Fuel consumption at idle
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Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2015
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From: NW IA
Fuel consumption at idle
As most of us probably do up in the colder regions, idle time likely increases to some degree. I do have and use the high idle mod unless it's a cold start and the truck does it on it's own during warm up.
I guess what I have always wondered is how much fuel does one actually use during idle? Reason I ask is it has not really hurt the mileage that much at this point from what I have been seeing. Sure it does go down but it's not really bad.
How long do posters here let a truck sit and idle, for instance when running an errand or making a stop?
10 minutes?
20?
Longer?
We all know during cold weather the big over the road trucks will sit for an hour or longer when drivers stop, and most let them run all night if at a truck or rest stop.......granted the circumstances are different.
I guess what I have always wondered is how much fuel does one actually use during idle? Reason I ask is it has not really hurt the mileage that much at this point from what I have been seeing. Sure it does go down but it's not really bad.
How long do posters here let a truck sit and idle, for instance when running an errand or making a stop?
10 minutes?
20?
Longer?
We all know during cold weather the big over the road trucks will sit for an hour or longer when drivers stop, and most let them run all night if at a truck or rest stop.......granted the circumstances are different.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 24,724
Likes: 74
From: Blue Hill Township
You use about .8 gallons per hour.
Leaving a truck running with the keys in it is asking for it to get stolen.
That being said, I will let it run and lock it if I run into the gas station. It is pointless to let it run for much longer than that.
You will find trucks idle far less than they used to. Cleaning a DPF isn't cheap...
Leaving a truck running with the keys in it is asking for it to get stolen.
That being said, I will let it run and lock it if I run into the gas station. It is pointless to let it run for much longer than that.
You will find trucks idle far less than they used to. Cleaning a DPF isn't cheap...
Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 15,368
Likes: 121
From: Stuttgart, Ar
It's not really a good thing to let these engines idle for very long due to EGR and wet stacking concerns. I, personally, don't let my truck idle more than a couple of minutes if I don't have to as the fuel consumption is fairly high. IIRC my SG2 says about 3 GPH warming up although I don't know how exact that is. I do know it's much less in the warmer months.
Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 15,368
Likes: 121
From: Stuttgart, Ar
You use about .8 gallons per hour.
Leaving a truck running with the keys in it is asking for it to get stolen.
That being said, I will let it run and lock it if I run into the gas station. It is pointless to let it run for much longer than that.
You will find trucks idle far less than they used to. Cleaning a DPF isn't cheap...
Leaving a truck running with the keys in it is asking for it to get stolen.
That being said, I will let it run and lock it if I run into the gas station. It is pointless to let it run for much longer than that.
You will find trucks idle far less than they used to. Cleaning a DPF isn't cheap...
Thread Starter
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Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 3,910
Likes: 18
From: NW IA
I don't have the EGR either, and I can count on one hand how many vehicles get stolen around here each year, but a very good point.
I am aware these like to wet stack, I deal with wet stacking on three gensets with JD engines, they need to be load banked twice a year to work things out.
I am aware these like to wet stack, I deal with wet stacking on three gensets with JD engines, they need to be load banked twice a year to work things out.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 24,724
Likes: 74
From: Blue Hill Township
They have had to clean it twice to a tune of $1,000 each time.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 24,724
Likes: 74
From: Blue Hill Township
I don't have the EGR either, and I can count on one hand how many vehicles get stolen around here each year, but a very good point.
I am aware these like to wet stack, I deal with wet stacking on three gensets with JD engines, they need to be load banked twice a year to work things out.
I am aware these like to wet stack, I deal with wet stacking on three gensets with JD engines, they need to be load banked twice a year to work things out.
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Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 15,368
Likes: 121
From: Stuttgart, Ar
Wow.....all they do to clean them at the shop here is steam clean them and they "only" charge $400. What a ripoff.
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 24,724
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From: Blue Hill Township
I would imagine this is labor and whatnot. The truck really is too light for what it is with an ISC Cummins. 30MPH on the gravel is all I can wring out of it loaded.
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 8,241
Likes: 155
From: L.A. (Lower Alabama)
its the cold engine that raises fuel consumption. It's high driving or idling. I'm not sure there would be much benefit to idling an extended period in an effort to reduce it. I do let mine warm up a little when temps are 40's(f) and below. I like to see ect about 80° before leaving the driveway. No real science behind this, just habit more than anything I guess.
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Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2015
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From: NW IA
I do realize idling increased fuel consumption, I was just a bit surprised my mileage has not dropped more than it has, but then I was running with a FICM that was not healthy up until last week. I'm not a fan of extended periods of it either, at any rate it's nice to have a rough idea how much fuel a guy uses though. I base my question a little bit off of what I see with the way trucks are sitting and idling during harvest for the large operator I work for during harvest and spring tillage. It's not uncommon for us to sit waiting for the grain buggy for a half hour or longer.
My mind often sits and thinks of all that fuel being used, but he has told us unless it's a break down for an hour or longer, leave them run. He's a good operator and I have never questioned him why he does so, he has his reasons. Granted were are talking four and a quarter CAT engines, but a lot of the same principles apply.
Same goes for all the tractors and combines.......they don't stop unless it's noon lunch( a rarity) or shutdown/breakdown. I'm sure most of us exposed to farming know that this is the norm for many operators, at least in here in the Midwest it's the case.
My mind often sits and thinks of all that fuel being used, but he has told us unless it's a break down for an hour or longer, leave them run. He's a good operator and I have never questioned him why he does so, he has his reasons. Granted were are talking four and a quarter CAT engines, but a lot of the same principles apply.
Same goes for all the tractors and combines.......they don't stop unless it's noon lunch( a rarity) or shutdown/breakdown. I'm sure most of us exposed to farming know that this is the norm for many operators, at least in here in the Midwest it's the case.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 4,073
Likes: 5
From: TX
It's not really a good thing to let these engines idle for very long due to EGR and wet stacking concerns. I, personally, don't let my truck idle more than a couple of minutes if I don't have to as the fuel consumption is fairly high. IIRC my SG2 says about 3 GPH warming up although I don't know how exact that is. I do know it's much less in the warmer months.
Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,424
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From: BC Canada
0.8 gallons per hour at normal idle, 1.9 gallons per hour high idle. I have seen this on mine, but my weather is probably quite a bit colder. I plug mine in, in the garage, which is heated, and run the block heater on a timer from 3 am to 8 am when I start it. Ussually only do this below -10 C outside. If it's colder I even plug in after work, before I go to hockey at night. Then I have about 120 F coolant temp when I start it. I have started it at -50 C(about 20 below 0 F) without any of this, but at that temps it takes a long time to warm up. Even idling don't do much, have to put under some load to generate some heat.
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