Daily random curiosity...
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 8,462
Likes: 4
From: Durant, OK (SOSU)
Daily random curiosity...
Ok, easy question that has me wonderin'. What's better for your truck, no matter the gas it takes? I frequently take my girlfriend out and find myself oftentimes inside for a couple of minutes waiting on her to let the dogs out, talk to her sister, do whatever. Happens a lot after school with just random conversation. So what's easier on the truck, I don't care if it wastes gas (I know cutting it off does).
a) Let the truck idle for five minutes
b) Cut the truck off, go inside for five minutes, come out, restart, and leave.
In the long run, is either worse than the other one? Thanks for responding to my random little question.
a) Let the truck idle for five minutes
b) Cut the truck off, go inside for five minutes, come out, restart, and leave.
In the long run, is either worse than the other one? Thanks for responding to my random little question.
The Pacifier
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,245
Likes: 7
From: Cloverdale, BC
Well, if you don't care about gas, let it idle. Police cars and taxi cabs run all day and they get hundreds of thousand miles before the engine is worn out. It's the constant oil pressure, and a good p.m. program that keeps them alive.
New User
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
I viewed a PowerPoint presentation from Ford Fleet maintanence reps. It was online and I basically stumbled upon it when I was looking for information about my Crown Vic. One slide said that an hour of idiling equaled 33 miles as far as engine wear and tear. I've read also that if it's going to be more than one minute you should shut 'er down for fuel economy purposes.
Junior User
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 97
Likes: 0
From: Oregon
I would say it depended on the time of the year. If its summer time and hot out then let it run. If its winter or cooler weather cut her off. When I lived down in Texas I used to let mine run all the time in the summer. I would make alot of stops throughout the day for 10 minutes or so. When I would cut it off in the summer between the heat of the engine and the heat outside it would really heat the engine up...then you get back in and start it up and now the engne temp is really up there so I found it easier on the engine to keep it cool idling for 10 minutes. I just kept the maintence up regularly and I never had a problem with it.
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 759
Likes: 0
From: Ventura ,ca. (near L.A.)
I have to drive a 2000 toyota corolla for work (security officer) and i let the thing idle all the time. I turn it on at 7pm and dont turn it off till 5am when i get off work. The only time i cut it off is when i get gas. I never turn off the A/C it runs constantly i just move the temp selector, and i drive about 130-150 miles a night and a tank of gas lasts about 2 nights. It's a company car with company gas, i could care less that it's idling all night. It's got 151,000 miles on it and theres no sign of engine damage from idling. The little piece of crap will go 80 mph no problem up a 7% grade.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,978
Likes: 1
From: Alvin, Texas.
Ths reminds me of some post somewhere about how engine idling is soooo bad for a vehicle. I personally thought it was tree-hugger mumbo-jumbo (Hey, I'm down with the environment, but don't go overboard...Mother Nature cares not of our opinions.), especially when you could consider any type of driving as a fast idle. If I need to go 40 miles on fumes, I shift at 1500rpms or some ridiculously low number. ~900rpms at idle.
What's the beef?
I don't know, I suppose I would rather save the starter than worry about 33 miles of engine wear (interesting find) with an engine that has 252K on it like my Ranger does. Besides, the point of fuel injection was to run so lean as to not wash oil off cylinders like a carb engine would do, accelerating wear in that case.
Good thoughts to wash a mid-term (went well, I think) off my hands.
What's the beef?
I don't know, I suppose I would rather save the starter than worry about 33 miles of engine wear (interesting find) with an engine that has 252K on it like my Ranger does. Besides, the point of fuel injection was to run so lean as to not wash oil off cylinders like a carb engine would do, accelerating wear in that case.
Good thoughts to wash a mid-term (went well, I think) off my hands.
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Elder User
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 576
Likes: 0
From: crete, illinois
well i've always heard letting a vehicle warm up in the winter was a good thing up here in chicago (go sox!). i really can't see it hurting anything unless its idleing at 4000rpms for 10 minutes, just maybe your wallet a little. if your in a cold or hor climate, leave it on for the comfort of yourself and the ranger. its always been told to me cold starts are hard on a vehicle. as bigrigfixer well knows i'm sure, diesels are running all the time on the side of the road while the truckers sleep.