Good night from...

Odessa, TX at the Loves. Got a late start from El Paso, didn't leave the shipper til 2:00pm. 43,800 lbs of scrap aluminum headed for Alcoa, TN.

I generally prefer Pilot/Flying J but have heard nothing good about the Pilot in Odessa so I decided to try it here, so far, so good.

 

I am delivering a building to a California water park, will be sleeping inside the gate tonight. Photos of the 4am crane lift to follow.

 

Good points all.

I NEVER let my truck idle for more than a couple minutes without pushing the idle speed up to 800 rpm or so. At 800 rpm my DD15 uses a solid gallon per hour. My company Volvo with an ISX15 Cummins burned .5-.7 GPH at base idle.

If have the choice of spending the money on a hotel or fuel to stay comfortable I'll take the hotel every time. Besides a bathroom I get electricity for my laptop and room to move around.

I didn't idle my truck last night in El Paso nor will I tonight in Odessa. Almost identical weather, 85 at sunset cooling to 75 by morning. Last night I used my fan, tonight there's a good breeze blowing through my sleeper window.

 

Back at the TA in Tooele, UT again. Place is starting to grow on me. Like mold. Pulled an mt from Las Vegas to Cedar City, UT, picked up 1k at a Sports Authority then up here to SLC. Got 10.2mpg and hauled lightest load a week after the heaviest.

Picking up Arm & Hammer load in Green Valley, WY heading for MO.
Frank

 

In Malvern, AR at a tiny convience store/truck stop I discovered a few months ago when I hauled some copper wire to a receiver just down the road. About 625 miles today, no record, but respectable. Headed for Knoxville tomorrow then 30 miles down the road to the final.

It's 100 degrees here @ 6:30pm. Guess I'm gonna have to idle the truck for at least part of the night.

 

Steve, does your truck have the Espar or Webasto system. If you have the Espar you have the cold air fan built in.

 

Here in N. Little Rock. Got parked with 2 mins left on the clock. I am definately bumping my 70 this week. Have 1.5 left on the clock for the day, and pu another 10 tonight. Drop in the morning, then grab a preloaded trailer full of booze in Ft. Smith and deliver in Montgomer on Thursday. For being a holiday, I am staying busy. My loads are figuring right in with my hours. Who needs a 34. PU another 11 hours tomorrow night and then 8.5 and 9.5. Just enough to still run some and still get home on Sunday, I think. Only pu 6 Saturday.

 

Why do you increase your idle speed?

Seems to me that it would just increase your fuel rate.
Letting it idle normally uses less fuel, creates less noise, and I doubt the engine complaines.

 

Kimball, NE at a little diner and motel with a dirt lot full of traveling grain combines. Had a nice cool breeze in a real quiet spot until a reefer pulled in and changed everything. Usually don't mind reefers at all but that was a nice breeze.
Frank

 

If you idle it at a slightly higher RPM, it will increase the temperature and the oil pressure. If the temp of the engine drops too low for an extended period of time,the fuel will not completely burn, and will wash the cylinder walls down, greatly increasing the ring / cylinder wear. Ever notice how a truck will often blow smoke when first accelerated after idling a long time? That is unburned fuel, and it contaminates the oil. Better to have the temp up to insure complete combustion. At a lower RPM, the oil pressure may not be high enough to adequately lube the top of the engine. Also some alternators give out very little amperage at a low idle.