Idle or Restart

Anything longer than 20minutes in cold temperatures (below 80f)- shut it off.

Anything longer than 10 minutes in hot temperatures (above 80f) shut it off.

My regimen. Awaiting the experts responses.


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The experts will point us in the right direction but for me I use the 15 minute rule winter or summer.

No DPF for my 2012 L4600, so I let her idle at 1000 rpm's if I intend to be away for 15 minutes or less.

I think it is another one of those "it all depends" things. My 2013 L3560 does have a dpf filter, and somewhere in my reading on Kubota's website I read that they were touting their new easy start systems. Dunno what exactly that is. The 3560 is certainly easy to start, winter too, and no block heater. However I avoid leaving it to idle since that is the best way to clog up the dpf filter.

I also have a 2017 B2650, no dpf, and it too is easy to start.

My thought was the long idle times for the older tractors might relate to the burden on the starters. I'd like to know how the wear on the starters compares on the new versus old tractors.

The longer I've been operating, or the more tired I am, the more likely I am to turn it off for a short stop. I want some quiet!

Bruce

I was told when training that it was bad to let any diesel idle. It can cause carbon to build up in, for example, the manifold thereby sucking power out of the engine. Nothing a WOT run under load won't fix.
On the other hand, if you are out on your own and hard to reach, never shut it down in case of flat batteries etc. I was told this by the skipper of the lobster boat I was on.
If you are on soft ground, then letting it idle can cause the tractor to cause itself to get stuck by liquifying the ground under the wheels through vibration.
But this is all pre-DPF.

The new DPF systems seem to want it all. I just purchased a new L6060. My old tractor was a JD 4310. The turbo requires a 3 to 5 minute cool down but they say don't let the new DPF systems idle. I also have the same jobs that require me to get off the tractor for 2 minutes to whatever. If I know I will be off for less than the cool down time 3 to 5 minutes I leave it running at 1500 to 2000 RPM's. The manual says when working it hard let it idle for 5 minutes before shutting off. I haven't seen this thing work hard yet. I run it at 2000 to 2200 rpm's when using loader or hoe and using 3 point attachments run it so I have 540 rpm at the PTO. If anyone sees a flaw in this practice please chime in. I'm only looking to do whats best for the tractor.

Dennis, I think that some of the dpf directions are taken too far, and a modicum of common sense is ok. The only real danger to leaving a dpf tractor idling and going off and doing something else is that it will reach the level where a regen is needed, and no one will notice the light flashing and increase the rpm so that it can regen. Then you can get into difficulty, or at least have to do a parked regen etc. if you ignore the lights, buzzers etc. The L01 tractors do not have any means of telling how close the next regen is.

Those of us with 60 series can look at the graph and see how full the dpf filter is. If it is not close to needing a regen, leaving it at idle causes the dpf filter to fill up faster, but it won't do any harm. They are designed to go through a lot of regen cycles. Watch your graph and see when it increases the most. Mine (no turbo) gains the most when it is first started and being warmed up. After that any increase is much slower. If I think I am close to a regen and have to get off, I leave the rpm above 2000 when I get off. Otherwise I reduce the rpm to something reasonable (not dead idle typically) or shut it off.

With the op’s bx (non dpf or turbo) the machine can be left idling without concern. I believe at least some of the bx tractors have a relatively high minimum idle rpm anyway.
On dpf equipped tractors there is a real reason to not let them idle. I idle mine at about 1500 rpms for 10-15 minuets or less. Any longer and I shut it off.
My ZD Mowers (pre dpf) are not shut off all day, but they are rarely just idling!


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whec33 said:

A lot of my projects involve me being in & out of the drivers seat - being new to the diesel tractor world I'm wondering which is better - let it idle or shut it down and restart.

Click to expand...

Many variables.

If DPF, follow manufacturers recomendations.

If no DPF, I tend to leave engines running rather than restarting. Starters, starter drives and ring gears have limited lives. Why accelerate wear?
SDT

Sheepfarmer, That makes sense. Even with the old JD 4310 when I did leave it idling it was at 1200 to 1500 rpm. I don't like leaving it at dead idle. I think I will do the same as you suggested. My L6060 is the same as yours, it gains the most with a cold start to warm up. After that real slow gain. I was at 99% the other day when I started the tractor. I left it at 2100 RPM while I was tying the tractor to the trailer, all done with regen when I was ready to go. I bush hogged a small field about 2 hours and was only at 5% when done. I really like this tractor. I'm trying not to drive myself crazy with this DPF crap.