Starting Diesels for short periods of time

[Midniteoyl]

#1 to reduce theft.
#2 because some non technical dink of a manager thought it would make themselves look good by telling their boss they improved company profits.

And safety.. My UPS guy tells me that even though there is a round-about, he must stop and backup for so many feet before putting the truck into park or get in trouble.. Says there are electronics in the truck that make sure they do it. Something to do with making sure they dont back into the street from a drive. I'm sure there are a half dozen other 'must do's' for these guys too..

 

[Midniteoyl]

UPS shuts their trucks off because the fuel savings calculations they did, pure and simple. UPS figures (they wont say exactly) its "about 50 Gal a year per truck" which doesn't sound like a big deal until you figure that they have 88000 trucks running in the US. Just like they plan their routes with around right hand turns so that trucks don't sit at stop lights. According to UPS the right turn policy alone saved 3 million gallons of diesel in the US market. Since their trucks run from the start of the clock to the end of the day, warm motors aren't their problem, so they still only see the wear from an initial startup in the mornings.

Garmin even has a program for that in some of their GPS's.. Program in your deliveries and it will calculate the best route with the most right hand turns, most stops on the right side of the road, and finish with the last delivery closest to your starting point. One big counter-clockwise circle.

 

[Jesse masterson]

What about additives like slick 50 that leave a coating of lubricant are they recommended

 

[3930dave]

What about additives like slick 50 that leave a coating of lubricant are they recommended

I prefer to stick with a good quality oil, and change at the factory intervals. I knew guys that ran Slick 50 years ago, but back then oils weren't as good as today.

For the latest 411 on Slick 50, I'd head over to Bob is the oil guy.com (no spaces).

Rgds, D.

 

[Midniteoyl]

What about additives like slick 50 that leave a coating of lubricant are they recommended

No worky..

 

[California]

Nobody has mentioned a compression release. Are the old Yanmars the only tractors with this?

Any time the tractor hasn't run for a couple of days I crank with zero throttle and compression released until I see the oil pressure light go out. Then move the throttle up to idle position and start it.

Seems to me this assures there is oil in the crank bearings before starting, in contrast to a dry start.

 

[3930dave]

Nobody has mentioned a compression release. Are the old Yanmars the only tractors with this?

Any time the tractor hasn't run for a couple of days I crank with zero throttle and compression released until I see the oil pressure light go out. Then move the throttle up to idle position and start it.

Seems to me this assures there is oil in the crank bearings before starting, in contrast to a dry start.

That sounds like Yet-Another-Engineering-Detail-That-Got-Figured-Out-A-Long-Time-Ago but has been eliminated today since it is deemed too useful, or just for the fact that it costs something to implement.

I gotta fix that Flux Capacitor....... :wizard: :blacksmith: :magician:

Rgds, D.

 

[Midniteoyl]

Nobody has mentioned a compression release. Are the old Yanmars the only tractors with this?

Any time the tractor hasn't run for a couple of days I crank with zero throttle and compression released until I see the oil pressure light go out. Then move the throttle up to idle position and start it.

Seems to me this assures there is oil in the crank bearings before starting, in contrast to a dry start.

You just turned the motor over at a lower speed for a longer time with less oil than if you simply started it.

Engines nowadays start and REV UP for a few seconds immediately to get oil around..

 

[California]

Engines nowadays start and REV UP for a few seconds immediately to get oil around

I thought the rev up was to meet emission standards by consuming unburned fuel, or perhaps to warm the catalytic converter. Or suck fumes out of the charcoal canister? At any rate, emissions related. If this helped preserve the engine it would have been recommended in the Owner's Manuals for the past 75 years, no?

Think about it this way - assuming the statement that most wear occurs upon starting, then its a good idea to pressurize the crankshaft clearances before the first compression stroke impact. Especially on seasonal farm equipment that hasn't run for months. High rpm and combustion impact on a dry crankshaft can't help preserve it.

 

[Midniteoyl]

I thought the rev up was to meet emission standards by consuming unburned fuel, or perhaps to warm the catalytic converter. Or suck fumes out of the charcoal canister? At any rate, emissions related. If this helped preserve the engine it would have been recommended in the Owner's Manuals for the past 75 years, no?

Think about it this way - assuming the statement that most wear occurs upon starting, then its a good idea to pressurize the crankshaft clearances before the first compression stroke impact. Especially on seasonal farm equipment that hasn't run for months. High rpm and combustion impact on a dry crankshaft can't help preserve it.

But it has been around for years.. Remember the instructions on first start up after a rebuild? Spin distributor, if you can, to prelube - start engine then immediately rev it to 2500-3000 rpm to get oil to the top and fill lifters - then vary rpm from 1500 to 2500 rpm for a few minutes to splash lube over valvetrain (and help w/rings).

My '97 Audi revs up for a sec to build oil pressure, then revs higher than normal (sometimes it screams ) the first couple of shifts to warm the engine and tranny. Says right in the service manual. Every car I have owned from the '90's on has said the same.