Why do diesel owners idle their motors so much?

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

I just do it to let the car defrost and heat up in winter when its frozen, start it, go back inside and watch TV while car warms up with heater and defrosts windscreen.

Every modern car owner has it rammed down their throat in the handbook to drive off as soon as you've started the engine. Is anybody who's not an automotive engineer going to make an exception? Likewise, everybody will turn a car off as soon as they've stopped and finished. You'd need a whole team of psychiatrists to change human instinct.

The Mazda ****el engine didn't have a long life on the market. Had a friend who had one. We'd go off somewhere at the same time in separate cars to meet somewhere. He'd say I'll see you 5 minutes after you get there.

[ltd]

In modern diesels with modern turbo's, injection and emissions gear, people are in fact doing themselves a disservice by leaving the engines idling. First of all, over time it will glaze the bores, and secondly in this day and age of emissions controls high idle times clog the DPF with soot. In some euro diesels like the Toureg, the DPF filter costs over $4000.00 - and there are two.
No, it comes down to some people honestly believing that they're driving a big rig - the extra ****el factor that we see every day on Australia's roads.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by ltd

First of all, over time it will glaze the bores, and secondly in this day and age of emissions controls high idle times clog the DPF with soot. In some euro diesels like the Toureg, the DPF filter costs over $4000.00 - and there are two.

Price one up for an X5. Sphincter twitch every time you turn the key.

[cram_it_frog]

Many properties have there own diesel tanks
my mate who is own s a station 100 ks from town has two 5000ltr fuel tanks i hav e never asked him how much he pays for fuel but he would pay less than what you get at the pump and he also writes that cost off at tax time

So cost is some thing they do not worry about when it comes to fuel what does worry the farmers in when the wife goes to town with a bank card

[Harrison]

You do see it often in country areas but not necessarily when it's very hot or cold. As has been said petrol drivers also do it to for those reasons.

I was under the impression it was because they were mistaken that it was a good thing to do for the sake of the diesel engine's longevity.


I have heard people say that that is why they themselves do it quite a few times.


.

[OffRoadFalcon]

The time that it really bothers me, is when I'm out at a nice location, where it's all peaceful and quiet...... except for the diesel owner who gets out of his car and leaves it rattling and clattering away... and the stench of the exhaust fumes.

Last time I was at the Drive-In, there was a Hilux owner who just kept on turning the engine on and off during the movie...

[blackf6]

Just burning off dead dinosaurs.

[Trump]

I don't just see it with diesel owners, cabbies also do it. One of the reasons I keep hearing from the temporary citizens is that they were taught to do it as less fuel was used whilst idling than constant engine restarts.

[Itsme]

I just leave my diesel idling to **** off the local petrol heads with the dirty exhaust fumes, works quite well by the responses I'm reading here....lol

[Sprintey]

It's Darwin at work. If they can leave the diesel idling and spewing diesel fumes over everyone else and blowing little holes in the other people's lungs, then their progeny will survive to breed more and can take over the earth

[TheInterceptor]

Originally Posted by new2ford

All this has got me wondering about the diesel Octavia I was driving at 130-160 km/h every week the few hundred ks between Plzen and Nuremberg and I turned it off immediately at the end of every run (doh). It had 200,000 ks on it and a lifetime of being run this way and the engine was still in perfect condition.

I think it's embedded in the brain of Homo sapiens that when he finishes using something he turns it straight off. Carmakers surely have to adapt to that!

After the highway run, if you drove the car normally to your final destination it would cool down from highway use in that period and be o.k id say.

I'd imagine the same could apply to petrol motors too?

[smoo]

Originally Posted by TheInterceptor

After the highway run, if you drove the car normally to your final destination it would cool down from highway use in that period and be o.k id say.

I'd imagine the same could apply to petrol motors too?

Why a highway run!? Minimal fuel burn/load on the engine, high airflow over the the radiator etc makes highway driving the easiest you'll get.
Now if you're towing three tonne at say over 60% load then fair enough as everything is working hard and more fuel means more heat.
Anything else and these turbo timers are purely for the **** factor.
Modern diesels will have an air:fuel ratio of about 200:1 at idle so it's not an issue... Our 15 litre cummins burn 2-3 litres per hour at idle.

[blk6t]

Originally Posted by smoo

Why a highway run!? Minimal fuel burn/load on the engine, high airflow over the the radiator etc makes highway driving the easiest you'll get.
Now if you're towing three tonne at say over 60% load then fair enough as everything is working hard and more fuel means more heat.
Anything else and these turbo timers are purely for the **** factor.
Modern diesels will have an air:fuel ratio of about 200:1 at idle so it's not an issue... Our 15 litre cummins burn 2-3 litres per hour at idle.

Was just going to ask the same thing, makes no sense. Highway run should be very little effort on the engine...unless they are driving in second gear

More effort and strain to drive on local streets than a highway.

