Engine time vs idle time?
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,937
Likes: 1,221
From: Southern Crescent
Engine time vs idle time?
Here's a couple of questions for all:
I have 410 hours of engine time and 93 hours of idle time. Am I correct in assuming idle time is included in engine time? ( A subset of, not in addition to)
I also assume the truck is smart enough to know that sitting at a red light in drive, but not going anywhere, is idle time. You don't have to be in park to accumulate idle time, because I can't imagine I have idled my truck in park for 93 hours but sitting in traffic for a great deal of that is certainly realistic.
I have 410 hours of engine time and 93 hours of idle time. Am I correct in assuming idle time is included in engine time? ( A subset of, not in addition to)
I also assume the truck is smart enough to know that sitting at a red light in drive, but not going anywhere, is idle time. You don't have to be in park to accumulate idle time, because I can't imagine I have idled my truck in park for 93 hours but sitting in traffic for a great deal of that is certainly realistic.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,937
Likes: 1,221
From: Southern Crescent
And with 9660 miles on the truck that gives me an average speed of 23.5 MPH. 
Even if I subtract out the idle time my speed comes out to 32 MPH. That explains the good gas mileage, I guess.
Even if I subtract out the idle time my speed comes out to 32 MPH. That explains the good gas mileage, I guess.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 752
Likes: 519
Mine shows around 90 hours of idle time. I always wonder is very slowly rolling forward idle time? Because my truck is virtually never idling without me in it trying to go somewhere. So, if idle hours only accrue when dead stopped, I sure have sat for a long time at red lights. I'd like to think I was at least creeping forward for some of those hours.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 1,735
Likes: 1,116
Mine shows around 90 hours of idle time. I always wonder is very slowly rolling forward idle time? Because my truck is virtually never idling without me in it trying to go somewhere. So, if idle hours only accrue when dead stopped, I sure have sat for a long time at red lights. I'd like to think I was at least creeping forward for some of those hours.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 752
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That would probably be just as good for my transmission as it would be pleasing to the guy driving the Toyota Pious next to me.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 1,244
Likes: 275
From: South Central Indiana
I'm curious as to what would be considered "good" engine idle time vs miles driven. My '17 has 48K and I believe my engine idle hrs are just below 60. When I do drive my truck, it's almost always on the highway.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,937
Likes: 1,221
From: Southern Crescent
Left arrow all the way out to the top menu screen
Select display mode, find the tire pressure and oil life selections, but don't choose either
Down arrow a few times and then up arrow a few times. The transmission temp, digital speedo and the engine time screens will cycle by.
I know that's weird but on the XLT trucks with the 4.2 screen there's a little bug in there that hides many of the display mode options. The options are there but hard to find.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 2,970
Likes: 2,407
From: Ridgway, CO
I do not worry about idle time AT ALL anymore after my last truck. It was a 2012 6.2 owned by the state of NM for 110k miles. The truck showed 12000 hours, 7000 hrs idle time. That truck ran great for me, no major repairs in it's history, still running great with over 220k on it now. Crazy amount of time on that engine.