Diesel truck; short tripping vs leaving it parked

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Which is worse?

Truck is a 1994 Ford IDI factory turbo F250 with 84k miles, in perfect condition. I'm always looking for reasons to drive it, but so far this year I've only put about 1800mi on it. It sits around a lot.

I sometimes drive it to work, but it's only 2 miles from my house, so it doesn't get up to temp. When I need it to work, I work it hard (heavy loads/towing), but otherwise it sits or gets short tripped. I don't have time to drive it just for fun.

Currently has about 1500mi on delo synthetic 5w40, which I'll likely leave in until at least next year. Severe service interval is 2500mi, "normal" interval is 5k miles.

So what say you, bitog? Short trip it or let it sit?


 
Only my opinion but short tripping of under 20 miles is best avoided since these trucks take so long to get up to operating temp.
1) The batteries never have a chance to recover the voltage used in starting and cycling glow plugs.
2) The engine and transmission never have a chance to get up to operating temp and burn off condensation and fuel.

I don't see any harm with leaving in the DELO 400 5w40 as long it is the LE variety. As you mention it is full synthetic and is actually good for 5,000 miles severe duty according to most Powerstroke forums.

BTW, you have a great looking low miles truck.
 
Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
Why not ride your bike to work? Honestly it's not going to hurt it.


I do normally ride my bike haha. Unless it's over 100 degrees, raining, or I have errands to run after work or at lunch
 
Originally Posted By: ArcticDriver
Only my opinion but short tripping of under 20 miles is best avoided since these trucks take so long to get up to operating temp.
1) The batteries never have a chance to recover the voltage used in starting and cycling glow plugs.
2) The engine and transmission never have a chance to get up to operating temp and burn off condensation and fuel.

I don't see any harm with leaving in the DELO 400 5w40 as long it is the LE variety. As you mention it is full synthetic and is actually good for 5,000 miles severe duty according to most Powerstroke forums.

BTW, you have a great looking low miles truck.


My concern with leaving it parked (often for a month+) is the crank settling into the bearings and causing excess wear on start up. The longer it sits, the more clackety it sounds when I fire it up, which I'm sure is valve train noise also, but it makes me cringe.

Yes it is the Delo LE synthetic, and thank you. It was a once in a lifetime find, got it from the original owner several years back with only 73k miles!
 
Go on a scenic route to work instead of the 2 miles.
Leave a little early or come back after work in a scenic route aka longer route.
 
Originally Posted By: ArcticDriver
Only my opinion but short tripping of under 20 miles is best avoided since these trucks take so long to get up to operating temp.
1) The batteries never have a chance to recover the voltage used in starting and cycling glow plugs.
2) The engine and transmission never have a chance to get up to operating temp and burn off condensation and fuel.

I don't see any harm with leaving in the DELO 400 5w40 as long it is the LE variety. As you mention it is full synthetic and is actually good for 5,000 miles severe duty according to most Powerstroke forums.

BTW, you have a great looking low miles truck.


+1 on all counts.
 
Originally Posted By: JMJNet
Go on a scenic route to work instead of the 2 miles.
Leave a little early or come back after work in a scenic route aka longer route.


The problem with that is, in order to get any significant miles on it, I'd have to get on the freeway, which is very close to me, but is ridiculous traffic before and after my work hours, and even on surface streets in the area.

So much so that riding my bike to work takes only a few minutes longer than driving.

I try to use it for family activities on weekends, but with a 3 year old to cart around, it's a lot more convenient to use my wife's Forester. Although she does like us using it in the summer, as it has the best AC out of all our vehicles.
 
Originally Posted By: Seventh


My concern with leaving it parked (often for a month+) is the crank settling into the bearings and causing excess wear on start up. The longer it sits, the more clackety it sounds when I fire it up, which I'm sure is valve train noise also, but it makes me cringe.



I can appreciate that concern.

I wonder if someone can suggest an oil that offers superior long-term adhesion.

If you are unable to set aside 30 minutes early Saturday/Sunday every 2-3 weeks then I think plugging in the block heater 2-3 hours before start-up might help the oil flow more quickly immediately after start-up.
 
Originally Posted By: Seventh


The problem with that is, in order to get any significant miles on it, I'd have to get on the freeway, which is very close to me, but is ridiculous traffic before and after my work hours, and even on surface streets in the area.



One other consideration would be to turn off the O/D when you do drive since it will result in higher RPMs and reaching operating temp in fewer miles.
 
