Do you regularly start your diesel tractor as maintenance?

[Gutt]

Hey Chief. Our fire companies (we have 6 in town) are out on calls at least every week. Also they have a drill day once a week and the trucks are started and used and refueled on drill days. I didn't want to chime in but since a fireman did I figure I'll do so.

We're the smallest department in the 4th smallest county in Iowa... so we get anywhere from 3-12 calls a YEAR! we need to run our trucks to make sure the battery is up, everything is working, etc. because we dont have the luxury of running them often otherwise. Thanks for your response!

And thanks for the welcomes from everyone else!

 

[coveredbridge]

My tractors are stored in an unheated garage year round, but after a number of problems with cracked hoses and prematurely dead batteries, I make it a practice to start my tractors about every two weeks in the winter, if I haven't used them, and run them at 1/2 to 2/3 throttle for about 25 -30 minutes. If the weather is agreeable, I pull them out of the garage to run, more to avoid the exhaust fumes in the garage but also to stir up the hydraulic oil a little bit. I feel like this keeps the batteries charged and hoses and seals from drying out. If it's hurting my equipment, I haven't noticed yet. My 820 is over 40 years old and over 5800 hrs and still serves me well.

I don't have any basis for what I do, but I haven't had any battery, hose or seal problems since I started doing this many years ago.

 

[houstonscott]

My tractors are stored in an unheated garage year round, but after a number of problems with cracked hoses and prematurely dead batteries, I make it a practice to start my tractors about every two weeks in the winter, if I haven't used them, and run them at 1/2 to 2/3 throttle for about 25 -30 minutes. If the weather is agreeable, I pull them out of the garage to run, more to avoid the exhaust fumes in the garage but also to stir up the hydraulic oil a little bit. I feel like this keeps the batteries charged and hoses and seals from drying out. If it's hurting my equipment, I haven't noticed yet. My 820 is over 40 years old and over 5800 hrs and still serves me well. I don't have any basis for what I do, but I haven't had any battery, hose or seal problems since I started doing this many years ago.

It's what people do when it has to work. Keep it up. I really think letting it sit is the worst thing you could do if you want to walk out and start up and run. worrying about shorting the life of your engine from starts is theoretical, not reality. HS

 

[Dr_Zinj]

I run mine at least once or twice a month. Of course I'm actually using it, not just starting it up to run it and then shut it down. I'm doing slightly less than 200 hrs a year, which either makes me a poor hobbyist or a real slacker. ;-)

 

[skyhook]

It's what people do when it has to work. Keep it up. I really think letting it sit is the worst thing you could do if you want to walk out and start up and run. worrying about shorting the life of your engine from starts is theoretical, not reality. HS

I agree, although there may be "facts" to the contrary,,
smoking will kill you, my mother is 94 years young and has smoked all of her life, go figure.
Perhaps these new machines aren't made like they use to be, so maybe "they" should consider some of the advice given here regarding "idling" etc, etc....
I mean, the more you start it, the more the cylinder walls will be coated with oil, don't you think....
that coat of oil from the last start 3 or 4 days ago will still be on the cylinder walls,
let er sit for 2 to 3 months, maybe not so lucky and this "I think' is where damage is done, although slightly.

 

[GManBart]

We're the smallest department in the 4th smallest county in Iowa... so we get anywhere from 3-12 calls a YEAR! we need to run our trucks to make sure the battery is up, everything is working, etc. because we dont have the luxury of running them often otherwise. Thanks for your response!

And thanks for the welcomes from everyone else!

Okay, but you don't keep your trucks for 20-70 years, do you? I'll bet you also change the fluids more than once a year right? Those are important variables. You're also keeping them indoors in climate controlled environments right? Again, another variable.

Comparing a fire engine to a tractor just doesn't make any sense since the applications are very different. When you start your trucks, are they at ambient (outside) temperatures, or the temp inside the station? Another variable that makes a difference.

The OP is staring up a cold tractor, stored outside, and running it for nowhere near long enough to get the oil to temperature, so that it can boil off the condensation, which causes additional condensation, and acids to be created. We've had folks that were engineers at major diesel engine manufacturers comment how bad this is for the engine...along with someone who was a lubricant engineer (I think I recall that), but people still want to debate facts, and use anecdotal evidence drawn from completely different situations to base their theories upon....yeah, makes a lot of sense.

 

[GManBart]

It's what people do when it has to work. Keep it up. I really think letting it sit is the worst thing you could do if you want to walk out and start up and run. worrying about shorting the life of your engine from starts is theoretical, not reality. HS

All of the comments you've made have been theoretical, not reality.

 

[houstonscott]

I agree, although there may be "facts" to the contrary,, smoking will kill you, my mother is 94 years young and has smoked all of her life, go figure. Perhaps these new machines aren't made like they use to be, so maybe "they" should consider some of the advice given here regarding "idling" etc, etc.... I mean, the more you start it, the more the cylinder walls will be coated with oil, don't you think.... that coat of oil from the last start 3 or 4 days ago will still be on the cylinder walls, let er sit for 2 to 3 months, maybe not so lucky and this "I think' is where damage is done, although slightly.

I don't think with modern, oils, clean fuels, modern medal alloys, manufacturing tolerances, new plastics and gasket materials, direct high pressure injection, filter materials, much of old applies anymore. HS

 

[Citydude]

Okay, but you don't keep your trucks for 20-70 years, do you? I'll bet you also change the fluids more than once a year right? Those are important variables. You're also keeping them indoors in climate controlled environments right? Again, another variable. Comparing a fire engine to a tractor just doesn't make any sense since the applications are very different. When you start your trucks, are they at ambient (outside) temperatures, or the temp inside the station? Another variable that makes a difference. The OP is staring up a cold tractor, stored outside, and running it for nowhere near long enough to get the oil to temperature, so that it can boil off the condensation, which causes additional condensation, and acids to be created. We've had folks that were engineers at major diesel engine manufacturers comment how bad this is for the engine...along with someone who was a lubricant engineer (I think I recall that), but people still want to debate facts, and use anecdotal evidence drawn from completely different situations to base their theories upon....yeah, makes a lot of sense.

The OP says he runs it up to operating temperature. Wouldn't the engine oil be at operating temp as well?

 

[skyhook]

I can't afford nor do i want a new machine, pollution crap and electronic stuff just doesn't appeal to me.
A diesel engine already has lubricants in the fuel along with the oil from the crankcase,
a piston ring will wear out before a cylinder wall will, so, IMO....YES, there is wear in frequent starts if the engine is not brought up to operating temp's, BUT IMO, MORE damage is done , not doing so.
I suppose, to each his own, but personally, i will continue to start mine ( all of my machines, gen's etc ) every 3 to 4 days for 1/2 hour or so, take them for run to ta free things up.
What happens when it snows every day or work needs to be done on a daily basis
Listen, were talking about starting a machine every 3 to 4 days, I don't get whats wrong with this.
I know, I know, I'm bad.