Tractor idling

[tmcj]

My understanding, and correct me if I'm wrong, is that with a diesel system it's not good to do short starts and stops if it is not up to normal operating temperature to avoid carbon buildup since things aren't hot enough to burn it off. In this case I would let my truck idle if it's only going to be a minute or so in a store or something. If I leave work and drive half a mile and go inside to pick up lunch, then drive back I would let it run, especially if it's really cold out. Otherwise I shut it off.

With the tractor it just depends on how frequently I would be getting off to do something and for how long. If I were repeatedly getting on and off to do something I feel like it's best to let it idle for a few minutes rather than put a beating on the starter and battery. Sometimes if I feel like the tractor is getting a real workout I'll let it idle for 30 seconds or so then shut it off and let it cool off for several minutes, sometimes even opening the hood. If I feel like I need a break I figure the tractor could use one too. Then it's back to work.

 

[tmcj]

On a side note with the truck....I use a detachable lanyard so if the truck is left running the doors are locked and I have the key fob. I haven't tested how the security system works in that case, or if it works at all. My wife's car will shut down if the key fob leaves the vehicle. Not sure if my truck locks the gear shift or anything. I'll have to test it. In my area locking it is enough for peace of mind. It's highly unlikely someone would do a smash and drive.

 

[scootr]

After doing more research I believe I was wrong about low rpms creating more particulate build up in the muffler. The amount of fuel burned seems to be the determining factor. The more fuel the tractor burns the more it regens. So idling uses very little fuel and should not hasten the regen cycle any more that burning the equal amount of fuel at say 2k rpms.

 

[Deleted member 371759]

My understanding, and correct me if I'm wrong, is that with a diesel system it's not good to do short starts and stops if it is not up to normal operating temperature to avoid carbon buildup since things aren't hot enough to burn it off. In this case I would let my truck idle if it's only going to be a minute or so in a store or something. If I leave work and drive half a mile and go inside to pick up lunch, then drive back I would let it run, especially if it's really cold out. Otherwise I shut it off.

With the tractor it just depends on how frequently I would be getting off to do something and for how long. If I were repeatedly getting on and off to do something I feel like it's best to let it idle for a few minutes rather than put a beating on the starter and battery. Sometimes if I feel like the tractor is getting a real workout I'll let it idle for 30 seconds or so then shut it off and let it cool off for several minutes, sometimes even opening the hood. If I feel like I need a break I figure the tractor could use one too. Then it's back to work.

You engine condensates even on the inside. Have you ever looked under your truck after a very cold day followed by a warm day? Its dripping with water like rain if your humidity is high enough, if you have a decent sized cast iron block it will take a day to warm up the block and all the fluids. Short runs and you never get warm enough to evaporate the moisture. Same reason its best to keep your fuel topped up. Tank cools it contracts and it forces air out, next time it warms up the tank expands and draws in moist air. Back before DPF,SCR,DEF,EGR and VGT it was preferable to idle your diesel. It avoided a heat cycle which is a major cause of engine stress. Pick up a load in Alabama its 60 degrees. Make a stop in North Dakota, It 5 below zero. You shut off your engine to sleep the night. Your engine is contracted due to being cold. Every single gasket is scrubbed and everything goes through a contraction and expansion cycle during the warm up cycle.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

I'll turn it off if it's going to be idling for more than a few minutes or I'm working with another person and need to communicate. It's a quiet tractor but you're still raising your voice to be heard. I'll turn it off if I smell exhaust fumes as I don't like diesel exhaust. Sometimes I'll turn it off just to have quiet.

I think that the idea of letting diesels idle because they're hard to start comes from the old days of gas pony engines instead of electric starters and big truck engines that were hard to fire up. Modern CUT diesels start easily.

Starters and flywheels are still costly.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

My understanding, and correct me if I'm wrong, is that with a diesel system it's not good to do short starts and stops if it is not up to normal operating temperature to avoid carbon buildup since things aren't hot enough to burn it off. In this case I would let my truck idle if it's only going to be a minute or so in a store or something. If I leave work and drive half a mile and go inside to pick up lunch, then drive back I would let it run, especially if it's really cold out. Otherwise I shut it off.

