Double Yellow's Company Driver to Independent Thread

Why just not get a Webasto for winter and idle a lil bit in summer?

 

You buy as reefer fuel in most truck stops.

 

I had no idea an APU was 10k???, I wonder how the savings (if any) works out once APU maintenance is involved.

 

That's what we've been discussing on here. They are nice to have but it seems that the biggest savings goes to a small Honda generator and your choice of AC unit for the summer and either a webasto or small heater for the winter

 

Dy

Double, I looked at older and newer trucks for months, maybe more than a year and the '08 CL120 w/DD60 had the best reliability I found. S/w shop dogs, owners as well. As for the '08 model Columbia, it was the last of a long model series, most problems worked out oñ earlier models. J

 

Ask you guys talking about idling being very bad for an engine are forgetting a couple very basic things concerning diesels engines. The same engines have been used in operations that idle ten times longer than they run hard.
Construction equipment. Generators. Pumps. Scrap processing equipment, such as car crushers and shredders.
Engines run conveyor belts in all sorts of mining and manufacturing. Even boats use the same engines and all of these operations idle much longer than they operate at load.
Now I'm not suggesting a person idles over buying a apu or generator. that's just stupid. But to suggest idling an engine is damaging the engine is choosing to ignore factsof diesel engines. And if you are worried about it, just rev it up to 900 rpm instead of letting it chug at 600

 

in the 80's into early 90's Cat took trade in on engines in boats
and all they wanted to know was how much fuel went thru them

there might be some correlation between older tired engines where oil pressure didn't lube everything correctly but a newer tighter engine with good compression isn't going to matter

 

In hot weather I'm skeptical as well whether or not there is any damage being done. But in cold weather where the ECT is being pulled down when idling and the inside of your stacks have moisture in them when you wake up in the morning I'm sure you can imagine what that is doing for the engine.

I did that once up in Michigan one night and wont let it happen again. Changed the oil soon after too lol

 

There may be no damage being done but you are putting hours on your alt.,belts, AC compressor, water pump, fan clutch,and the main shaft in your transmission is turning.

My $6500 generator(8000 watts) has cost about $11000 with repairs(including replacing roof top air) for 24,000 hours and 16 years that is 687.50 a year or 13.32 a week plus fuel.(Now I am analyzing like DY) My truck has probably idled 20 nights during this time, I think I got my moneys worth out of it. The Mfg. says it will go 50,000 hours.

Spent about $1800 on it this winter including pump and injectors, water pump, fan shrouds,motor mounts, all hoses and the one belt, new replacement would be $8000, was ready to go that route if necessary.
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How many cheap gas generators would I have used in the same time? Plus I never had to carry a gas can or have it run out of fuel on a hot nite.