idling your truck

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by sgtkrav, Nov 17, 2013.

  1. Lepton1

    Lepton1 Road Train Member

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    $60-80 per day for idling on a 10 hour break (at $4/gal)? Might as well just pay for a Motel 6 and save some money. Actually I've heard some truckers say their truck is getting about 0.5 gallons per hour (GPH), but in my experience with older KW's and this '12 Cascadia it's closer to 1.0 GPH +/- 0.3. No matter what, if I were paying that kind of money to heat my house I'd defecate bricks sideways.
     
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  3. Semi Crazy

    Semi Crazy Road Train Member

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    What about a brick on the fuel treadle? Remember those old adjustable Bar Jan throttle sticks you could buy in the junk section of the truckstop?
     
  4. Shaggy

    Shaggy Road Train Member

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    Find a better employer and go home every night, You have "experience" go local and minimum crap have to do. Plug in your truck for the weekend. lol
     
  5. PackRatTDI

    PackRatTDI Licensed to Ill

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    $60-80 for idling 10 hrs? My truck averages .8 gallons per hour at the highest when set to the fast idle (700rpm) setting and at even $4 a gallon that's only $32. Most motels that would charge $32 a night including tax I don't think you'd want to leave your truck unattended at, lol!
     
    biggare1980 Thanks this.
  6. Lepton1

    Lepton1 Road Train Member

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    ^^^^ I agree with you 100%. I was just "riffing" on his math. I'd still defecate bricks sideways if I had a heating bill like that at home. The efficiencies of making yourself comfortable by running a diesel engine border on idiocy IMHO.
     
  7. Numb

    Numb Crusty Curmudgeon

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    idling is supposed to be figured in as part of doing business.

    like tire wear.

    fans in the window won't cut it in southwest Tex or New Orleans or Phoenix in Aug.
     
    biggare1980 Thanks this.
  8. PackRatTDI

    PackRatTDI Licensed to Ill

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    Well he drives a cat powered Pete and given that cat recommends bumping the idle to 1000-1200 rpm for extended idling periods, his figures are probably not far off the mark for his rig.
     
  9. fortycalglock

    fortycalglock Road Train Member

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    Or lay on the bed!!!!
     
  10. The Admiral

    The Admiral Heavy Load Member

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    Had one of those bad boys in one of my gas jobs ( no not a hotshot either) and then we upgraded to a vernier throttle cable, talk about living large.
     
  11. Semi Crazy

    Semi Crazy Road Train Member

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    Where'd you hear that? They say between 8-900 is fine. More in subzero weather, less in hot weather. 1200 rpm in Duluth in January, 700 is fine in Laredo in August with the AC running. The cylinder temps are what you are worried about.
     
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