How to run a Diesel Engine

[i7win7]

How does your fuel shut off work?

A Kubota BX has a 12v timer that engages the shut off solenoid. Image jumping on/off, restarting engine multiple times. Not enough run time to recharge battery.

You feel kinda dumb founded when it won't shut off. The good news you can still get back inside garage and manually work solenoid lever.

 

[Industrial Toys]

My Kubota Loader has an emergency pull lever in case solenoid fails.

 

[bdog]

Maybe I’m old school but I own around 20 things with Diesel engines, several of which have DPF/DEF, and I prefer to let them idle vs shutting them off unless it is going to be an extended period of time. I’m not super scientific about it but anything less than 20 minutes or so it stays running. My heavy equipment gets started in the morning and doesn’t get shut off until the end of the day. Idles right through lunch break.

 

[Patches]

I fashioned covers for the grill section and a couple of side intake vents ahead of the radiator to facilitate quicker warm ups. Start the engine, bump the rpm's to about 1400 and find something else to do for 5 minutes or so. When ready to work, remove the side vent covers; the grill cover stays on until warmer weather

 

[Industrial Toys]

Given at least a modest degree of environmental awareness, I can't see letting machines idle over lunch. Did some math. To me Engine hours cost money. Running over just 1/2 hour lunch every day for a year is an extra needless 1oo hours. Probably several times that for other idling time.

My friend is involved with so many municipal/utility vehicles and their attempts to avoid any idling at all.

There were days when the cost of Diesel wasn't even a consideration and pollution certainly wasn't either. I think those days are long gone forever.

 

[Doc G]

Given at least a modest degree of environmental awareness, I can't see letting machines idle over lunch. Did some math. To me Engine hours cost money. Running over just 1/2 hour lunch every day for a year is an extra needless 1oo hours. Probably several times that for other idling time.

My friend is involved with so many municipal/utility vehicles and their attempts to avoid any idling at all.

There were days when the cost of Diesel wasn't even a consideration and pollution certainly wasn't either. I think those days are long gone forever.

That's my sense of it too. I know some older (in their 60's/70's) long-haul truckers who still believe that once you turn the engine on, it stays on all day long. Whether that hurts or helps the engine itself we can debate. But I suspect that's a mindset grounded in their experience with the engines/fuel/economics/environment of 30 years ago. I don't know a thing about trucking (and very little about tractors) but I do know many of those factors are fundamentally different now.

 

[michael.white]

I've got four diesels here: a TC-30, JD 430 garden tractor, a generator, and an old Land Rover. The JD 430 manual says to start at full throttle. Given it's only used for yard work, temperature is usually 50s or warmer. The second is an Isuzu generator, which as mentioned earlier in this thread goes to a fixed idle on startup. The generator is given some time before putting on a load, but usually under a minute. It started and ran fine here a couple weeks ago here in South Texas when it was single digits, at least until the filter clogged with gelled fuel (never needed fuel treatment before - that'll learn me).

The other two engines get started at the lowest idle.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I know it sounds stupid and selfish. But I too have just let a Diesel Engine Idle, just to hear it idle. I guess, like some stupid Biker, revving his throttle at a light.

 

[sparkyjohn]

I've got four diesels here: a TC-30, JD 430 garden tractor, a generator, and an old Land Rover. The JD 430 manual says to start at full throttle. Given it's only used for yard work, temperature is usually 50s or warmer. The second is an Isuzu generator, which as mentioned earlier in this thread goes to a fixed idle on startup. The generator is given some time before putting on a load, but usually under a minute. It started and ran fine here a couple weeks ago here in South Texas when it was single digits, at least until the filter clogged with gelled fuel (never needed fuel treatment before - that'll learn me).

The other two engines get started at the lowest idle.

Is the JD 430 air cooled? All air cooled are designed to run full speed so the fan can move enough air across the fins on the engine.

 

[michael.white]

Is the JD 430 air cooled? All air cooled are designed to run full speed so the fan can move enough air across the fins on the engine.

No, it's got a radiator. I believe it's one of JD's re-branded Japanese tractors with a 3 cylinder diesel (large for the size of the tractor). It was built in '85.