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Mrkentee · 12-20-2016, **(Subject: Cold start vs idling )**

What's worse? Cold start at 5 or 10 degrees, or idling for 10 hours?

in2trux · 12-20-2016, **(Subject: Cold start vs idling )**

(12-20-2016 )Mrkentee Wrote: What's worse? Cold start at 5 or 10 degrees, or idling for 10 hours?

Cold start, hands down. If you don't have the room or coin for an APU, a hydronic Webasto is your cold weather friend. We had one on our Volvo D12 and would set the timer 2 hours before start time.
It only burns about a .1/gph and truck started like it was a spring day, no smoke or cold start rattle. The truck had 950k on it when we sold it, passed emissions with 3% opacity on the smoke test and used 1 gl oil every 15k miles. Every tire kicker that looked at the truck was sure the engine was done despite the service records and listening to it run.

It had the Webasto on it almost it's entire life. I dropped the price $1500 and took it off when I sold it, as is where is, it was recently rebuilt and ran perfect. Webasto is about $3500 new, $1500 used.
Keeping the oil hot is key. Not burning a 1000 gl of extra fuel every year, priceless.

Brock · 12-20-2016, **(Subject: Cold start vs idling )**

Yup cold start. I've seen motors fail after a cold start.

Mrkentee · 12-20-2016, **(Subject: Cold start vs idling )**

I have a regular Espar heater that warms the cab just fine. I hate idling. I'd love to get an APU one of these days. Until then, if I can't plug in I don't know.
What would say the cut-off is? About 15 above zero?

Billdozer2 · 12-20-2016, **(Subject: Cold start vs idling )**

(12-20-2016 )Mrkentee Wrote: What would say the cut-off is? About 15 above zero?

I was thinking about asking the same thing earlier this week. For the drivers that don't have an APU or a Webasto coolant heater, at what temp do you draw the line and idle the truck? My cut off is 10 degrees F. If the low is forecasted to be under that, I idle. And I only idle to keep the fuel moving, since I do have a Webasto bunk heater. If I do idle, I turn on the PTO which bumps the RPMs up to 850 and the oil pressure stays above 30psi. I figure it is better than 600 rpms and 20psi or so.

Luckily, where I'm at in New England, I only have to idle the truck overnight a couple of nights a year.

Brock · 12-20-2016, **(Subject: Cold start vs idling )**

You can buy a espar or webasto coolant heater for like 800 bucks.

I rum my heaters at anything below 5 degrees Celsius.

Billdozer2 · 12-20-2016, **(Subject: Cold start vs idling )**

(12-20-2016 )Brock Wrote: You can buy a espar or webasto coolant heater for like 800 bucks.

Huh. I was unaware they were that cheap. Looks like I got something to ask for for Christmas.

in2trux · 12-21-2016, **(Subject: Cold start vs idling )**

(12-20-2016 )Billdozer2 Wrote:
(12-20-2016 )Brock Wrote: You can buy a espar or webasto coolant heater for like 800 bucks.

Huh. I was unaware they were that cheap. Looks like I got something to ask for for Christmas.

This is what you need to keep a big engine and bunk hot. You would still need an enclosure, 7 day timer and aux heater core with low amp draw fan in the bunk.
My father in law was a dealer for many years and we have several units and spare parts inventory.

http://www.iandmelectric.com/products/we...er-12-volt

Hammerhead · 12-21-2016, **(Subject: Cold start vs idling )**

I have had several of those DBW2010 webasto heaters. They draw too much amperage that makes the risk of the truck not starting to likely for me to recommend that option.
I would suggest a TSL17 engine heater with an AT2000 bunk heater combo kit(or the Espar equivelant) They draw much less amperage and are all most guys up here in Canada use that don't have APU's...some guys even have them with APU's to keep the hours down.