TM Operation Manual question

[bshupe]

I was reading through the Operation Manual and noted that it says not to let the 6.2 run at idle for extended periods of time.

1. What is extended amounts of time?
2. What damage can occur?

In the current cold weather I typically let it run for about 15-20 minutes in the morning to get the ice off and cab warm but in the evening when Im leaving work I start it about 15 minutes before I think Im going to be leaving but there have been an occasion when I was seriously wrong about my departure time and it ran at idle for up to an hour. I have not noticed and problems but I also was not looking for any problems until reading this section of the manual.

Thanks for any input!

Bob

 

[Warthog]

Hours.

One of the issues is "wet stacking". This is a condition where there is a buildup of unburnt fuel is the cylinders and exhaust.

Gensets have this problem.

 

[jw4x4]

I would not consider 20 to 30 minutes or even an hour to be considered extended. Now overnight, that may be a different story.

 

[doghead]

God Bless You for reading the TM! (seriously)

 

[1StumpJumper]

Good question Bob. I was wondering the same thing. Thanks for asking.

 

[scottladdy]

Check this out: http://www.gentechusa.com/wetstacking.aspx

 

[bshupe]

Thanks scottladdy.

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

So how do truckers get away with idling overnight on a routine basis? Does a day of driving burn out the deposits and negate the problems?

 

[emr]

Because truckers have engines tuned to run at idle for long periods, the gen sets are a much simpler motor that needs to run as it says in the above post,loaded... Interesting, I new to do this but did not understand wet stacking, As for commercial vehicles, like said they are more than up to the task of idle or run hard for long very long periods, the 6.2 is a get into the diesel market fast on the cheap motor, no matter how much someone likes em that is the truth, the only reason there are allot around is there low milage from mil service, none of the civy ones are left, you will get a guy now and then who will yell...Mine went a million miles well maybe a few have, but the majority of them will not, It does not run that well, it does not idle that well, it seems to me wet stacking is definitely something to watch out for these motors, with that said, I would buy one if the price was right, they are cool because of what they are and what they were used for,

 

[Triple C]

Boy this "Stacking" is news to me. I have two 6.5's and drove class 8's for years. Not sayin it isn't so, just sayin I didn't know it - learn somthing every day. emr is right about the big rigs though. Since about the mid 90's the class 8 motors have been computer timed with the injector volume as well as intervals set to match the work load, so they don't tend to load up much. In my experience, the temps, grade of fuel, additives etc, have a lot to do with how clean your fuel burns. As I understand diesels, if you are getting unburnt fuel out the pipe you smoke (a lot when you blow an injector!) so if you are "stacking" fuel into the exhaust, you will probably know it as soon as you accelerate. I would probably be more worried about unburnt fuel being wiped into the oil by the rings in an extended idle. That is certainly an issue with small gasoline engines and I could see where a motor with quite a few miles would be prone to that as well. That isn't much of a problem in commercial vehicles due to the frequency of their oil changes but these 6.2 and 6.5's put leftovers in the oil quickly. Look at the oil a day after it has been changed and it is black, that's unburnt fuel and carbon. I do agree they aren't the most robust motor and most of them have cracks in the heads and webbing before 200,000 miles. I wouldn't worry about idling for an hour though. Put a good fuel conditioner in along with some FPPF every now and then and enjoy the ride.

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

Good info. I'm new to diesels myself, so all this knowledge is welcome!