Diesels are durable engines anyway, and a semi driver who lets his engine idle overnight to keep warm can still expect to get hundreds of thousands of miles out of his engine. Even so, idling for extended periods of time isn't good for your engine.
Unnecessary idling wastes fuel, causes air pollution and increases engine wear. An idling diesel engine produces much higher emissions than it would while using the same amount of fuel under load. Extended idling causes a build-up of soot inside the engine and results in a puff of black smoke when the engine revs.
A typical large-scale diesel generator set can run continuously for 24 hours or more, with refueling typically required after 8-12 hours of continuous operation. However, the actual running time will depend on the size of the generator set, the load it is supplying, and the fuel tank capacity.
The amount of oxygen in diesel exhaust is between 15–19%. The minimum amount of oxygen necessary to sustain human life is 19.5%, so diesel exhaust will eventually displace all the fresh oxygen in an enclosed space and cause asphyxiation and death.
In practice, refueling with diesel fuel, while the engine is running, is non-hazardous. If you drop a lighted match into a pool of diesel oil, the match will go out. It is very hard to ignite the oil in bulk. It has to be in a very hot environment, of atomised by the car's injectors, before it will ignite.
To maintain top performance and prevent costly repairs to your diesel engine, you should always let your truck idle for a few minutes after any long haul.
Diesel engines are designed to run at higher temperatures than gasoline engines, and running them consistently at idle can help ensure that the engine and its oil stay warm enough to keep running efficiently and prolong the life of the engine components.
A diesel engine is NOT a good choice if the vehicle will be idling. Why? This is due to emission components that require a certain amount of heat to function properly.
The key to an adequate break-in is to apply a moderate load of about 75% of the rating of the engine so that there can be enough heat and pressure for the break-in to occur. The break-in can take from 100-200 hours.
Running an engine at idle causes twice the wear on internal parts com- pared to driving at highway speeds. Idling will increase maintenance cost and shorten the life of the engine. Myth: Diesel engine idling does not waste much fuel. Fact: Fuel is one of the largest operating expenses in our industry.
That said, while most gas engines are intended to last at least 200,000 miles on average, a diesel truck that is well-maintained can potentially last 350,000 to 500,000 miles.
Unlike gasoline engines which run at a constant air to fuel ratio of 14:1, diesel engines use a variable fuel ratio. At idle they may be as low as 200:1 while under heavy load it may be 5:1. So diesel engines at idle consume very little fuel leaving little reason to shut them off.
Most diesel trucks come with built-in block heaters to keep the engine warm overnight. Because this puts the engine at a higher temperature, it will be easier to start and will require less time to warm up before driving. Block heaters are simple to use, too.
There is no need to keep a modern small diesel running unless you are trying to keep the air conditioner on or it is extremely cold outside and you are going to be moving again in a short period of time - say 5 to 15 minutes. Otherwise shut it down to save fuel.
Idling uses up to ½ gallon of fuel per hour (although it varies depending on the type and size of the engine). It may not seem like much, but idling for a few minutes everyday can cost you several dollars per week.
No, it's not safe to sleep in your car with the engine running. Leaving your car engine turned on while sleeping could lead to dangerous exhaust fumes containing carbon monoxide entering the vehicle.
Currently, there are no federal Australian laws that make it illegal for an individual to sleep in their car. Australian Federal Law doesn't often extend into criminal or motor vehicle jurisdictions, so the law surrounding this is State-based.
The best thing to do is to avoid sleeping in the car. If you badly need to take a nap in your car, make sure the engine is switched off and the windows are rolled down but first find a safe place where you can park your car and rest.
It happens quickly, as the oil, coolant, and diesel fuel start to break down in a matter of weeks, causing enough damage that the engine won't start. The damage begins with the liquids evaporating, leaving behind a thick substance that clogs the engine's moving parts.
The best thing you can do to warm up your diesel engine—after letting it idle for no longer than two minutes—is to start driving it. Heading off at a steady pace will heat up the engine and get the oil circulating.
As a consequence of a higher compression ratio (longer stroke and turbocharger), diesel engines produce more torque which means you get more acceleration off the line.
Diesel engine runaway occurs when a diesel engine ingests a hydrocarbon vapor, or flammable vapor, through the air intake system and uses it as an external fuel source. As the engine begins to run off these vapors, the governor will release less diesel fuel until, eventually, the vapors become its only fuel source.
2) As diesel is basically a lower quality combustible it is more likely to damage internals of the vehicle or accumulate impurities in the injection system, which is not good for the engine.
If you're talking about idling after having driven it, I'd suggest idling for 45 seconds to a minute. The reason is to let the turbo spool down (it may already be spooled down, but…), and to pump engine oil through the hot turbo bearings to cool them down. “Coked” turbo bearings are a main cause of turbo failure.