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.

 

[Blue Mule]

My new tractor rarely goes beyond 1/2 throttle and almost never goes beyond 2/3 throttle. And I'm coming up on 25 hours without even seeing a regen cycle happen. From all the threads I've seen on forums, my tractor should have plugged up and died by now.

 

[hube2]

When I run my tractor is is usually at rated RPM. The thing idles at almost 1500 and the book says I should have it the RPM at 2500 min for the HST to have the pressure it needs. I figure that I may as well run it at 3K (PTO speed) if I need it at 2.5 just to move. So if I'm moving or doing any work at all it's at 3K RPM. There I people that have a different opinion but mine is that it's better for the tractor to run in hard if I'm going to run it at all. And no, I'm not concerned about a little more fuel use.

This was the reason for my question. I'd actually prefer to wait to unhook the blower for prep until I am ready to put the mower on it and then use the tractor because that would run it for an hour or so after the starts and stops were done. But honestly I cannot because I won't mow for the first time for maybe another month, maybe longer. But I'm sure there will be some decent temps for doing other things done, like painting the blower, getting the chains off and put away, etc.

I'm not big on mowing. I mow with the deck as high as I can and I only mow every 2 weeks. When mowing higher the grass (really hay and clover in my case) makes it so that it does not grow to the point it needs mowing again as fast and I will wait to start mowing until I will be able to see the difference between what is mowed and what isn't

 

[DieselBound]

Minimum of 2,500 rpm for operating the HST, really? I'll creep my Kubota B7800 (HST) along at 1,500 rpm. My Kioti will also move along at that rpm, but I try to run 1,800 rpm most of the time when traveling (and not running the PTO or doing ground work): it's got a DPF, so it needs to run a bit harder/hotter; my Kubota could care less.

I run my tractors when I have something to do. They get plenty of time under load that I don't care about the times they're short-tripped.

My new tractor rarely goes beyond 1/2 throttle and almost never goes beyond 2/3 throttle. And I'm coming up on 25 hours without even seeing a regen cycle happen. From all the threads I've seen on forums, my tractor should have plugged up and died by now.

Don't know what 1/2 throttle and 2/3 throttle means. RPM is a better descriptor. I run many hours on my Kioti before it regens: I'm almost thinking that it's about once per 100 hrs. I doubt that ANY DPF has clogged in as little as 25 hrs.

 

[5030]

My only concern is allowing adequate time for the turbo charger to cool down before shutting it off. I usually idle it for 5 minutes prior to shut down. Must be doing something right, never had a turbo charger issue from coking the bearings in 6000 hours.

 

[RalphVa]

Just like the car or pickup. If they gotta be moved. Move them. Don't work them. Diesels would do better at this than gasoline engines, e.g. any excess diesel will not wash lube from the cylinder walls. Still will leave some condensate that will evaporate once the engine is worked when it needs to be.

 

[Hay Dude]

My new tractor rarely goes beyond 1/2 throttle and almost never goes beyond 2/3 throttle. And I'm coming up on 25 hours without even seeing a regen cycle happen. From all the threads I've seen on forums, my tractor should have plugged up and died by now.

And that’s just the problem. Theres so much over-hype and over-analysis of potential problems with just about everything on the internet. Most comes from those who have never even used equipment or it just sits in a garage.

Don’t get too wrapped up in the over analysis, internet trolls, “your brand sucks”, and internet “tough guys” .
Gas guys troll diesel owners, Kubota guys troll Deere owners, etc.
Along with some sincerely helpful people, there’s much BS on the internet.

 

[hube2]

Minimum of 2,500 rpm for operating the HST, really? ......

I could be wrong about that being recommended, but it moves a whole lot better there. I sometimes creep the tractor out of the shed at low RPM when warming it up in the winter. But it really doesn't matter because once I'm warmed up I push it up to rated RPM and leave it there unless I'm stopping for a minute to get off an do something, or I'm lowering it before engaging or disengaging a PTO. I realize they my opinion on this is different than a lot of others, but if I'm moving or doing anything I'm at rated RPM because IMO this is better for the engine and in all my reading I have not seen any documented proof that this is not the case.

 

[Hay Dude]

My only concern is allowing adequate time for the turbo charger to cool down before shutting it off. I usually idle it for 5 minutes prior to shut down. Must be doing something right, never had a turbo charger issue from coking the bearings in 6000 hours.

That is correct. Seen plenty a fool run a diesel hard then shut it off. Only takes a few times to take out a turbo that way.

 

[bearthebruce]

Don’t get too wrapped up in the over analysis

there’s much BS on the internet.

Got to agree... There is good info and there is much over analysis. I say, get out there and get going! (But then we don't have a turbo or HST...) We treat our 2005 like we would a diesel car or truck.

 

[Username Taken]

Wet Stacking can be a problem on older diesels. Even on some of the newer ones. I think (??) that's why many of the OEM Tractors have such high idle speeds. Just a WAG, but it makes sense. You can't get a straight answer from Dealers because -- They don't really know. I hate it.

I would tell you to keep an eye on your oil level. If it starts to 'grow', change it out even if it's a little on the too soon side. You can also look at your tailpipe and check to see if there's unburnt fuel dripping out of it or coating the inside of it. If so, change your operating habits and change the oil often.

In fact, that's why some diesels had such short OCI's (Oil Change Interval) back in the day. Because it got contaminated. Not so much anymore on Trucks.
(I am not a believer in changing oil too often. It does more harm than good)

I think they've got much of the problem tamed these days, but it helps to know what to look for