Idling Engine

Avoid excessive engine idling. Prolonged engine idling may cause the engine coolant temperature to fall below its normal range. This in turn, causes crankcase oil dilution, due to incomplete fuel combustion and permits formation of gummy deposits on valves, pistons, and piston rings. It also promotes rapid accumulation of engine sludge and unburned fuel in the exhaust system.

Once an engine is warmed to normal operating temperatures, engine should be idled at slow idle speed. Slow idle speed for this engine is set at the factory at 800 rpm for standard industrial engines and at 850 rpm for generator sets. If an engine will be idling for more than five minutes, stop and restart later.

To reduce buildup of soot while operating at slow idle speed, ECU increases engine operating speed to rated speed whenever DOC face plugging is possible. Increased engine operating speed increases exhaust temperature and ability to burn soot from DOC face.

NOTE: Generator set applications where the governor is locked at a specified speed may not have a slow idle function. These engines idle at no load governed speed (high idle).