Operating Engine Temp in winter

[DuramaxSMOKE11]

5 to 10 minutes to let mine warm up alittle. just to get the oil alittle warm so i dont have high oil pressure under light throttle when leaving

[AdvRider]

Originally Posted by aautio1004

Wow, you guys idle long. LIke mentioned before they wont really build much heat just sitting there idling unless you put some load on the engine. To each his own, but I usually just start mine up, give it around 2-5 minutes maximum to get the fluids moving and everything lubed and then I go with it. I live in a subdivision so Im able to go really easy on it til I'm out onto the highway. By then I'm up off the 160 cold mark and building heat and I go a little heavier on the throttle then to get it going and then it's up to normal temp quick from there. The main thing is to obviouosly not start it and go before youve got lube, and also not to go too heavy on the fuel...the heavier you go the bigger the boom in the engine and the more heat you make in there. And with the high heat in a cold block you'll blow some head gaskets pretty quick. So long story short, just go easy on it when it's a cold engine and you should have no problem driving it without idling for very long.

This is my first diesel and I ride my motosicle at every opportunity. I totally agree with this post.

No engine should be left to idle for periods longer than 5 minutes. The internal pressures at idle do not develop good fluid flow and without a load, there will not be appreciable heat buildup. A healthy approach is to start up, lube up and drive away easy for the first few miles. Not only will your motor thank you, but your mechanical lube points and joints will like the opportunity to mobilize their grease.

The one bugaboo with diesel fuel is the tendency to gel in very cold temps. I'd be interested in hearing more about that issue......

I've had mogas vehicles that didn't get warm or run worth a shite when temps dropped into the -40's F......that would be Wyoming/Siberia/Alaska types of temps.....

[Hondarider552]

Now that it's getting colder in AZ, I wait till my coolant temp is 120 before leaving and drive it like a grandma untill abouve 160*

[duramax07tmd]

all this is some good info

[ob_1jr]

it is important to let the vehicles warming up in extremes like alaska. I let mine run for about 5-10 mins then i kick on the high idle to keep the oil pressure up and so the EGTs are higher. At -40F i only see about 215 EGT at 1200 rpms. (actually anytime below about -10F) If i dont put on high idle, my EGT is about 180. Of course for a vehicle to sit out all day or night at -40F you really do need to let it run for awhile as everything is really cold even being plugged in.

[givmiabrke]

i live in northern mn and garage mine if its way below 0 i plug it in a half hour before departing truck is warm with a two to three minute warm up wait till if it's over 100 i drive it easy have a stretch of road that i can get away easy driving couple miles ...find that even if i let it idle longer ...the load from the uphill grade warms it faster .. if i park outside it's the same results if i plug it in got to love the block heater! would test thermostats in hot water on stove if it took forever to warm !!first diesel suprised it has two thermostats!

[shiftybullet]

I wake up in the morning, throw my shoes on and start the truck.

By the time I have breakfast and am ready to go to work the truck get a 30 min warmup every morning.

May be to much idle time but the truck is always warm.

Kody

[darkcherry08]

I run mine for about 5 minutes and then go,also I drive real nice...And it's been below 50 at night.