Idled my DPF-equipped tractor for 3 hours

[troverman]

Just thought it would be interesting to post this. There is so much discussion regarding how bad idling is for a diesel, particularly a DPF-equipped diesel. Well, I was working on top of a dam last night with hand equipment at a remote site and needed light. So I drove my MX4800 on top of the dam and idled it for three hours just to run lights (tractor lights plus Rigid Industries LED lighting I have installed on the canopy).

While generally idling a diesel is less than ideal, and I'm sure the DPF accumulated a lot of soot last night, it's going to be fine. The next regen will kick off quicker, but I really don't care. The work I needed that machine to perform last night in the cold and rain was simply to be a light tower. And it did.

So my point is while you should *try* to minimize idling, some times you can't...and idling will be OK.

 

[Blondie70]

Good to hear it didn't blow up or anything like that !!!! Thanks for the report .

 

[lugbolt]

They designed them a certain way for a reason. Idling? No problem. If it were bad for them, for warranty cost purposes, they'd either give you a whole paragraph in the OPS manual about excessive idling or they'd increase the idle speed, or remove a throttle altogether and let it run similar to a generator or pump, 1800 RPM all day. Yeah I hear it from truckers a lot "don't let it idle a long time or it'll hurt the motor". No it won't. It just runs hours up on it and it ain't moving, that and it's using fuel and the wheels aren't turning.

But on the other side...a LOT of idling...just wears the engine slowly and yes I know guys who'll do that too. They're the ones who think that starting/stopping the engine is what tears it up so they just leave it running.

I have a L4600 here that belongs to the neighbor (if you call him that...), says he's put 7 belts on it in the last year (fan belt). Ain't no way they're wearing out that fast. Rodents keep eating it. Anyway, he asked me to park it at my place and start the motor, then leave it running until the belt shreds. So far I've put 23 hours on it, idling, and haven't had any problems with it. Matter of fact I need to go call him to bring me some diesel or pick the tractor up.