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How Exactly Do You High Idle A Truck?

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by smctransferllc, Jan 19, 2010.

  1. Jan 19, 2010 #1
    smctransferllc

    smctransferllc Medium Load Member

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    KC, KS
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    Aside from the obvious answer of "just press down the fuel pedal", the title pretty much explains the question... Because it is the question... lol.

    I'm in orientation getting ready to head out, and while in school, I had noticed the instructors idling the truck up to around 1500 or so, and stepping out for a sec, leaving it in high idle. I was standing outside the truck, so obviously I wasn't able to watch them do it.

    I hadn't had the opportunity to ask how you set the truck to high idle, for things like building air pressure or letting it warm up... But how exactly do you set the truck to high idle?? I could totally understand if the procedure is different by separate truck manufacturers, but I'd like to know the general idea anyway, lol.

    Thanks! :biggrin_25525:
     
    smctransferllc, Jan 19, 2010
    smctransferllc, Jan 19, 2010
    #1
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  3. Jan 19, 2010 #2
    Stump

    Stump Heavy Load Member

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    Set the cruise control to the rpm's you want.
     
    Stump, Jan 19, 2010
    Stump, Jan 19, 2010
    #2
  4. Jan 19, 2010 #3
    Allow Me.

    Allow Me. Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    Yeah, turn the cruise control on, then increase the rpm's as if you were on the highway and in doing so, the engine rpm's will go up in increments at about 100 rpm per click. 1000rpm is all that's needed to idle properly.
     
    Allow Me., Jan 19, 2010
    Allow Me., Jan 19, 2010
    #3
  5. Jan 24, 2010 #4
    smctransferllc

    smctransferllc Medium Load Member

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    Thanks for the explanation guys. That's very helpful!
     
    smctransferllc, Jan 24, 2010
    smctransferllc, Jan 24, 2010
    #4
  7. Jan 25, 2010 #5
    krispb

    krispb Light Load Member

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    milford,ma
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    My truck just has a dial.
     
    krispb, Jan 25, 2010
    krispb, Jan 25, 2010
    #5
  8. Jan 25, 2010 #6
    25(2)+2

    25(2)+2 Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    the road less travelled
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    Not all trucks have a high idle, the setting may have removed for various reasons.

    Most of the electronic engines have it built into the cruise control, turn it on and hit resume or set, and the idle bumps up to between 800-to 1100 rpm, some can be increased more, some are limited to the 800 to 1100.

    The Mercedes can be increased to about 1200 or decreased a bit from the 950 it sets at, the ISX I used to drive can be set as high as the engine is governed. Cummins recommended 800 for that engine for optimum fuel economy.

    Most of the Detroit Series 60 and N-14 Cummins were limited to one rpm setting for the fast idle, usually 900 rpm lately.
     
    25(2)+2, Jan 25, 2010
    25(2)+2, Jan 25, 2010
    #6
  9. Jan 26, 2010 #7
    longbedGTs

    longbedGTs Heavy Load Member

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    05 Freightliner Columbia. Turn the cruise on then press set/accel and after 5 mins the CEL flashes...then you blip the throttle until the CEL stops flashing and high idle is set. It idles at 900 RPM. Mine has a 5 min idle shutoff so thats why the CEL flashes and you have to blip the throttle to set the high idle.
    CEL=Check Engine light
     
    longbedGTs, Jan 26, 2010
    longbedGTs, Jan 26, 2010
    #7
  10. Jan 26, 2010 #8
    FriedTater

    FriedTater Keeper of The Snakes

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    I love all the "reasons" people use for high idling a truck.

    Nope sorry,It only wastes fuel
    Nope doesn't happen that way,only wasting fuel
    Dont care who told you that,YOUR WASTING FUEL!!
     
    FriedTater, Jan 26, 2010
    FriedTater, Jan 26, 2010
    #8
  11. Jan 26, 2010 #9
    Hardlyevr

    Hardlyevr Road Train Member

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    Sure it's a waste of fuel, but my ISX when stone cold in the winter will go into fast high idle until it warms up a bit, all by itself. And this engine (an '06) Cummins recommends that if you must idle NOT to do it at the low speed.
     
    Hardlyevr, Jan 26, 2010
    Hardlyevr, Jan 26, 2010
    #9
  12. Jan 26, 2010 #10
    FriedTater

    FriedTater Keeper of The Snakes

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    United State of Texas
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    Which has nothing to do with "manual fast idle" so many try to justify :biggrin_25525:

     
    FriedTater, Jan 26, 2010
    FriedTater, Jan 26, 2010
    #10
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