker C. They going past many wash lines going up an down the Suez? Women would be shaking their fists doing that tongue thing, or throwing shoes at the boat.

Ah, the good old days. Sometimes you just want to be wreckless. Get them good and hot, and just put them away wet! lol Fend for themselves.

 

[Hay Dude]

What does tick me off, is with my only emmissions of any type Diesel, my 08 GMC Duramax. Come home from town and it starts doing it's burn off routine as I'm parking . And there is no way to allow or disallow, favouring let's say a longer trip of many hours just the next day or so.

My Ram came equipped with a manual regen feature.

 

[Redlands Okie]

Yup Diesel kinda like woman, you start up you wanna heat up den you want ta work it hard get entrained water out of crankcase lube system. Proper lubrication important on either.

Been watchin dat supercarrier over in de Suez, one dat got stuck cause engineers so sure bow & stern thrusters could keep out of trouble. Little shocked to see in de Green world of envirogrampas concerned bout oxygen fer little Boopsie in 30 years dat big puppy 2 cycle Diesel. Wonder how much smoke she makes. Bet on no regen on de stack.

Last 10 years or so has seen major changes in fuel types, engine design, pollution devices used by merchant shipping due to pollution restrictions.