I drove over to the parents house today to snow blow their driveway. When I got there the oil temp was at 100 degrees F and the engine was idling around 1000 rpm. Ambient temp was 4 degrees F. I left the truck running while I cleared the driveway which took about an hour. I returned to the truck and the oil temp was up to 138 and engine was still idling around 1000 rpm. When I got home the oil temp was at 158 and the idle down to the normal 600ish rpm. I wonder if there's a target temp that the truck tries to maintain with elevated idle speed.

 

Same exact issue. In Saline

 

I can tell you it's normal. Mine does it as well. I think 8*F external temp will kick it up to 1200 rpm. Mine seems to go back to normal idle when the oil and water temps exceed 160*F or so. It's tough because the truck will loose temp as it idles. So you may have had the truck higher than 158*F and it cooled down a bit as it idled. I could also be off on the temps because I don't pay attention as much as I should. I wait for the "beeps of joy" (minimaxx owners know what this is) at 160*F and start smiling.

 

I Just plowed snow for 25 hrs straight in -40 windchill and the temp guage barely moved past the "C". The truck idled high the entire time.

 

I just did the high idle mod but yes, the truck does just about like Savage said. And Savage the " beeps of joy" made me laugh!!!!!! My girls and I say " Awe yeah...... POWER!!!" At 170*

 

My beeps of joy start at 140 degrees.

 

I had mine at 140* until I read this post #19294 from H&S. Figured a few extra minutes to be safe isn't hurting me.
H&S recommends 160*F for cold coolant

 

Are you guys spending your first winter with these trucks?

 

It's the start of my third winter, but I bought my truck in March of '12 and I count that as my first year. So really closer to 2 full winters.

 

Bought mine new in December 2010. I left mine idling in -4F weather while in the store and it settled in at around 140F. Seems like it will adjust the idle maintain 140F as a minimum temp. I've also noticed the 1200 rpm idle with the extreme cold temps.

 

Totally true!!!

Mine only seems to auto idle when oil temps are below 100*F(maybe its not cold enough here in Michigan), if I stop somewhere and the temp is around say 140, it will actually cool down. BUT, I did the high idle Mod(SEIC) this past summer and it is great!! Now its nice and toasty inside.

 

I wish the cold high idle would at least allow the engine to run for a few seconds before elevating.

For the 2 degree morning the other day the truck immediately went to high idle, probably even before the starter stopped spinning.

 

Isn't it supposed to come off high idle when you touch the brake pedal?

 

No, older models did but the 6.7 idles high when cold whenever in park or neutral. Mine will stay at 1200 RPM until it's put in gear or warms up.

 

Well, I think this is a safety issue.
I've posted this in another thread but I feel it needs to be known;

A friend of mine with an F350 6.7 has this same high idle situation. However, it almost caused a crash for him. He was approaching a stop sign at an icy intersection and applied the brakes. The front wheels slid on the ice as the rear wheels continued to push him into the intersection because the truck was "idling" at 1200 RPM. He put the truck in Neutral so the truck would stop. Sounds pretty dangerous to me.
I know I've seen the rear wheels of my truck spin while I was stopped in an icy area with the brakes on. Not hard braking, just enough to keep the vehicle from moving.

I'm seeing this as a pretty serious safety issue. If the dealer that has my truck right now can't come up with a satisfactory solution - I'll be escalating the issue.