Hey guys, long time no posts! I've been busy getting my trucks ready for snow!

I am going up north for a night to help a good friend of mine close his parents' cabin for the winter. Only problem is that I'm going to have to sleep in a tent outside- not that I mind but its getting to be about 15*F at night in northern WI. I either had the idea to just sleep in my truck with the engine running at the heat on, or to buy one of those cheap auto zone heaters that plug into the cigar lighter. What do you think?

I could get a hotel, but then I just wouldn't get to spend quality time with my truck!!

Which do you think would be better to do? I'm just worried about the electic heater killing my batteries or starting onfire! lol.

What would my PSD use at idle as far as fuel goes? Keep in mind that its cold out, so it will more then likely want to stay at a fast idle.

Thanks in Advance!!

Douglas DC-9

 

Build a fire in the bed of your truck, and open the sliding rear window in the cab! You will save on diesel fuel & on batt. power!!

 

I don't think It would hurt running your truck to stay warm that night, don't think you will sleeping that long mabye 4 to 5 hr. I sat in traffic jam over night in a bad snow storm for over 4 hr. didn't us much fuel at all, didn't sleep much. Left the window open alittle. Don't use up batt. power, might not start in the morning if it's that cold out!!!

 

Sleep in your truck. At 1gal/hr, you are saving lots of money. Heater on and all.

 

There was a thread a while back about extended idleing time with a 7.3--would anyone know anything about the outcome?? good/bad/ok to have extended idleing??

 

When I idle while waiting to pick my son up from school my Scan Gauge II shows that I am burning 0.3 GPH.

Keep in mind that if you are going to be idling for a prolonged time, like overnight, it would be wise to increase the idle to avoid wet-stacking. You could buy a device that will increase idle, do it youself with some wire splicing or for one night maybe put a brick on the accelerator to raise RPM to around 1200

 

this why my DP tuner has high idle on it.......

 

I wouldn't think it would hurt it any, although like others have said raise your idle to about 1200rpm to avoid wet stacking.

 

at slow idle it's about 1/3 gallon per hour. at about twice the rpm it should be about 2/3 gallon per hour, right?

 

Like I said it was hard to tell if my gauge moved at all !!

 

when we were down in N.O. after Katrina (november 05) we would idle our trucks and sleep in the back seat. youll be fine.

If you are going up to help your buddy close down the cabin, why not sleep in the cabin with a fire in the fireplace?

 

I remember seeing a while back that our trucks use 1/3 gal per hour at idle and 2/3 gal per hour at high idle (1200 rpms).

 

There you go. Even without any heat source, you could easily just bring a bunch of blankets, and/or sleep in your parka.

 

.4 GPH fuel consumption at 650 rpm idle.

I sleep in my truck all the time, NEVER turn it off until I get home (when on the road). I got sick once in Kansas and idled for almost three days straight.

Our road truck gets started on Monday morning and turned off Friday night, sometimes ran straight for two weeks at a time.

No wet stacking, no problems.

 

gosh sure ain't much fuel for that size motor, only other motor I have that might compare is a 38 hp kabota maybe 9 hp kohler