OK...so I finally went ahead and got an Edge Insight for my '06 6.0L and found out for my self what I've been reading...the stock gauges really are just idiot lights with needles!!

Last week we took the truck on a trip to our cabin in the hills on northern PA. For five days the temperature almost never got above 20, and the morning temperatures were in the single digits. With the new gauges I was able to see that I would start the truck (no problem there), let it idle a few minutes, drive to town, a distance of about 6 miles over snow covered, steep roads, sometimes in 4X4 low range, and by the time I got there (20 minutes, give or take) the engine still hadn't warmed to operating temperature. The coolant was still only around 170 and the oil, a little higher.

My question is...am I hurting the engine driving it under these conditions before it is completely warmed up? I hate to idle it for the 20 minutes of so it would take to at least get it a little warmer before I start out.

Should I bite another bullet and get the block heater cord? This situation only occurs maybe once or twice a year.

Thanks!!

 

Just my 2 cents here..

If you do this occassionally I don't think it's any big deal.
I would not reccomend letting it idle for 20 minutes at a time as that is not good for your turbo vanes from what I've read here.

When the temp gets below freezing I put a cover over the grill and have found that the engine (and me) warms up much faster without ever getting too warm. Got mine from Cabellas and have been using it for years.

 

The best way to warm your truck up, is to drive it.

 

.... gingerly until fluids are up to normal operating temperature.

Fire it up, let it idle a minute or two, then keep the rpms under 2k or so until she's good and warm.

If I want to idle it longer than a couple of minutes (so it's good and warm before I get in), I turn on the high idle and let it warm up good and proper.

Right or wrong, that's how I do it.

 

i am going to ask an very debateable question here. When i start mine up i let it run for about two minutes and then turn the high idle on and let it warm up nicely before i dive. how long can you let it idle with the high idle on without doing any damage?

 

I drive about 12 miles in the morning to school, with the cold weather i dont think my truck is warming up all the way, i let it idle for about a minute in the morning, then use my foot as a high idle mod to warm it up some, i try to stay under 2k rpms as much as possible, but i live off a state road with 60 mph speed limits, truckers doing 80 and crazy moms in van doin 90. i run rotella t synthetic

Sorry for the tread jack, didnt want to make a new thread, since its basically the same topic.

 

lakewood i'd say you're doing just fine. 2000 rpm is a good guide and as it warms up, you can start bringing it higher. you don't have to wait for full temp to exceed 2k. big thing is gentle acceleration rather than tromping it. as far as max idle time if needed until you run out of fuel if you keep it idled up. idle is still tough but if you have to stay warm sometimes you don't have a choice