Aside from not idling an engine if possible, I also don't start one unless it can be worked until the oil gets up to enough temp to burn off any condensation. With a diesel, that can take 10 miles or more at highway speeds, even towing something halfway heavy.

Gas engines can get hot spots from idling, but diesels never get truly warm doing it. If they got warm when idling, or stayed warm, there would be no such thing as them cooling down at idle for a minute or two after having worked them.

Diesels like to work, but idling isn't work.

 

[IndyJay]

Aside from not idling an engine if possible, I also don't start one unless it can be worked until the oil gets up to enough temp to burn off any condensation. With a diesel, that can take 10 miles or more at highway speeds, even towing something halfway heavy.

Gas engines can get hot spots from idling, but diesels never get truly warm doing it. If they got warm when idling, or stayed warm, there would be no such thing as them cooling down at idle for a minute or two after having worked them.

Diesels like to work, but idling isn't work.

But you do want to let the turbocharger cool down before shutting it off.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

But you do want to let the turbocharger cool down before shutting it off.

Yes, that would really be the main (only?) reason to idle an engine - that has been worked.

 

[oosik]

If I have to idle my M6040 - then it will be between 1500 to 1800 rpm. When done for the day - I let it run at full idle( 900 rpm) for about ten minuets. Cools the turbo.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

When done for the day - I let it run at full idle( 900 rpm) for about ten minuets. Cools the turbo.

Unless there's something unusual about the Kubotas (I have an M6040) that I don't know about, two to three minutes should be plenty.

For example, when stopping for fuel with the Ram 3500, which is always towing something (from 8K to 25K) at a typical gas station, the temps are already down enough by the time I stop at the pump.

By the way, that '17 has 11 idle hours on it. Partially because it gets driven at least 300 miles at a time once started, and partially because I don't like idling it.

 

[Roger66]

What about on a DPF tractor? Every start of a diesel lets off a nice puff of black smoke that the DPF must catch. It would seem to me that leaving it running keeping the engine up to temp would be better for the Tractor. Personally I don't burn enough fuel for fuel cost to be a consideration at all. I'm only concerned about what's best for the longevity of the tractor. Personally I bought a 26 hp tractor to avoid the DPF as my use case is always short runs, I never mow, till or plow fields with it. Mine is basically a fork lift. Think the old planet fitness commercial "I lift things up, I put them down". My tractor is horribly underpowered with that little motor in it, but no DPF to worry about. It does everything I need, but slowly. If I were to make a rule to not idle the tractor and shut it down every time I get off, I'd be starting my tractor 20+ times in a couple hours.

 

[Little Red Tractor]

My rule of thumb with small diesels varies by season. Warm weather operation, shut it down if you'll be off for more than a couple minutes. Colder weather, only shut down if I'll be off for more than 5 minutes or so.
I'm not painful about those times, just a general guideline.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

It's not just about the amount of fuel/soot being made, ita about how hot the DPF gets, to naturally keep itself clean

 

[Roger66]

So wouldn't it be better to idle and keep the DPF hot, than shut down?

 

[CoyPatton]

For me it depends, if I am off doing something before I get back in the tractor that I think will only take a minute, but ends ip taking 5 I leave it running/idling. If I think it is going to take a bit before I am back on the tractor or I need to talk to someone about the project (even if for only a couple of minutes) I shut it down.
There to me is no I always do this regardless—thus it depends. So do what works for you.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

So wouldn't it be better to idle and keep the DPF hot, than shut down?

Many times idling doesn't keep it hot enough.

 

[ericm979]

So wouldn't it be better to idle and keep the DPF hot, than shut down?

Idling doesn't keep the DPF hot, that's the problem. Diesels are always flowing all the air- there is no throttle plate to cut it off. At idle the exhaust is much cooler than with a gas engine.

 

[masscity]

Diesels cool down when they idle, If I idle for more than a couple of minutes I set the RPMs around 1200 or so.

 

[Deleted member 371759]

Also as you idle and the engine cools you start to lose efficiency in combustion. So you plug stuff up faster. Common rail was designed for emission reasons. Atomizes fuel better resulting in better burning and less particulate matter.

 

[ssuser]

Starting any engine accelerates wear (no oil pressure for a short time). Idling for a short period will result in less wear than starting and stopping it.