Oil & Fuel Idling your diesel tractor

[aczlan]

Maybe....but they even turn 'em off in a farm yard. Maybe just habit....or in the way they operate?

Company policy due to liability? I can see policy somewhere saying "when you leave the truck the engine shuts off"

Aaron Z

 

[dcyrilc]

I don't know about tractors but I do know that according to the EPA it is illegal to let a diesel truck idle over 5 minutes.

If this statement is true, then there are a lot of highway contractors which should get fined. Dump trucks are often idled for more than 5 minutes while being loaded. Not to mention paving operations where trucks are staged and idling waiting to serve the paving machine and also while hooked to the paving machine.

 

[lilranch2001]

go to any truck stop or warehousing facility, diesels are idling for hours and hours

 

[newbury]

I don't know about tractors but I do know that according to the EPA it is illegal to let a diesel truck idle over 5 minutes.

I believe that statement is partially true and also urban legend.

And:

If this statement is true, then there are a lot of highway contractors which should get fined. Dump trucks are often idled for more than 5 minutes while being loaded. Not to mention paving operations where trucks are staged and idling waiting to serve the paving machine and also while hooked to the paving machine.

It seems that people don't know how to search for information, but will discuss something with "opinions".

For example:

State Codes
Virginia Administrative Code
ARTICLE 41. EMISSION STANDARDS FOR MOBILE SOURCES (RULE 4-41)
9 VAC 5-40-5670. Motor vehicles.
C. In commercial or residential urban areas, propulsion engines of motor vehicles licensed for commercial or public service use shall not be left running for more than three minutes when the vehicle is parked, unless the propulsion engine is providing auxiliary power for other than heating or air conditioning; except that:
1. Tour buses may idle for up to 10 minutes during hot weather in order to maintain power to the air conditioning system; and
2. Diesel powered vehicles may idle for up to 10 minutes to minimize restart problems.

So in Virginia diesel can run for 10 minutes.

http://www.epa.gov/smartway/documents/420b06004.pdf

There are many different laws in different states.
There are probably many different rules for tractors, versus commercial trucks.

I used to let my '88 Maxivan idle for hours to keep an a/c "cool spot" in Mississippi.

 

[dcyrilc]

I don't know about tractors but I do know that according to the EPA it is illegal to let a diesel truck idle over 5 minutes.

I believe that statement is partially true and also urban legend.

And:

If this statement is true, then there are a lot of highway contractors which should get fined. Dump trucks are often idled for more than 5 minutes while being loaded. Not to mention paving operations where trucks are staged and idling waiting to serve the paving machine and also while hooked to the paving machine.

It seems that people don't know how to search for information, but will discuss something with "opinions".

For example:

State Codes
Virginia Administrative Code
ARTICLE 41. EMISSION STANDARDS FOR MOBILE SOURCES (RULE 4-41)
9 VAC 5-40-5670. Motor vehicles.
C. In commercial or residential urban areas, propulsion engines of motor vehicles licensed for commercial or public service use shall not be left running for more than three minutes when the vehicle is parked, unless the propulsion engine is providing auxiliary power for other than heating or air conditioning; except that:
1. Tour buses may idle for up to 10 minutes during hot weather in order to maintain power to the air conditioning system; and
2. Diesel powered vehicles may idle for up to 10 minutes to minimize restart problems.

So in Virginia diesel can run for 10 minutes.

http://www.epa.gov/smartway/documents/420b06004.pdf

There are many different laws in different states.
There are probably many different rules for tractors, versus commercial trucks.

I used to let my '88 Maxivan idle for hours to keep an a/c "cool spot" in Mississippi.

I'm not sure what your infering about my statement, but if your quoting it as "opinion", I would think that 29 years of personal experiance building State Highways and local roads would take it outside the realm of opinion.

 

[TripleR]

Even experts in any given field can form different opinions.

 

[bullbreaker]

How about a tractor with a pto/genny " idling " at a slightly higher RPM. ? :confused2:

Boone

 

[Ttech87]

If your tractor has low hours or little wear on the rings you shouldn't have seepage of diesel into the crankcase. Unless you have a leaking seal on the injection pump. Also bumping up the rpms increases fuel because anyone who knows anything about a diesel engine knows that rpms are controlled by fuel so how would bumping up rpms help with "wet stacking" or what ever that term is

 

[Larry Caldwell]

The definitive answer is, "It Depends." If you have been working a diesel at full power, always let it idle for at least 5 minutes before shutting down. This will let the temperature inside the engine equalize. It may save you a head gasket someday. Likewise, on startup always let the engine warm up before putting it under heavy load. Large temperature differences inside a diesel engine can shift tolerances a quarter inch, which is really hard on the engine.

As others have noted, you gain very little by letting a diesel idle for extended periods, and multi-visc oils improve lubrication on startup. However, if it is below freezing and you are snow blowing or feeding cattle in a blizzard, keeping the engine running can be a good thing. Use your best judgment.