Is it a good idea to idle truck at "feels like -9F"?

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Prostar_Central, Jan 24, 2025.

  1. Prostar_Central

    Prostar_Central Light Load Member

    72
    25
    Aug 24, 2013
    0
    In North Dakota now and at night its going to be 11 F but whats bothering me is where it says "feels like -9 F"
    Is it a good idea to idle the truck at night during these temps? I treated my diesel with antigel but still worried whether to idle or not.
     
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. MACK E-6

    MACK E-6 Moderator Staff Member

    47,862
    217,348
    Sep 19, 2005
    Baltimore, MD
    0
    Wind chill only affects living things.

    That said, keep it running anyway.
     
    tscottme, Long FLD, Arctic_fox and 5 others Thank this.
  4. AModelCat

    AModelCat Road Train Member

    28,598
    151,625
    Jul 7, 2015
    Canuckistan
    0
    chevron-right

    Wind chill is just a measure of how fast heat is removed. Its not actually colder.
     
  5. kylefitzy

    kylefitzy Road Train Member

    4,535
    18,571
    Aug 12, 2007
    Kansas city,Mo
    0
    Do what ever you want. I parked in SK just over the nd border and it was -15f actual temperature and the truck started just fine in the morning with no gelling issues. Inanimate objects do not care about windchill, 10 above is not that cold.
     
  6. Brandt

    Brandt Road Train Member

    4,339
    5,795
    Sep 17, 2012
    0
    How long can someone stay outside in 11F ? Not very long and you will be having troubles, Just idle your truck if it that cold. You gel up or can’t restart the engine you will be begging for some heat. Fuel is more likely to gel today vs years ago. You will be freezing pretty with frostbite before anyone show up to help you. That’s if you can even get anyone to come out like a tow truck or a service truck. Plus that we’ll be a lot more money than idling all night. I know fuel not as cheap as it used to be when we idle all night at 1200 rpms to keep engine warm in extreme cold. When you idle your engine and the coolant can’t even stay at 180 you know it’s cold outside
     
  7. sbaumann14

    sbaumann14 Road Train Member

    1,196
    1,368
    Sep 1, 2010
    Rhinelander, WI
    0
    What Brandt said….10 gallons of diesel is pretty cheap compared to a tow.
     
  8. rix005

    rix005 Bobtail Member

    14
    9
    Jan 15, 2013
    0
    The "feels like temp" is what it feels like to a human being considering humidity and wind speed. The posted temp is actual.
    Treating fuel with additives is only nessesary if the engine is to be shut off in temperatures at 20° the cloud point of diesel will start at 32° but unlikely if winter blend fuel is used . Keep in mind if fueling in Florida during winter months it will unlikely contain kerosene and gelliing is possible if traveling to cold climate and shut off for a length of time. If fuel is purchased in northern areas it will be of winter blend and protection from gelling to 14° again only if engine off. While in normal operation and while idling unused fuel supply bypasses fuel pump and is returned to the fuel tanks as heated fuel. Also keep in mind if truck is parked and engine off during temperature of 20° or less the gelling of fuel also will crystalize fuel in hoses, lines, filters, pumps, and injectors.and potentially causing damage . So if your rolling and have winter blend fuel , your fine without additives down to 14°
    in normal operation fuel is heated and unused fuel returned to the tank. Personally I prefer to idle at 20° or below.just bump rpm -900
     
    tscottme Thanks this.
  9. Arctic_fox

    Arctic_fox Experienced mx13 execrator

    3,592
    17,364
    Sep 16, 2016
    0
    I live in SD so im pretty used to freezeing temps. The "feels like" as others have said is more what it feels like to you as a person. The truck doesnt give a ####. At worst with enough wind it will cool the truck down faster as whatever insulation is avalible via either actual.insulation or tight spaces is stripped away.

    That said with properly treated fuel (anti gel to be clear) your going to be good down to around -10 ambient and with pure #1 fuel will be good down to around -40 (ive had vehicles start as low as -50 with pure #1). However, while it should be fine, its best practice to idle when its going to be below 0 due to the costs of filters, towing, shop time ect.

    Additionally as it gets colder the less capacity batterys have. And older worn batterys may not have the umph to get you started even without gelling up at extreme temps.
     
  10. A Bug

    A Bug Heavy Load Member

    778
    1,466
    Mar 15, 2014
    Sevierville TN
    0
    Driving up 487 between Laramie and Casper WY it got down to -17 and my truck slowed down to a crawl over a short period of time due to gelling.
    there is a little rest stop between the two towns along that empty highway that i made it to but the place has no cell service, even the truck had no service with the Samsara at this place so none of my messages were getting through. I stayed there overnight hoping that when the sun came out i could make it back into town. I used every bit whatever i had to use as a blanket. When i woke up all the water in my bottles was frozen, and my cell phone said "Too Cold to Charge".

    But it was up to +5 and my truck was able to make it into Casper around 20-30 mph.
     
    OlegMel, MACK E-6 and DUNE-T Thank this.
  11. sbaumann14

    sbaumann14 Road Train Member

    1,196
    1,368
    Sep 1, 2010
    Rhinelander, WI
    0
    Ur lucky u didn’t damage the motor.
     
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.