Originally Posted By: Seventh
Which is worse?

Truck is a 1994 Ford IDI factory turbo F250 with 84k miles, in perfect condition. I'm always looking for reasons to drive it, but so far this year I've only put about 1800mi on it. It sits around a lot.

I sometimes drive it to work, but it's only 2 miles from my house, so it doesn't get up to temp. When I need it to work, I work it hard (heavy loads/towing), but otherwise it sits or gets short tripped. I don't have time to drive it just for fun.

Currently has about 1500mi on delo synthetic 5w40, which I'll likely leave in until at least next year. Severe service interval is 2500mi, "normal" interval is 5k miles.

So what say you, bitog? Short trip it or let it sit?





Good looking rig you have there. I would take it out on a trip and run it if you plan on keeping it. Napa area one weekend then the Sierra's , etc.
 
Running it once a month up to operating temp would be better than short tripping. Use lower gears to reach temp quicker.
 
Originally Posted By: ArcticDriver
Originally Posted By: Seventh


My concern with leaving it parked (often for a month+) is the crank settling into the bearings and causing excess wear on start up. The longer it sits, the more clackety it sounds when I fire it up, which I'm sure is valve train noise also, but it makes me cringe.



I can appreciate that concern.

I wonder if someone can suggest an oil that offers superior long-term adhesion.

If you are unable to set aside 30 minutes early Saturday/Sunday every 2-3 weeks then I think plugging in the block heater 2-3 hours before start-up might help the oil flow more quickly immediately after start-up.


We need magnatec diesel! But all seriousness aside, I never thought to use the block heater after long periods of sitting. That's a good idea.

Originally Posted By: ArcticDriver
Originally Posted By: Seventh


The problem with that is, in order to get any significant miles on it, I'd have to get on the freeway, which is very close to me, but is ridiculous traffic before and after my work hours, and even on surface streets in the area.



One other consideration would be to turn off the O/D when you do drive since it will result in higher RPMs and reaching operating temp in fewer miles.



I've actually done that, and I do drive it like that around town in traffic, lots of stoplights, etc. It seems like it does help it warm up just a tad.
 
Originally Posted By: Boczech


Good looking rig you have there. I would take it out on a trip and run it if you plan on keeping it. Napa area one weekend then the Sierra's , etc.


Thanks. I try to get it out whenever possible. I sometimes think of selling it, but I know I'll never find another one like it.

Originally Posted By: philipp10
wow....talk about a bunch of worry warts......


I never said I was losing sleep over it.
grin.gif
The question was; which is worse?
 
Originally Posted By: philipp10
wow....talk about a bunch of worry warts......


To be expected from someone in the rust belt where salt is used on winter roads.

The average truck is a rust bucket by 10 years of age so the concept of attempting to extend engine life would be foreign.
grin.gif
 
Originally Posted By: ArcticDriver
Originally Posted By: philipp10
wow....talk about a bunch of worry warts......


To be expected from someone in the rust belt where salt is used on winter roads.

The average truck is a rust bucket by 10 years of age so the concept of attempting to extend engine life would be foreign.
grin.gif



point taken. But as the OP stated...he puts on a whopping 1800 miles a year. Do we really have to worry about engine wear?
 
Originally Posted By: philipp10
Originally Posted By: ArcticDriver
Originally Posted By: philipp10
wow....talk about a bunch of worry warts......


To be expected from someone in the rust belt where salt is used on winter roads.

The average truck is a rust bucket by 10 years of age so the concept of attempting to extend engine life would be foreign.
grin.gif



point taken. But as the OP stated...he puts on a whopping 1800 miles a year. Do we really have to worry about engine wear?


I will be honest when I say I do not know.

I would only guess that since most engine wear occurs at start-up and on a cold engine that the more starts he has in that 1800 annual mileage the more wear he will have...but I don't know how to quantify it.

I do know one thing...it used to break my heart to live south of a Duluth and watch my vehicles rust before my eyes. I used to actually lose sleep and was reminded of the Niel Young tune, "Rust Never Sleeps". I finally moved back home to CO just to stop the rust. Well I actually traded those vehicles for some that had never left CO.
grin.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Seventh
Boczech said:
Good looking rig you have there. I would take it out on a trip and run it if you plan on keeping it. Napa area one weekend then the Sierra's , etc.


Thanks. I try to get it out whenever possible. I sometimes think of selling it, but I know I'll never find another one like it.

If you change your mind in selling just keep me posted ok.
 
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