MBTRAC
Gold Member
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2012
- Messages
- 391
- Location
- NSW Australia
- Tractor
- Tractors16-600hp Farm & Earthmoving Equip, Trucks etc.
The owners manual for my turbo diesel pick up makes no mention of warming up.
People I know with diesel pick ups also don't seem to warm them up.
My question is why do I have to warm up my diesel engined tractor for several minutes but not my diesel engined 4WD pick up ?
You don't have to warm up/cool down any engine, but it may be prudent to do so with both if you're interested in minimising wear & maximising the longevity of your diesel engine/turbo....it's also a little more critical in an industrial engine.
As they say, just as "oils ain't oils", all diesel engines are not the same - The characteristics/design of an industrial diesel engine as used in a tractor are quite different from a light automotive modern diesel engine as used in most current Pick Ups/Utes & examples of variances depending on individual comparatives may include:-
- Power/Torque delivery at lower RPM in a tractor vs a Pick Up (which will delivery peak power at much higher RPM) , together with significant difference in the gearing, the torque multiplier transfer of low gearing in tractors extrapolating into greater engine loading at any given RPM
- Composite, Ceramic & weight saving materials may be used in a Pick Up engine (e.g Block/Heads/Pistons) vs generally cast/forged construction in an industrial unit
- Common rail high pressure ECU controlled injection on a Pick Up ( c.15000PSI+) vs low tech c.2000PSI on most tractors currently in use
- The volume/capacity of oil, coolant & hydraulic fluid to reach operating temperature is far greater in a tractor (on a loading/HP/engine capacity basis) than a Pick Up, together with differences in the cooling system & oil delivery.
- Tractor engines are generally constructed of modular/rebuildable design many Pick Up engines are not, from individual cylinder heads, wet liners, Nikasil lining, combustion chamber design...etc.. there can be many differences
- Pollution & Emissions compliance such as Euro Tier 4, catalytis converters, Adblue on Pick Ups not evident on other than the most modern tractors
- Potentially high tech aids such as electronic auto's, fly by wire throttle, ECU & other driver limiting aids on a Pick Up lacking on most non-current tractors in use
- The use of a Pick Up is also generally more frequent than a tractor, so in theory a Pick Up engine may never be as "cold" or deviod of lubrication as a seldom used tractor ...etc.
Consider a diesel commercial truck engine if used on line haul should last between rebuilds (maker/operator/maintenance dependent) c.700,000kms+, a broadacre tractor c.10,000hrs+, even a petrol taxi cab is good for c.400,000kms - the common denominator is all are operated consistently warm for long periods & do not suffer the wear of frequent start up/cold operations.......
Sure Mr Tojo, Nissan, the bean counters at Ford & GM do not generally put warm up/cool down recommendations in the Pick Up hand books but then I guess their interests are in selling you a new unit rather than making sure your diesel engine lasts well beyond the 3yr/100,000kms warranty period....And for anyone consistently drivng a Pick Up hard from cold you may want to have an oil sample analysed (as it's bound to contain metal) & the engine rebuilt before the warranty expires....