Excessive resting can be more harmful to diesel engines than many people realize. While it may seem harmless to keep construction equipment ready for use, long-time idling can lead to severe damage and incompetence that impact both the production of your heavy machinery and your bottom line.
Below are five ways too much idling can be harmful for a diesel engine:
Carbon Buildup:
Long-time idling can cause insufficient combustion, which causes carbon to build up in the engine — starting from the exhaust system, turbocharger & cylinders. Thus engine performance and efficiency reduced over time.
Fuel Contamination:
When a diesel engine stays idle for so long and doesn't reach its ideal operating temperature. This can be the cause of unburned fuel to dilute the engine oil, causing increased wear and tear on engine parts.
Increased Engine Wear:
Heavy Diesel engines are manufactured to operate under heavy load, and idling can create serious conditions of low cylinder pressure and lower lubrication which can lead to increased wear & tear on your engine. After some time, these service costs can really increase.
More Fuel Consumption:
irrelevant idling wastes a lot of fuel without doing any productive work, which can have a bad impact on your overall fuel economy and increase your running costs.
Emissions and Environmental Impact:
Idling can cause the emission of harmful nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter, the major culprits of air pollution.
It’s crucial to note too that idling when not required will rack up hours on your machine while it's just sitting there doing nothing. It’s more of a business analysis than a maintenance one, but when you go to sell your machine, those extra hours could come back to hurt you on the resale value.
Fortunately, there are some easy steps heavy machinery operators and fleet managers can do to decrease idle times and their negative results:
Warm up with heavy load:
Try not to idle during warm-up. Instead, Try the machinery to warm up gradually increasing the load during the first few minutes of running. This helps the engine to get to the ideal operating temperature more easily.
Cool down after heavy work:
Before completely shutting off the machine's engine, especially after heavy load, allow the machinery to idle for 3-5 minutes to cool down the turbocharger. This prohibits overheating and increases the life of the turbocharger.
To avoid this create an idle time limit and use an automatic engine shutoff setting: Many machines usually idle between 40 to 60% of their operating time. While sometimes idling is required, excessive idling can become a costly activity. To reduce idle times, use an automatic idling setting where engine speed is lowered to idle when the controls are inactive for a fixed amount of time. You must adopt an engine auto shut-down feature that can shut down the engine if it’s not in use, not in gear, and has been idling for more than a fixed amount of time.
Adapt a telematics system:
Many construction companies use telematic systems for their fleets that track and report on idle times. You can review this data in real-time to adjust your machine running and idling cycles to increase productivity and efficiency while reducing excessive idling. This can drastically reduce fuel consumption while waiting or on breaks.
Keep the machine's filters clean: Regular maintenance, including replacing air and fuel filters, guarantees that idling periods cause less damage, as the engine will perform more effectively.
Excessive idling of diesel engines may seem like a minor issue, but its negative impacts can accumulate quickly, affecting your equipment, your wallet, and the planet. By taking steps to minimize idle time, you not only extend the life of your machinery but also contribute to a greener, more efficient operation. At Newexcavatorforsale.com, we prioritize sustainability and performance, offering equipment designed to maximize efficiency and minimize downtime. Let us help you make smarter choices for your business.