"Edgar" wrote in message
...

"Capt. JG" wrote in message
news:er2dnQ_MYo2s7WvanZ2dnUVZ_uuonZ2d@bayareasolut ions...

Actually diesel engines aren't that sensitive. Certainly one should
not idle them for long periods - hours, but it does no damage to let
an engine idle while you are clearing up the lines or what ever. Ever
been into a truck stop on a winter morning and seen the lines of
Peterbilt's sitting there idling while the driver is in having
breakfast.

Bruce-in-Bangkok
(correct email address for reply)


I've had them idle all night... not sure what the idle speed was...
wasn't in charge, just a passenger.


All that guy's post proves is that truck drivers are insensitive to their
motors, not that the diesels are insensitive to prolonged idling.
Most truck drivers, I suspect, do not have to pay the maintenance costs of
the machines they drive. They much prefer to come back to a warm cab
after breakfast..
However, it has to be said that those engines are warmed up when they
arrive at the truckstop. Idling a cold engine to warm it up is much worse
than what they are doing, stupid though it is..



I don't know about most, but my guess is that a substantial portion of
truckers are independents who likely do pay for maintenance. You're right
about the warm-up... the engines are already hot from long driving. I can't
recall if the driver ever shut the thing off in 3000 miles except to stop
for fuel or a bio stop.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

On Fri, 4 Apr 2008 11:49:03 -0700, "Capt. JG"
wrote:

I don't know about most, but my guess is that a substantial portion of
truckers are independents who likely do pay for maintenance. You're right
about the warm-up... the engines are already hot from long driving. I can't
recall if the driver ever shut the thing off in 3000 miles except to stop
for fuel or a bio stop.

We once had a post here from a guy who was responsible for diesel
maintenance on a fleet of trucks at a gold mine in northern Canada.
He said that basically the trucks idled all winter, over 3,000 engine
hours each. He said that by spring the engines were mostly junk if I
recall correctly.

In contrast, a heavy duty diesel in normal service, and with good
maintenance, will go 5,000 to 10,000 hours between overhauls.

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...

We once had a post here from a guy who was responsible for diesel
maintenance on a fleet of trucks at a gold mine in northern Canada.
He said that basically the trucks idled all winter, over 3,000 engine
hours each. He said that by spring the engines were mostly junk if I
recall correctly.

In contrast, a heavy duty diesel in normal service, and with good
maintenance, will go 5,000 to 10,000 hours between overhauls.

That figures.
Many years ago my employers sent me to Canada in the winter to find out how
they managed to start diesels on oilrigs in winter. I found that basically
they never stopped them and even moved them from place to place still
running. I learned some drastic and time consuming methods they had devised
to start an engine that had been allowed to get really cold with the oil in
the sump turned to thick goo.

On Fri, 4 Apr 2008 22:20:30 +0200, "Edgar"
wrote:


"Wayne.B" wrote in message
.. .

We once had a post here from a guy who was responsible for diesel
maintenance on a fleet of trucks at a gold mine in northern Canada.
He said that basically the trucks idled all winter, over 3,000 engine
hours each. He said that by spring the engines were mostly junk if I
recall correctly.

In contrast, a heavy duty diesel in normal service, and with good
maintenance, will go 5,000 to 10,000 hours between overhauls.

That figures.
Many years ago my employers sent me to Canada in the winter to find out how
they managed to start diesels on oilrigs in winter. I found that basically
they never stopped them and even moved them from place to place still
running. I learned some drastic and time consuming methods they had devised
to start an engine that had been allowed to get really cold with the oil in
the sump turned to thick goo.

I never worked up north but we did do some bids with one of the
Canadian drilling companies and I had assumed from what they told me
that all the winterized rigs had water and oil heaters installed in
the engines. Certainly the floor and mast are protected and heated
well enough that you can work there.

..
Bruce-in-Bangkok
(correct email address for reply)

"Bruce in Bangkok" wrote in message
...
That figures.
Many years ago my employers sent me to Canada in the winter to find out
how
they managed to start diesels on oilrigs in winter. I found that basically
they never stopped them and even moved them from place to place still
running. I learned some drastic and time consuming methods they had
devised
to start an engine that had been allowed to get really cold with the oil
in
the sump turned to thick goo.

I never worked up north but we did do some bids with one of the
Canadian drilling companies and I had assumed from what they told me
that all the winterized rigs had water and oil heaters installed in
the engines. Certainly the floor and mast are protected and heated
well enough that you can work there.

Thet may well do so now. Like I said it was _many_ years ago and things were
more basic then..

On 2008-04-04 15:43:09 -0400, Wayne.B said:

We once had a post here from a guy who was responsible for diesel
maintenance on a fleet of trucks at a gold mine in northern Canada.
He said that basically the trucks idled all winter, over 3,000 engine
hours each. He said that by spring the engines were mostly junk if I
recall correctly.

I'm too lazy/busy to do the implied required search, as following this
group is a minor part of my daily activity, but my recollection of that
thread and observation of truckers in my own area tells me that keeping
the engine idling doesn't significantly add to the engine's demise. In
fact, if the engines are shut down in those extremely low temperatures,
drastic measures more injurious to to the engines are required to
restart them.

--
Jere Lull
Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD
Xan's pages: http://web.mac.com/jerelull/iWeb/Xan/
Our BVI trips & tips: http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/