6.4 warm up - Diesel Forum

BoulderGT3 · 10-17-2007, 06:26 PM

What is the recommended warm up procedure on the 6.4 when pulling a trailer? Idling it to temp is no good as it may never heat up. I just try and keep the revs and speed down for 5 miles or so if it's <40 degrees. I don't have an oil temp gauge but I'm sure it takes a long time for the fluids to come to temp. Anybody have any better ideas?

AllOutFirefighter13 · 10-19-2007, 01:20 PM

<span style="color: blue"> BoulderGT3 ,

I don't have a 6.4L, but I do have a 6.0L. With mine, I often don't have time to let it sit and idle to warm up. And, as with the 6.4L, the 6.0L has the EGR stuff added to it, so we all know that idling for extended periods of time isn't good for them anyway. So, what I do is crank it up and let it idle for about a minute or two...long enough to let the fluids circulate a few times, and then I will put it in Drive and take off. Until the water temperature gauge shows that the engine is at operating temperature, I just take it easy on the throttle and keep the RPMs under 2K. You can do this same thing with a trailer attached. Yea, it's hard to say when the oil has reached it's operating temperature, but keep in mind that it's temperature is dynamic, and it will fluctuate with the load placed on the engine. As such, as long as it's not stone cold and you're not running the engine at full throttle while under heavy load, you should be fine. The older engines (much older), whether gas or diesel, often performed better after idling them because it took heat to make things run better. With the advances in injection techniques and technology itself, we no longer have to idle an engine for it to run better AND bringing the engine to operating temperature faster allows it to become more efficient faster.

I guess you could say that one advantage that the 7.3Ls and 6.0Ls had over the 6.4Ls is that they used engine oil to help fire the injector, so, when the oil was thicker (at colder temps), these engines didn't seem to have the same performance cold as they do when at operating temperature. This "kinda" helped the engine warm up "easier" as the fluids are thicker when cold...I don't know if that's the best explanation, though. Good luck!

Later, </span>

rlchv70 · 10-19-2007, 02:12 PM

Really, you don't have to do anything different. The ECU strategy includes features to prevent any premature failures. To maximize engine life, tho, it is best to do as you suggest. Just keep a light foot until it is up to temp.

**KINGTUT** · 10-19-2007, 02:16 PM

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: rlchv70</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Really, you don't have to do anything different. The ECU strategy includes features to prevent any premature failures. To maximize engine life, tho, it is best to do as you suggest. Just keep a light foot until it is up to temp. </div></div>

I agree but that can be difficult if you have to get onto the interstate close to home, especially if it is very cold outside. I remember one time with my 6.0 it was 5 degrees outside and it did not come up to temp until around 20 miles........

AllOutFirefighter13 · 10-19-2007, 02:40 PM

<span style="color: blue"> I would edit my post to say this, but I think it deserves another post.

For me personally, I keep an eye on the engine coolant gauge needle and when I see it go into the "normal" range, I will allow the RPMs to exceed 2K, but I do it proportional to where the gauge needle is (i.e., if it just made it in the "normal" range, I'll go to approximately 2.2K RPM and if it's closer to operating temperature, I may let it go to 2.8K RPMs). Only twice in the 75K miles that are on the truck have I went to WOT before the needle had stopped moving. You may say I don't drive around anyone, but I keep a close eye on my engine's vitals while trying to negotiate with other "crazy" drivers. I know people that have various series of PSDs, and some of them don't give it a chance to warm up before bashing on them, and they're still on the road, so who knows what effect that has on the life of the engine?

Later, </span>

PowerStrokeHD · 10-19-2007, 03:28 PM

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BoulderGT3</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What is the recommended warm up procedure on the 6.4 when pulling a trailer? Idling it to temp is no good as it may never heat up. I just try and keep the revs and speed down for 5 miles or so if it's <40 degrees. I don't have an oil temp gauge but I'm sure it takes a long time for the fluids to come to temp. Anybody have any better ideas? </div></div>

The new 08's do a pretty good job at protecting them selfs from damage in cold weather. All JOB2 trucks (and JOB1 trucks that have been flashed) have a cold weather starting strategy built into them. During cold weather start-up (not sure exactly what temperature) the accelerator pedal will be inactive for the first 30 seconds to allow for proper lubrication. The message center will also display that the engine is warming. It is also recommended in temperatures below -15F that you allow the vehicle to idle for several minutes before driving.

This is all explained in the diesel supplement that is with the owners manual.

BoulderGT3 · 10-19-2007, 09:19 PM

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: PowerStrokeHD</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
The new 08's do a pretty good job at protecting them selfs from damage in cold weather. All JOB2 trucks (and JOB1 trucks that have been flashed) have a cold weather starting strategy built into them. During cold weather start-up (not sure exactly what temperature) the accelerator pedal will be inactive for the first 30 seconds to allow for proper lubrication. The message center will also display that the engine is warming. It is also recommended in temperatures below -15F that you allow the vehicle to idle for several minutes before driving.

This is all explained in the diesel supplement that is with the owners manual.

</div></div>
Thanks for the information and good to know. I've got a Job 1 and there is little warm up detail. It sounds like common sense rules the day and the answer is to just go slow and be patient. Thick fluids in big quantites just take time to heat up.

It still bothers me when I have a heavy trailer <32 degrees and I'm on the highway within 1 minute of leaving the hotel. Nothing to be done but the above.