cold weather idle

One thing I've never understood is why people do not run winter fronts? The main reason is for idling. It was -34 with a -43 windchill two nights ago, and I completely closed up the winter front. Idled at 900 rpm at full temperature all night long without an issue. No smoke out the stacks, no slobber out the blowby. My winter front also covers the hole in the bumper. Stayed toasty warm in the sleeper as well. Detroit series 60.

 

Sho-tyme, lol the dreaded mack. yep, no power steering 237, 238? (can't remember which) dual stick and 5 speed. people wondered why we walked around with arms bigger than our thighs. lol

Seriously, I actually emailed that question directly to detroit. They answered. On a 60 series det, they recomended to idle so your oil pressure is at least 40lbs. Usually between 800-900 rpms. Failure to do so will result in, unusual wear of injectors, unburnt fuel collecting on your turbo fins, causing improper performance, Turbo bearing leaking oil into the exhaust side of turbo, (not hot enough to seal), waste gates on turbo will begin to stick and not open and close properly. Eventually the oil in exhaust combined with the carbon from unburnt fuel will slowly restrict your exhaust flow and shorten muffler life. EGR motors will see shortened egr valve life and sticking gates, causing improper performance. The turbo actuator will work harder to open and close waste gate on turbo do to carbon build up. This will result in the shaft going from actuator to waste gate ovaling out the turbo housing and causing improper performance. Eventually, since there is no journal to replace for that shaft, replacing the turbo. This is a shortened version of what they said. They go on and on about valves and components that need oil, that won't get the proper flow, .........etc I'm assuming if this is what it does to a det, other engines probably are the same, but that's my opinion.

 

because you get to many steering wheel holders that dont open it back up when driving and overheat on the first hill they pull

 

I second that, plus overheat and blow the turbo as well

 

Usually about 1050rpm if it's cold out or about a minute after starting cold...if I bump the cruise to 'set' it'll go to 850 or if I bump to 'resume' it'll go to 1050.

 

That will depend on how your ECM is set-up. An O/O can get those settings changed rather easily. I know my mechanic will do any of those settings for me free of charge.

 

I realize that, just haven't had the need otherwise to have the bozo-puter hooked up for them to change that. It also has what I'll assume is a 'PTO protect' on it that limits stationary RPM to 1550...kinda nice if I ever have someone else drive it for a day, cause the N14 revs like a two-stroke dirt bike.

 

My CAT owners manual days to idle no less than 900rpm

 

I go inside even in this sub-zero temps, I'll shut the truck off. It actually stays warmer than letting it idle for the 15-30 minutes I might be inside.