Idling often, anything I should do?

[gooby]

Hi, I am now working a remote job and often on the road and thus idling while working. Occasionally for a few hrs per day this time of year due to the FL heat. I am wondering if there is anything extra I should do if I am idling often in order to keep my engine in good shape? I am doing 5k interval oil changes. Anything else? Thanks

2.7 4x4 XL Screw

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[Snakebitten]

I am trying so hard not to be snarky.

I wanna say "yea, trade for a Powerboost. The ultimate mobile office"

 

[gooby]

I am trying so hard not to be snarky.

I wanna say "yea, trade for a Powerboost. The ultimate mobile office"

Indeed, shoulda went PB. That ship has sailed though, because my truck is like 6k more than it was when I bought it 9 months ago. I'd need a crazy trade in value to reorder from grainger with PB.

I wasn't expecting to be idling but with the new job.. yeah.. would be nice to be on battery with cold AC.

Technically, I do have a 3.6Kw mobile solar system and if I wanted to get fancy I could keep that in the truck with some sort of AC running off it. But that's getting annoying.

 

[Davexxxx]

I can't help you with your engine but I used my truck as an office for many years. I never ran the AC when parked, if I could help it but when doing large amounts of paperwork and sweat is running everywhere ...

When I ordered a new truck, I switched to white, from not quite a navy blue and it made a huge difference. Shade trees when you can find them, nearby restaurants when you can't. Best yet, a library.

 

[HammaMan]

I am trying so hard not to be snarky.

I wanna say "yea, trade for a Powerboost. The ultimate mobile office"

I find it amusing all of the 'problems' PB solves, particularly those unanticipated ones

 

[powerboatr]

good thing is your modern engine will keep you cool and not overheat unless all heck hits the fan
the radiator fans will run wide open and sound like heck, but you will stay cool
afterwards a nice easy drive to get all the built up under truck heat removed will help


but i would find a shady spot to put the nose in and try to ramp up idle to 900 to 1200 for a few minutes now and then to get all the coolant circulating well

last summer i found while sitting idle in 105 heat for over 30 miutes. the engine temps climbed to 205 or higher and if i bumped idle with foot for a minute they came back down to 195 ish
i get nervy about 200...
truck did not seem to mind except it smelled HOT , but it was not really

 

[Snakebitten]

I find it amusing all of the 'problems' PB solves, particularly those unanticipated ones

I was so focused on getting the generator. And it was all the justification I needed.

2 years in and I know what you mean. I hadn't thought it through and even if I had I still don't think I would have thought of all the virtues.

 

[powerboatr]

I was so focused on getting the generator. And it was all the justification I needed.

2 years in and I know what you mean. I hadn't thought it through and even if I had I still don't think I would have thought of all the virtues.

generator with wheels that can do 77 and has comfy seats
mine has a full kitchen ? ? ?

sorry
back on track

 

[HammaMan]

generator with wheels that can do 77 and has comfy seats
mine has a full kitchen ? ? ?

sorry
back on track

Ya hire a driver? give you more time to enjoy the coach

 

[STM]

If you are idling several hours every day, I would figure out a way to trade for a PB..

I frequently am working at my jobsites in my truck.. The engine runs no more than 6 to 8 minutes in an hour and the rest of the time I have full AC and all the other electrical accessories!

I can't even begin to explain how convenient the PB is as a mobile office.. Especially with the fold flat arm rest..

 

[Eskram]

The PB 'idle' is one of my favorite features. Wifey can shop, and I'm saving the Earth in comfort while waiting for her to buy nothing, or everything...

Edit:. I'm may just fanboi'ing now, but Ford almost made a perfect vehicle with the PowerBoost.

 

[Pedaldude]

If you are worried about oil change intervals and excessive idling from a turbo V-6; you can always siphon out a little oil from the dipstick tube with a Mityvac for used oil analysis and make sure that there’s no fuel dilution issues.

Meanwhile, I’d be happy with a Powerboost if someone gave me one but I’m also content with racking up idle hours on my V8 knowing that there’s really no monetary benefit; even with $5 a gallon gas to justify the added cost of entry. Not to mention at this very moment my tailgate is down because I needed every inch of the 8’ bed and then some.

Also going to say that the PB tech would have been better spent on a naturally aspirated powerplant like the 3.3 and maybe running an Atkinson cycle. I hope I’m wrong but I see the PB trucks having poor resale value with all the hybrid and turbo costs adding up, making them even more expensive to secondary buyers.

That being said; a V8 PB regular cab would be super tempting! Though something like 12-13Kw would be more useful for very high amp draw tools like compressors and welders.

 

[Snakebitten]

Resale on an Ecoboost 3.5 hasn't lagged behind the other motor choices for many years now.

The battery is $2000 retail

It's not that kind of Hybrid.

 

[Gros Ventre]

I would take the truck out on the highway, at least 60 or more MPH and run it for, say, an hour. Let all temperatures stabilize. Maybe weekly if a lot of idling in a week.

 

[fordtruckman2003]

I don't think there would be any issues with it. We have vehicles where I work running 14 hours a day non stop for 150k+ miles and they are fine. Not all of that is idle time but several hours a day it is.

Just keep eye on your fluid levels. My guess is the oil life monitor will account for all the idling and you'll see the % dropping faster than normal in a week of high idle.

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