[new2ford]

All this has got me wondering about the diesel Octavia I was driving at 130-160 km/h every week the few hundred ks between Plzen and Nuremberg and I turned it off immediately at the end of every run (doh). It had 200,000 ks on it and a lifetime of being run this way and the engine was still in perfect condition.

I think it's embedded in the brain of Homo sapiens that when he finishes using something he turns it straight off. Carmakers surely have to adapt to that!

[Matty4]

Originally Posted by new2ford

I think it's embedded in the brain of Homo sapiens that when he finishes using something he turns it straight off.

Ha..............tell that to my teenage kids.
Lights, TV's, games consoles etc etc.....

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by Matty4

Ha..............tell that to my teenage kids.
Lights, TV's, games consoles etc etc.....

When the money starts to come out of their own pocket they'll learn quick smart.

[blackf6]

My truck engine is really just my personal aircon generator. Gets hot if I turn it off.

[Mont5.0]

Just reading my owners manual for my turbo diesel nissan. Says to idle for a few minutes prior to shutdown after high rpm activity....
what would the manufacturer know.

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by Mont5.0

Just reading my owners manual for my turbo diesel nissan. Says to idle for a few minutes prior to shutdown after high rpm activity....
what would the manufacturer know.

That should be long enough to gas everybody in the garage.

[SumoDog68]

Originally Posted by Mont5.0

Just reading my owners manual for my turbo diesel nissan. Says to idle for a few minutes prior to shutdown after high rpm activity....
what would the manufacturer know.

High rev activity being 2500 rpm ? :-)

[Mont5.0]

Originally Posted by SumoDog68

High rev activity being 2500 rpm ? :-)

If you say so.

[SumoDog68]

Originally Posted by Mont5.0

If you say so.

I drive Navara too :-)

[XB GS 351 Coupe]

Originally Posted by Mont5.0

Just reading my owners manual for my turbo diesel nissan. Says to idle for a few minutes prior to shutdown after high rpm activity....
what would the manufacturer know.

I guess the manufacturer should have consulted AFF members that don't own diesel powered vehicles and have no mechanical engineering back ground for advice when writing their owners manual

[Mont5.0]

Originally Posted by XB GS 351 Coupe

I guess the manufacturer should have consulted AFF members that don't own diesel powered vehicles and have no mechanical engineering back ground for advice when writing their owners manual

you got it

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by XB GS 351 Coupe

I guess the manufacturer should have consulted AFF members that don't own diesel powered vehicles and have no mechanical engineering back ground for advice when writing their owners manual

The point is that most car-owners don't read and digest the handbook in that detail. In lease cars they wouldn't at all (I wonder do many lease car operators use diesels?).

A common scenario would be a long long run along a motorway at 110+ and then pulling into a rest stop and turning the engine off immediately. And most people would say why shouldn't you? Anybody manufacturing consumer goods needs to make them foolproof.

[BA-XT]

It's a diesel thing.... You won't understand.

Previous to my falcon I drove a 1985 hj60 land cruiser and would let it idle for around 3-5 minutes each morning. You had to on the old school engines because if you didn't it felt so stiff that it would feel like the engine could take off if you didn't. Also one glow plug kept failing so it was a bit smokey first thing.

I'd let it idle if I was going to start it up again within 5 minutes. Partly because it was my belief that diesels should be idled and not stopped / started all the time, and partly because "it's a diesel and it sounds like a truck".

Ah yes young and dumb. I still idle my BA until it switch to LPG most mornings. Some habits die hard I guess.

[Sprintey]

Originally Posted by Mr_BA2003

It's a diesel thing.... You won't understand.

Previous to my falcon I drove a 1985 hj60 land cruiser and would let it idle for around 3-5 minutes each morning. You had to on the old school engines because if you didn't it felt so stiff that it would feel like the engine could take off if you didn't. Also one glow plug kept failing so it was a bit smokey first thing.

I'd let it idle if I was going to start it up again within 5 minutes. Partly because it was my belief that diesels should be idled and not stopped / started all the time, and partly because "it's a diesel and it sounds like a truck".

Ah yes young and dumb. I still idle my BA until it switch to LPG most mornings. Some habits die hard I guess.

Yep me too, used old 60 for huge work trip round Oz. I'd do the same. Don't want to think about the amount of exhaust I breathed in the cold mornings... no need for ciggers at all

[XG_Falcon]

Seeing an idling Prado in a shopping center car park always reminds me of studying history - reading about the tank commanders leaving their vehicles idling on the Eastern Front during World War 2... to avoid the engines seizing up in the cold mainly.

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by XG_Falcon

Seeing an idling Prado in a shopping center car park always reminds me of studying history - reading about the tank commanders leaving their vehicles idling on the Eastern Front during World War 2... to avoid the engines seizing up in the cold mainly.

I must remember that next time I attack Westfield in winter ;).

[mechanic]

Don't see it anywhere near as much in country areas, it's mainly urban cowboys.
Personally I love the sound of big diesels but they're in road train prime movers not in 4wds and town cars.