How cold is too cold / what's your idling policy?

Well, if you are cutting it that close, might want to run down south. $50 now in fuel, or $170 service call, with a 4 hour wait, lost the load, or pixxed off the customer, and all for a measly $50 bucks? I never thought of it as "wasting" fuel, just what it took to operate in cold climates.

 

Everyone has their own views, ideas and business sense. So what I’m about to say is not a my way is better post in no sense.

I’ve run Pete hoods, CAT motors for 30 years. Cattle, hopper and reefer. Idled when I needed too period. Always seemed to do ok. I get fuel is a big expense but don’t get so focused on it you loose money and cause headaches trying to avoid it. Sometimes it’s quicker easier and less pain to take that lick square on the chin.

 

Definitely idle when its this cold:

 

Idle it. The down time waiting and cost to get a service truck out to where you are to boost you isn’t worth it.

 

What is that the def pump? Its been awhile since ive run in extreme cold but i remember that being a big problem is finding a def pump thats not completely frozen

 

Yep, got the hose out about 3 inches before the handle snapped off. Either the hose was leaking or enough condescension got trapped in there to freeze.

 

It looks like the DEF itself may have frozen.

 

I was told if the DEF freezes its no good ?

 

It's not 'no good', it's 'less good'. The urea separates from the water and will settle at the bottom of the tank. The remaining mixture can cause issues with the sensors, both with 'bad def' warnings and by simply clogging the sensors/dosers/whatever.

 

It's crazy we've had this stuff for over a decade and they still can't figure out how to keep it to freezing at the pump. They have heaters in most of them, but if a driver leaves the flap open it's game over in half an hour.