I am of the opinion that the harm caused by occasional overnight idling is mostly an old wives tale that keeps being repeated by those who have heard it. I have never seen anything in writing, by a knowledgeable source, which indicates that overnight idling really does that much harm. Especially only one night as Phil needs to do.
I would really like for some of these people crying wolf to come up with some certified data, or forget about it. Richard
ENGINE IDLINGAvoid unnecessary or prolonged idling. The engine cools faster when allowed to idle in extreme outside temperatures. This can cause deposits to form in the comustion chamber, on exhaust valves, and around piston rings.If you plan to park for more than a minute or two or to leave the coach shut off the engine. If idling is absolutely necessary due to the nature or conditions of the run, try to maintain 1000 engine rpm (Fast Idle).
According to Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), when an engine idles for extended periods, engine oil becomes contaminated more quickly, because of the large amounts of intake air. At 600 rpm, excess air in the combustion cycle cools the cylinder liners, resulting in incomplete combustion and condensation of unburned fuel on cylinder walls. These deposits are drawn into the oil sump where they contaminate the engine oil and reduce its lubricity. NRCan studies show that prolonged idling can reduce the operating life of diesel engine oil by 75 percent, from 600 engine-hours to 150. NRCan also finds that idling produces carbon deposits and unburned fuel residues that accumulate and can damage spark plugs, fuel injectors, valve seats and piston crowns.Studies performed by Caterpillar, Inc. indicate that low engine operating temperatures at idle will allow water vapor to form and condense in the crankcase. The water in the crankcase will combine chemically with sulfur oxides and result in sulfuric acid. The acid can damage bearings, cylinders, piston rings and valve stems. According to the company, this damage could result in a 15 percent reduction in engine life.
Quote from: DrivingMissLazy on January 15, 2007, 09:23:03 AMI am of the opinion that the harm caused by occasional overnight idling is mostly an old wives tale that keeps being repeated by those who have heard it. I have never seen anything in writing, by a knowledgeable source, which indicates that overnight idling really does that much harm. Especially only one night as Phil needs to do. Busted Knuckle lost a 6V92 in his MCI after working a fairly long Katrina contract. The bus was idled a lot to provide A/C there. I don't how good the engine was before that, but I'm sure BK could fill in the details.Brian Elfert
Quote from: DrivingMissLazy on January 15, 2007, 09:23:03 AMI would really like for some of these people crying wolf to come up with some certified data, or forget about it. RichardI personally have idled all night to stay warm once and noticed no problem. And like I said, all former comercial coaches and transits have idled extensively already. But I don't doubt for a minute that it can shorten engine life. But here is some information from the manual and an article from Fleetmag.com citing a study:Quote from: Page 68, RTS Coach Operating Manual (C-8724-A)ENGINE IDLINGAvoid unnecessary or prolonged idling. The engine cools faster when allowed to idle in extreme outside temperatures. This can cause deposits to form in the comustion chamber, on exhaust valves, and around piston rings.If you plan to park for more than a minute or two or to leave the coach shut off the engine. If idling is absolutely necessary due to the nature or conditions of the run, try to maintain 1000 engine rpm (Fast Idle).Article from Fleetmag.com - "Shutting Down", by Mark Gehred-O'Connellhttp://fleetmag.com/articles/2004/fm0304/fm0304_02.htmQuoteAccording to Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), when an engine idles for extended periods, engine oil becomes contaminated more quickly, because of the large amounts of intake air. At 600 rpm, excess air in the combustion cycle cools the cylinder liners, resulting in incomplete combustion and condensation of unburned fuel on cylinder walls. These deposits are drawn into the oil sump where they contaminate the engine oil and reduce its lubricity. NRCan studies show that prolonged idling can reduce the operating life of diesel engine oil by 75 percent, from 600 engine-hours to 150 . NRCan also finds that idling produces carbon deposits and unburned fuel residues that accumulate and can damage spark plugs, fuel injectors, valve seats and piston crowns.Studies performed by Caterpillar, Inc. indicate that low engine operating temperatures at idle will allow water vapor to form and condense in the crankcase. The water in the crankcase will combine chemically with sulfur oxides and result in sulfuric acid. The acid can damage bearings, cylinders, piston rings and valve stems. According to the company, this damage could result in a 15 percent reduction in engine life.
According to Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), when an engine idles for extended periods, engine oil becomes contaminated more quickly, because of the large amounts of intake air. At 600 rpm, excess air in the combustion cycle cools the cylinder liners, resulting in incomplete combustion and condensation of unburned fuel on cylinder walls. These deposits are drawn into the oil sump where they contaminate the engine oil and reduce its lubricity. NRCan studies show that prolonged idling can reduce the operating life of diesel engine oil by 75 percent, from 600 engine-hours to 150 . NRCan also finds that idling produces carbon deposits and unburned fuel residues that accumulate and can damage spark plugs, fuel injectors, valve seats and piston crowns.Studies performed by Caterpillar, Inc. indicate that low engine operating temperatures at idle will allow water vapor to form and condense in the crankcase. The water in the crankcase will combine chemically with sulfur oxides and result in sulfuric acid. The acid can damage bearings, cylinders, piston rings and valve stems. According to the company, this damage could result in a 15 percent reduction in engine life.