Extended idling

[pitzel]

Ok, so thinking of taking a long (20 or 30 hour-ish) drive in a 1992-model car equipped with a 3.1L V6 GM engine. Along the way, where I am going, there is very limited clean lodging available, and I really don't like cheap hotel rooms anyways. Most of the drive will be done at ambient temperatures -20C or colder.

Are there any seriously bad mechanical reasons why I shouldn't just leave my car running at idle for 8 hours while I sleep in the back seat with the engine running? -20C should be plenty cold enough for the car to properly reject excess engine heat, and as long as I don't park in a snowbank and theres a decent amount of a breeze outside, carbon monoxide buildup shouldn't be an issue.

Anyone? I know its wasteful of fuel, but it would be $20 worth of fuel versus $50-$60/night for a dirty motel room in the middle of nowhere, Northern Ontario.

 

[SteveD2]

I've come to the conclusion that idling a fuel injected vehicle is not bad for it in the least. It would probably be about the same as 3 hours on the highway. Even so, I don't think I would do it to my Jeep, but I'm kinda paranoid about that sort of thing.

Police cars, construction vehicles, and other commercial gas vehicles tend to do alot of idling, with no negative effects.

 

[pitzel]

I'm kinda thinking...the only possible really 'bad' thing that would happen would be the underhood temps would be scorchin', and GM alternators of that era tend to like to burn up.

The car, at idle, burns less than 6 pounds of fuel an hour, so i'd obviously have to keep that in mind. Someone mentioned to me that there'd be a significant risk of ice buildup in my intake or ice buildup in my exhaust -- anyone care to comment? I know my throttle body has a significant built-in anti-icing system, but do I really need to be worried about ice elsewhere?

 

[SteveD2]

In those temps, I highly doubt it would get too hot. Maybe you should try letting it idle for an hour or so before hand to see what happens.

 

[427Z06]

If I were you, I'd be real careful about doing this out of fear of carbon monoxide poisoning. Remember it's a colorless orderless gas. Most people will start to feel drowsy and/or get a headache at the onset of reaching dangerous levels in their bloodstream, but you'll be asleep. And you might not wake up again!
I would as a minimum ensure you have NO leaks in the exhaust system and have a carbon monoxide detector inside the car with you.

 

[TheTanSedan]

Some transmissions don't circulate oil in PARK; be sure to check.

Emergency brake should be adjusted to perfection.

Exhaust leaks are definitely a problem. All systems, even new have one or more small "holes" to allow excess condensation to escape. Should have system checked in all ways.

Underhood airflow is at a minimum, even with fan blowing. Hot spots can develop, check as recommended above (pre-trip long idle).

I'd want FUEL POWER and LUBE CONTROL in engine to keep problems to minimum.

Exhaust system gases is main thing. Being parked in such a way as to minimize intake of same at windshield. (Can be trickier than you think).

I'd set up vehicle to idle so that oil pressure comes up to 40-psi or so. Fuel consumption is irrelevant; when I drove OTR I idled the Detroit Diesel at 1600 rpm per the company service department. A wood block underneath, a brick above, wedged over accelerator might work.

And sleep on passenger side to keep from dislodging (with one or both windows cracked).

 

[brianl703]

Maybe get a battery powered CO detector?

 

[SteveD2]

quote:

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Originally posted by brianl703:
Maybe get a battery powered CO detector?

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That would be a good idea...or maybe barrow one from your house.

 

[Von]

In the Border Patrol, we idled the trucks until they were down to 1/4 tank and then filled them up to go back to the border and idle some more. And changed the oil every 2-3000 miles whether they needed it or not!! (interval depended on the location, but you can only imagine the engine hours on that oil to rack up that many miles just going to the gas station!)
I think the engine failures were due to not checking the oil (I had to add 3 quarts many times), not due to the extensive idling.
I know my own vehicle with short trips (100 yards to 2 miles) and lots of idling got up to 2.8% fuel dilution at 4000 miles (Toyota Tacoma 4cyl), so the fuel dilution was probably bad in the BP.
I don't know how bad a Border Patrol UOA would look, but the Broncos and Tahoes seemed to handle it very well.
Nobody poisoned due to carbon monoxide that I know of on the south western border. I think that is a factor of snow drifts holding the gas around the truck or defective exhaust.
Von

 

[Gary Allan]

I've spent many a 6-8 hour span sleeping in my car/trucks when I delivered nuke meds with the engine running. The positive cabin vents work well. You just need to make sure you don't have it on recirc. I would think it difficult, but not impossible, to draw so much CO through the cowl that it wouldn't be out paced 100:1 with fresh air. Now CO is accumulative to a degree ..but since you're not going to live in your car for a month I don't see that being a problem. The exhaust integrity is a must. I slept behind the wheel ..often being awakened by an 18 wheeler blasting by, shaking the car. I'd wake up seeing his tail lights and my dash lights and the guardrail and hit the brakes. It was either a cue to wake up ..or shift my position a little and nod back off.

At those temps ..and depending on your blower setting, I wonder if you can actually maintain heat in the engine at idle ...that is, with the thermostat fully closed. My 2.5 jeep engine can't if it's under 20 F. With the blower on full ..the gauge will drop below normal operating temp.

Don't worry about the trans ..load heats it. I'd be more concerned that your cooling system is in top shape.

 

[pitzel]

quote:

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Originally posted by Gary Allan:
At those temps ..and depending on your blower setting, I wonder if you can actually maintain heat in the engine at idle ...that is, with the thermostat fully closed. My 2.5 jeep engine can't if it's under 20 F. With the blower on full ..the gauge will drop below normal operating temp.

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Well, the car does have a coolant temperature sensor, and whenever the coolant temperature is below a certain threshold, the car goes into a high idle mode. At startup in the cold, the idle is a good 1500rpm, which should be perfectly adequate to maintain heat so long as the thermostat is in working order.

I know its kinda hillbilly to drive to Eastern Canada from Western Canada in the middle of winter (I always otherwise take a commercial flight), and to sleep in a car at a rest turnout with the engine running all night long. But this time around, I will have a car packed full of family heirlooms that I am transporting, and the costs to put them on the airplane, nevermind the risk of baggage handlers, is simply too much.

Fuel dilution shouldn't be a problem as the 5-8 hour period of idle will be both preceeded and followed by another good 10-12 hours of driving. I guess the usual cold weather driving advice applies; good sleeping bag and clothing, candles, good working cell phone, etc.

 

[Ugly3]

Stop at a Holiday Inn, Best Western, Etc. and do both you and your vehicle a favor.

 

[ekpolk]

quote:

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Originally posted by Ugly3:
Stop at a Holiday Inn, Best Western, Etc. and do both you and your vehicle a favor.

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Yeah, at today's prices, eight hours of idling will consume nearly $20 worth of fuel. Just a bit more change will find you a room that's better than your back seat. It may not smell all that good, but then again, at least you can appreciate the stink, CO gets you before you even realize it was there. Besides, deliberately setting yourself for a CO poisoning will be a tough one to explain to St. Peter. . .

 

[427Z06]

Just be extremely careful pitzel. The danger is real.

Vehicle-Generated Carbon Monoxide Deaths