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Star Stop vs Run

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n88wrl
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 48 Clover, SC
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2004-09-28          97322

Lately I've been doing some jobs that require me to hop off the tractor for 5-10 minutes before I need to lift/pull/yank/push/whatever with the tractor. Is it best to leave the tractor running or stop/start it as needed? This is a big debate with computers as well - some say there is more wear stopping and starting than if you just left it running all the time. Sometimes it seems like a boring way to burn fuel and rack up the hours tho...

Thoughts?

-Brian


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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
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2004-09-28          97323

Best? Who knows.

I do know that with a diesel engine two factors enter into it.

First, very little heat is made at an idle, so little in fact that the average engine will drop below 'normal' operating temps if left idling for very long since the heat extracted by the cooling system is less than that produced at an idle.

Secondly, and probably more importantly, when you shut off an engine, the water pump stops turning, therefore the mechanical circulation of collant through the engine & radiator stops also. However, there is still a lot of heat present in the engine. The result is that the temperature of the engine actually increases right after you shut it off. Leaving it idling prevents this from happening.

Finally, as a personal note, I leave mine idling, but mostly because my A/C or heater stops working when I shut the machine off. Lazy? Maybe. Comfortable, Yuppers, that's what I spent the money for. LOL.

Best of luck. ....

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beagle
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1333 Michigan
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2004-09-28          97334

Strongly agree. Warm oil also runs the cylinder walls when an engine is shut down. For short periods of time, let it idle with coolant circulating and oil pumping. The engine will be happier for it. ....

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n88wrl
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 48 Clover, SC
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2004-09-28          97340

That makes a lot of sense, guys - thanks. Maybe I'll just crank the RPMs down when it is just sitting. That'll make my fuel-thrift gene happier ;)

Thanks for the good info!

-Brian ....

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AV8R
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 882 North Central Wisconsin
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2004-09-28          97343

Murf is correct, the concept is called "super cooling." This is a huge problem in the older Dodge/Cummins trucks in the cold weather. An idling motor will cool to the point where it is eventually below the outside ambient tempreture (30 min). On a Cummins, you must have at least 1200 rpm to put enough fuel in to keep the motor at the same temp.

Long story short, in warmer temps (40+ deg f.) this wont be a problem. Colder temps would require a bit of throttle to keep the temp up. Thats also why idling a Diesel in cold weather will not warm it, a small amount of throttle is needed. ....

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TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002
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2004-09-29          97360

Starter parts are expensive too. A bunch of starts with short operating times between them also is hard of batteries.

If it puffs gray exhaust more than normal after idling then it's cooling down and a faster idle would be good. Even so, it's probably to shorten oil change intervals is a tractor is going to do a bunch of idling. I think oil contamination is the main reason some people say to avoid prolonged idling. ....

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BigJimB
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 47 Lancaster, Pa
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2004-10-04          97629

I am new to diesels, I purchased a BX2230 and have a question about warming up the engine, Am I doing it right?
I now start the engine and let it idle in the garage for about as long as it takes to move my car out of the way,
Then I back the tractor outside and let it run just above the idle until the temp guage is up to the normal range before I start to use the tractor. I have been doing this because someone told me not to do any work until everything is warmed up.
Should I give it more RPM's in the warmup
Is it OK to back it out of the garage while it is still cold
What should I do when I want to use it to clear the driveway, How long does the winter warmup take and how fast should I have the RPM's?
Also, my temp guage has never gone above the bottom of the normal range even on hot days when I mow is that normal? ....

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AV8R
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 882 North Central Wisconsin
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2004-10-04          97631

Jim, IMHO letting it run for a few minutes is all that's really needed.

A diesel will never build up much heat untill it is worked more than idle power. I run mine, in the winter before snowblowing, for 2-3 minutes at the most. If you were to open the hood and put your hand on the valve cover, you would begin to feel some heat forming.

BTW: my temp gauge doesn't move up very high either, summer or winter. ....

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lbrown59
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2004-10-04          97634

I run mine, in the winter before snowblowing, for 2-3 minutes at the most.
AV8R
=======================

1*Is this at idle speed or a little faster?
2*Do you let it idle for a minute or 2 before stopping the engine? ....

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AV8R
Join Date: Oct 2003
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2004-10-04          97635

Yes, a little over slow idle, maybe 12-1500 rpm (no tach on a BX). Yes again, about the same before shutdown. ....

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DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000
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2004-10-05          97701

MY BX owners manual said that the warm-up was as much for the HST fluid as for engine. It also said that you could spend less time warming up if you used Super UDT. ....

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