Fast idle on a cold Cummins diesel?

[JRS]

Rich, thanks for the post and look forward to hearing what you end up finding. I'm going to continue keeping idling to a minimum at this point. After cool down which doesn't take long, I even shut down while fueling. When I fast idle, it's typically 1100-1200rpms. Naturally I wish I didn't have to fast idle but currently think it's best based on what I've been told and read

 

[ARD]

All that said, I won’t shut down at a fuel island, and while I’ve recently read some comments about idling while checking in to a park being “bad manners”, generally speaking the entrance of a park is far enough away from occupied campsites that the concern seems unwarranted. I’d rather wait until I’m parked for the day before shutting down, avoiding unnecessary starts and stops, and ensuring that I won’t be stuck somewhere I don’t want to spend the night (or longer).

I used to turn my engine off and on everywhere, but after having to replace 2 DEF heads, one in my DS and one in my LA, I prefer to let the engine idle. Perhaps I'm a little traumatized , but I am in total agreement with @Rich W. I find it very hard to believe that the little bit of idling I do will have any bad effects on the engine.

And when I get to my site, I let it idle further as my Newmar tech recommends to keep the engine idling while running out the slides - even when connected to shore power.

As far as going to high idle on a cold engine, I was taught at my Newmar CPU and Spartan Owner's to go to high idle. If I know it is going to be cold the next day, I turn on the block heater the night before. Also, I have noticed when it is cold outside, my engine will not immediately go to high idle no matter how much I coax it. It will run for a bit and idle higher in its own time, not mine. I swear it's possessed.

 

[Rich W.]

Rich, thanks for the post and look forward to hearing what you end up finding. I'm going to continue keeping idling to a minimum at this point. After cool down which doesn't take long, I even shut down while fueling. When I fast idle, it's typically 1100-1200rpms. Naturally I wish I didn't have to fast idle but currently think it's best based on what I've been told and read

I recently read a post on the FB Newmar owners group about shutting down at a fuel island and then not being able to restart. I think it was a DS with solenoid problem, but the short-term issue was being stranded at the fuel island, unable to re-start and move for an extended period of time. That seems like it would be very unpleasant.

 

[Bigblockyeti]

I put some miles on a new (at the time) 2006 International 4300 with the DT466E and if someone forgot to plug it in the night before, and often if it was plugged in, it would go to high idle by itself when the temperature was 20°F or less. The only way I could prevent it from going to high idle was setting the cruise control/idle speed to the 700rpm minimum, this was available to control the PTO speed for the hydraulic hoist. Years later I worked on a number of CAT C12, C13, C7, C9, Cummins M11, 4bt 6bt, Detroit Diesels, Volvo diesels, Mercedes diesels and Mack diesels. All of these were pre-DEF and most were in offroad equipment. Many of those that were electronically controlled would default to a high idle right after startup when it was cold outside, regardless of whether or not they were plugged in. Plugging them in only serves to heat up some of the engine coolant and does little to nothing for the 10-20 gallons of engine oil, 20 gallons of transmission oil and up to 100 gallons of hydraulic oil some equipment had. The high idle for those applications was to get the fluids moving so they could start making money.

 

[J&JD]

And when I get to my site, I let it idle further as my Newmar tech recommends to keep the engine idling while running out the slides - even when connected to shore power.

Unfortunately, my 2017DS will not allow the slides to work with the engine running. Just as well as I’m not a fan of idling either the DS or any of my gas powered vehicles for that matter. My brain just can’t seem to accept the continuous burning of fuel when it’s not needed. And I’m not much of a fan of listening to diesel’s idling next to me for extended periods at either the fuel island or campsite but that’s just cantankerous old me.
Back to the OP’s question, it seems reasonable to me to enter fast idle within 30 seconds or so after oil pressure is up in my humble totally amateur opinion.

 

[Texas Clodhopper]

I recently read a post on the FB Newmar owners group about shutting down at a fuel island and then not being able to restart. I think it was a DS with solenoid problem, but the short-term issue was being stranded at the fuel island, unable to re-start and move for an extended period of time. That seems like it would be very unpleasant.

I suspect if that were to happen to me, stranded at the fuel island, that there would be some cantankerous driver behind me who would be more than happy to give me a push.

 

[FLSteve]

All that said, I won’t shut down at a fuel island, and while I’ve recently read some comments about idling while checking in to a park being “bad manners”, generally speaking the entrance of a park is far enough away from occupied campsites that the concern seems unwarranted. I’d rather wait until I’m parked for the day before shutting down, avoiding unnecessary starts and stops, and ensuring that I won’t be stuck somewhere I don’t want to spend the night (or longer).

@Rich W. @ARD ... This is pretty much the way I operate as well.

FLSteve

 

[J&JD]

I recently read a post on the FB Newmar owners group about shutting down at a fuel island and then not being able to restart. I think it was a DS with solenoid problem, but the short-term issue was being stranded at the fuel island, unable to re-start and move for an extended period of time. That seems like it would be very unpleasant.

There are so many worse places where not being able to start the engine could be much more problematic than one lane of a fueling area. At least there is a good possibility of professional help nearby. Do most people worry about whether the engine is going to start each time they try to start or shutdown?

 

[Rich W.]

There are so many worse places where not being able to start the engine could be much more problematic than one lane of a fueling area. At least there is a good possibility of professional help nearby. Do most people worry about whether the engine is going to start each time they try to start or shutdown?

Well part of that is the embarrassment factor of taking a fuel lane out of service that truckers are expecting to be able to use, and part of it is 45 years in the fire service where we never shut down until we were back in the barn. So no I don’t worry about it, but I also am somewhat more risk averse than “normal” people and have somewhat different habits.

 

[FLSteve]

Do most people worry about whether the engine is going to start each time they try to start or shutdown?

@J&JD ... not sure it rises to the worry level, but it sure does cross my mind each time. Add that to also wondering if the full wall slide will come in when I push the button so I can leave the campground.

FLSteve