Anyone have experience with high idle hours?

[CallMeChris]

I’ve googled and searched and can’t find much of an answer, or at least answers that don’t contradict each other.

I see in the manual where it says to not let the Cummins idle for extended periods because of emission stuff and the regen cycle but I don’t see it say anything about the Hemi.

I've seen where the 5.7 hemi had lifter and cam problems from long periods of idling but I don’t see near the complaints about the new 6.4’s.

So, does anyone here have first hand experience with letting the 6.4 Hemi trucks idle? I will be doing lots of traveling in my truck and plan to catch some sleep in it at times. Would be nice if I could let it idle for heat/air for a few hours without having to worry about destroying the engine.

yes, I’m aware of carbon monoxide poisoning. I plan to have a carbon monoxide detector in the truck.

 

[RV_Goose]

I'd like to know how the idles hours are tabulated. I do not let my diesel idle long. And the idle hours are much higher than I think they should be.

 

[Zeroday]

I'd like to know how the idles hours are tabulated. I do not let my diesel idle long. And the idle hours are much higher than I think they should be.

Same here, I assume it is any time you're not moving, so sitting at lights, etc. probably counts towards it. Still, my number is a lot higher than I'd think it'd be.

edit: apologies, realizing this is supposed to be for Hemis, my bad.

 

[dablack21]

When I traded in my 19 Cummins, I had nearly 600 idle hours and about 500 drive hours with 29K miles. I did a lot of idling. I'm not about to sit in my truck in the heat of the summer with no AC and in the dead of winter with no heat going.

However, I traded my Cummins in on a new 6.4, and I still let it idle a lot. I have a little over 10K miles and nearly 200 idle hours. I figure as long as I get good highway time (which I do) I should be fine. These were the first two trucks that I have had that tracked idle time. Before that, I idled my trucks most or all day without a second thought.

 

[RV_Goose]

When I traded in my 19 Cummins, I had nearly 600 idle hours and about 500 drive hours with 29K miles. I did a lot of idling. I'm not about to sit in my truck in the heat of the summer with no AC and in the dead of winter with no heat going.

However, I traded my Cummins in on a new 6.4, and I still let it idle a lot. I have a little over 10K miles and nearly 200 idle hours. I figure as long as I get good highway time (which I do) I should be fine. These were the first two trucks that I have had that tracked idle time. Before that, I idled my trucks most or all day without a second thought.

The computer tabulating of the idle hours appears to be the same for all engines. Perhaps data accumulation for the manufacturers for future usage but government regulators?

 

[Gondul]

The computer tabulating of the idle hours appears to be the same for all engines. Perhaps data accumulation for the manufacturers for future usage but government regulators?

Or maybe because in the manual it provides for a different oil change interval for higher idles times rather than mileage...

 

[dablack21]

Yes, the manual suggests 7500 mile intervals, I think. I go every 5K because of the idle time.

 

[Aboutree50]

How do you check idle time? I have a 21 2500 6.4

 

[dablack21]

You can scroll through screen on the dash.
Idle hours are only calculated while in park. Anytime the engine is in Drive, the hours will count to drive, not idle.
I am up to 41K miles and about 1400 idle hours

 

[Will_T]

Idle hours are only calculated while in park. Anytime the engine is in Drive, the hours will count to drive, not idle.

I don't know about this? I don't think I have the idle hours I have all in park. Plus, people have told me how their hunting methods where they idle in gear along forest service roads for hours on end increase idle hours on the screen.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

If you are going to leave it idle just bump the throttle up to 1100-1200 rpm, idk if the gassers can do the cruise control high idle but if so that would be what to do as it ensures your oil pump get lots of oil where it needs it to prevent premature wear

 

[madmat]

We have a 2015 3500 dually with the 6.4 Hemi at work and just had to do the lifters and cam. The truck idles pretty much all day on site and had approximately 7500 Idle hours and 10000 total hours before it needed that motor work.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

We have a 2015 3500 dually with the 6.4 Hemi at work and just had to do the lifters and cam. The truck idles pretty much all day on site and had approximately 7500 Idle hours and 10000 total hours before it needed that motor work.

If they would have bumped up the throttle it could have prevented/ delayed it at idle they seem to need a bit more rpm to get good oil flow

 

[copcarguy]

I know from Crown Vics in the past that Ford said 1 idle hour = 33 “miles” of driving. I know on that vehicle it was either in park or neutral it would begin keeping track. They put the idle hour meter in beginning in ‘06. It’s so the Fleet Manager could schedule more precise oil changes.

 

[dablack21]

On this note, does anyone here base oil changes on engine hours instead of miles?

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

Apparently I do 1:5 idle to drive

I’ve been idling an hour already, plenty of oil pressure.

 

[Toastynacho]

Idle time is considered "severe duty" by ram, both in the cummins and Hemi. You will have many MANY people tell you idling kills these engines, and they're not completely wrong. Problems occur when people do maintenance based off of mileage alone, and don't take into account idle time.

Think about this for a second... Fleet drivers wait until their oil service reminder pops up on their dash, 7500 miles, to change their oil. They think they're doing great on time maintenance. But what about the 200 idle hours on that oil? You're looking at engine wear equivalent to 15k miles, not 7500. That oil is severely degraded and no longer provides proper protection. These engines ABSOLUTELY need CLEAN, high quality oil.

Long story short, cut your oil change intervals in half if you idle a lot, and you'll be fine.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

Idle time is considered "severe duty" by ram, both in the cummins and Hemi. You will have many MANY people tell you idling kills these engines, and they're not completely wrong. Problems occur when people do maintenance based off of mileage alone, and don't take into account idle time.

Think about this for a second... Fleet drivers wait until their oil service reminder pops up on their dash, 7500 miles, to change their oil. They think they're doing great on time maintenance. But what about the 200 idle hours on that oil? You're looking at engine wear equivalent to 15k miles, not 7500. That oil is severely degraded and no longer provides proper protection. These engines ABSOLUTELY need CLEAN, high quality oil.

Long story short, cut your oil change intervals in half if you idle a lot, and you'll be fine.

That theory has been debunked by oil analysis quite a few times for these new computer controlled engines especially if high idle is used, what your talking is old carbs or mechanical diesels when they wash down the cyl walls … the only reason not to idle modern engines is the emissions stuff such as EGR and DPF…. Also look in the manual it gives idle time oil changes incase you don't look at the oil life monitor

 

[Toastynacho]

That theory has been debunked by oil analysis quite a few times for these new computer controlled engines especially if high idle is used, what your talking is old carbs or mechanical diesels when they wash down the cyl walls … the only reason not to idle modern engines is the emissions stuff such as EGR and DPF…. Also look in the manual it gives idle time oil changes incase you don't look at the oil life monitor

I'm confused, what theory? An hour of idle time is equivalent to 30 miles of engine wear, constant idling degrades oil just like driving does. Most EVIC oil change indicators go by mileage driven and not engine hours.

 

[himesandseek]

I have a 2016 2500 5.7 SLT that I am planning on Idling for a few hours at a time because I have a Search and Rescue K9 in there. Is there anything I can do to help the truck? I already do many oil changes. I have had the rig for 2+ years and only put 5k miles and have done 3 oil changes. It is also used to tow every so often. I am thinking about installing an auxiliary fan. Money is not really a concern as we just dropped 40k in upgrades to make this a SAR\Overlanding Rig.