Oil & Fuel Need to Warm Up a Diesel Engine?

   / Need to Warm Up a Diesel Engine? #1  

hwp

Platinum Member
Joined
Dec 16, 2001
Messages
643
Location
St. Catharines, Ontario, CANADA
Tractor
Kubota F2400
The impression I get from reading a number of posts on various topics is that it is harmful to a diesel engine to use it before the engine is full warmed up. Is this really the case? This is my first diesel tractor but I have owned several diesel cars and never had a problem with driving them as soon as they were started. Most of those cars had well over 500k miles on them before I sold them and they were still running strong. There is no question that there is a better fuel burn, and therefore more power, at higher temperatures but these engines have to run to warm up so why not use them in the process? I notice that some jurisdictions now prohibit vehicles, particularly diesel powered busses and trucks, from being left idling for more than a few minutes. I have never seen any notation in an owner's manual that a diesel engine should be full warmed up before being used. So what is the basis of the widely held belief that diesel enignes must be fully armed up before they can be used?
 
   / Need to Warm Up a Diesel Engine? #2  
You will probably get alot of different responses to this. I do believe that you need to let a diesel warm-up for at least a few minutes if it is cold. If it is not cold then drive it right away. The reason is to let the oil warmup a little and get better flow. Plus things break very easily when the temps get down really low. If you let the tractor warmup a little this isn't as big of a problem either. Power steering, the brakes, engine, etc. all work better when the oil is warmer.

Can you probably get away without warming up? I would say yes here as well. I have never seen any actual studies saying one way or another so it's hard to say. On the old powerstrokes you didn't have any power until they were up to normal operating temp. I am just going by what has worked for many years for us.

On a side note if you plug them in then you can usually go about right away as the engine is already warmed up.
 
   / Need to Warm Up a Diesel Engine? #3  
In the winter, I start it, pull it out of the garage, walk around and do my manually shoveling around the house and garage doors, then rev it up and go. Probably five minutes warm up at the most. Have never had a problem, but have only had it two years - about 210 hours now.
 
   / Need to Warm Up a Diesel Engine? #4  
I think the key is keeping the stresses low until it is warmed up. As long as the lubricating oil is flowing, it won't hurt to putter around a bit while warming up. In fact, it will help some by warming the other fluids in the system /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
 
   / Need to Warm Up a Diesel Engine? #5  
<font color=blue>...Most of those cars had well over 500k miles on them before I sold them and they were still running strong...</font color=blue>

Howard... WOW!

Two questions:

How old are you? /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

& What the heck kind of cars did you have...? /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif

As good as Toyota's and the Honda's are... they'd be hard pressed to go 500,000 miles...

"I just gots to know".... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
 
   / Need to Warm Up a Diesel Engine? #6  
I wondered about this myself till one winter when the seal on my HST filter failed at startup on a minus 10 day. The leaking fluid was very thick at that temp -- almost like maple syrup -- so since then I've let it warm a bit more when brrrr-cold outside.

Pete
 
   / Need to Warm Up a Diesel Engine? #7  
On the heavy equipment at our construction company, many of the units have large hydrostatic drives, and they have a hydraulic pressure bypass that you engauge in very low temps, to aid in starting ( Motor graders mainly ).

Soundguy
 
   / Need to Warm Up a Diesel Engine? #8  
I agree with RobS, go ahead and use it but don't work it hard until it's warmed up. I work for Cummins Engine (diesel engine manufacturer). I'm an electronic/software guy, so I'm not an expert on the mechanics, but when I first got my tractor I asked an engine designer, who is an expert (has a PhD in mechanical engineering), and he said they don't need to sit and idle to warm up and will warm up faster if you start using it, but don't lug it until it's warmed up. If the temp is 20-25, I plug in the engine heater for at least an hour, if it's 15-20, I plug it in for 2 hours. If it's colder than that, I stay in the house!
 
   / Need to Warm Up a Diesel Engine?
  • Thread Starter
#9  
<font color=blue>How old are you?</font color=blue> early 60s

<font color=blue>What the heck kind of cars did you have...?</font color=blue> 220D, 240D and 300D Benzs - but only gas ones now
 
 
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