Extended Idle?

[zman250]

I'm new here, so forgive me if this has already been addressed. Just preparing for possibilities on long trips. Is there any reason that extended idling would harm the engine? If so, what is the cause and will idling up the engine negate any ill effects. If idling up the engine is the answer, are there devices that contol the idle for the 6.0?

Thanks

[ridintall]

Long periods at idle are not recommended. Do a search on "wet stacking" to get the details. You can buy and Automatic Idle Contoller (AIC) from Ford to maintain a higher RPM for extended idle times. I have one and it does the job just fine and was an easy hook up.

[tasman]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm new here, so forgive me if this has already been addressed. Just preparing for possibilities on long trips. Is there any reason that extended idling would harm the engine? If so, what is the cause and will idling up the engine negate any ill effects. If idling up the engine is the answer, are there devices that contol the idle for the 6.0?

Thanks

[/ QUOTE ]

zman250FX4
This has been covered pretty good. Do a search in this forum on idling. Most people start engine and let run for a minute or two and then drive easy until engine get close to operating temperature. I have an AIC to up the idle to 1,200 RPMs when I do let it idle. I have a remote start and down here in Georgia, I like to start the truck and have the interior starting to cool down before I get into it. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smokin.gif[/img]

TasMan

[wpetko]

Zman,
Welcome to TDS! The guys here took care of you with good information.
Long periods of idling at normal rpm's will cause a condition called "wet stacking" where unburned fuel gets into the oil pan comtaminating the engine oil with fuel. There are also some other bad things that happen so do a search on idling and wet stacking. An elevated rpm will cause the engine to be hot enough that this wet stacking is not an issue. You may want to consider an AIC that will elevate your idle rpm's especially if you use a PTO.
It's OK and even encouraged to idle your truck (at normal rpm's) for a few minutes before shutting it down in order for the exhaust gas temperature (EGT) to cool down to a safe level thus prolonging the life of the turbocharger. A pyrometer or gauge for exhaust gas temp will help you know when it is safe to shut down. Most folks here say 300 degrees, but my truck (see sig below) never gets that cool. Maybe it's just a 6.0 liter thing, so I shut down at 350 - 360 degrees and it only takes a couple of minutes (with the A/C off). I never idle more than 5 minutes because of the wet stacking issue.
It is also my understanding that the cool down idle is not as critical or as necessary if you use synthetic motor oil because of it's resistance to coking and it's ability to withstand high temperatures. I will stay with regular dino oil because I get free oil & filter changes at my Ford dealer.
Once again, welcome to the site and enjoy your truck.

[Skweeker]

You can kick the idle up manually by activating the PTO function of the PCM by switching battery power to the PTO wire. The idle will not kick up until the transmission is in Park or Neutral (A/T) and the brake pedal is released.

I have a switch mounted on the lower part of the dash to perform this function on my truck.

[zman250]

Thanks to all that responded,
I don't have a PTO, but I will start looking for an AIC. Does anyone know the part # from Ford, and does it automatically put it at a certain idle or do you set the idle? I asked my dealer about an AIC, and the only one they could think of was the one for the Ambulance package. Is that the same one? I am just trying to prepare my truck to last a long time, this being my first diesel... [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

Zman

[PoppaSmurf]

Check some of the links on this website. Some of them also sell AIC units for around $200 - $300. From there, its just plug and play. You can select preselected idle speeds, or tweek them to fit your needs. I think the lowest RPM you can select is around 1000 rpm, maybe 1100. I have mine set to 1200. Up in the winters of the north, 1500 is more common.

Happy hunting and good luck,
Brian.

P.S. Check out the want ads on this site too. I've seen some AIC's for sale there as well.

[Skweeker]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks to all that responded,
I don't have a PTO, but I will start looking for an AIC. Does anyone know the part # from Ford, and does it automatically put it at a certain idle or do you set the idle? I asked my dealer about an AIC, and the only one they could think of was the one for the Ambulance package. Is that the same one? I am just trying to prepare my truck to last a long time, this being my first diesel... [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

Zman

[/ QUOTE ]

The PTO function of the computer is already programmed in if you have an automatic transmission. You do not need a PTO component on your vehicle nor do you need the PTO addition on your transmission in order to use this MOD. You just need to find the wire behind the dash and send battery power to the wire and the engine idle will rise to 1200rpm as long as the transmission is in Park or Neutral and you are not touching the brake pedal.

A few dollars for some wire and a switch and some spare time and you can have a cheap idle up without the added expense of $100-$300 dollars for a controller. Of course you could buy the controller if you want a little more control of the idle speed but not me.

The information to perform this MOD is listed on Ford Truck Enthusiasts web site:
www.ford-trucks.com. It’s listed under the 6.0L PowerStroke heading in the Tech Folder.

[FamilyRide]

Sonce it hasn't been asked, what would you need to idle for extended periods for? Especially in Texas and now that it's getting warmer again.

[JohnBoyII]

That's EXACTLY why mine seems to idle a lot more in the summer than the winter....
remote start - cold A/C - and comfortable getting in the X [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif[/img]