Idling used to be an accepted, and even favoured, practice among experienced truckers, but no more. If you’re struggling to break the idling habit, here are several good reasons to double down on your efforts.

Engine Damage

For a long time, experienced drivers believed that extensive idling protected the semi-truck’s engine, but now we know better and it turns out just the opposite is true. Idling produces two by products that are harmful to your engine. One by product is sulfuric acid, which eats away at engine components. Another is soot. Low idling in particular causes soot to build up in the particulate filter and leads to excess wear and clogging.

It's also common for truckers to idle their vehicles overnight while sleeping. Idling is one strategy for managing temps inside the cabin and for keeping the battery charged while running other electrical devices. However, it’s important to know that idling the engine for long periods of time like this can cause engine overheating because there’s no air flowing through the radiator to cool things down. There are very good alternatives for managing cabin temps and powering electronics that don’t require your engine to be running.

Cost

Your engine has a useful life. Idling hours count against that life, and they’re hours that aren’t taking you anywhere or earning any money. Idling also uses fuel, something most drivers can’t afford to waste. Idle hours consume fuel and engine life but have zero ROI, which makes idling a very expensive activity.

Cold Start Technology

Idling a cold vehicle was an acceptable, even essential, practice for decades. Some manufacturers still recommend short idling warm up and cool down periods prior to or after a long, heavy haul. But by and large, idling adds no value. This is because modern motor oils are manufactured for cold starts, meaning the oil will flow freely the moment the engine is fired up. The one exception might be if you’re starting up your semi in single-digit temps; but even then, an oil pan heater is more effective than idling.

Saves Fuel

Maximizing fuel efficiency is the goal of every trucker; fuel is expensive and drivers can’t afford to waste a drop. It’s a commonly held idea that idling uses less fuel than turning an engine on and off, but this is simply not true. Idling wastes fuel and should be avoided whenever possible.

Emissions

An idling truck is emitting pollutants into the air. While releasing these pollutants can’t be avoided, you certainly don’t need to do it while sitting idle; that’s a cost to the environment with zero benefit.

Stop Idling Today

Say goodbye to unnecessary idling today. Maybe updating your rig will help. You can find quality used semi-trucks for sale in St. Louis that offer features that will help you break the idling habit.