Most Diesel truck engines will burn a gallon an hour or more idling. A warm
engine will start almost instantly. That myth just doesn't hold.
When I bought my motor home back in 2004 it was programmed to shut off if
the vehicle didn't move for three minutes. Since the engine controller is
different than the transmission controller the shutdown timer did not know
the transmission was not in neutral.  So a few times if I was at a stop long
enough and forgot to release the brake, or step on the throttle, or let it
roll the engine would shut down. I had the timer set 5 minutes for a while.
Found I couldn't run the engine in the driveway long enough to warm it up
during storage. Eventually had that timer disabled.

Truckers often idle the engine for heat or air conditioning. Many locales
have banned that. Many are now being equipped with generator or battery
based power systems and many truck stops have conditioned air supplies
ducted to a window.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
raceingcajun
Sent: Thursday, June 06, 2013 1:38 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Diesel good idea?

You know that has always bothered me also. So one day at the truck stop when
fueling, I ask a trucker, he said it takes more fuel to start it than to
leave it running???????? I didn't buy that, anyone know for sure. I think I
could understand in very cold weather it would be a little harder to start.
But idling all night?

Howard

> When it is not going somewhere, when the wheels are not turning,
> please SHUT IT OFF.