diesel engine and short trips?

jerseydrew · March 24, 2015

i've read that diesels don't do to well with lots of short trips. my job is only 7 miles from home so many times i start the truck in the morning go to work and park it all day then start it up at the end of the day and drive home. i also run errands a lot, meaning most of my day to day takes are less than 10 miles. i know this isn't ideal for any engine but is it really any worse on a diesel than a gas motor?

DaveH71 · March 24, 2015

Your fine, don't over think it. What's important is that you keep up on your maintenance like oil changes, filters, trans fluid.

At least around here garbage trucks, UPS and Fedex trucks, and mail trucks are all diesel. They get short tripped and started and stopped far more often then what you do and they all do just fine.

I see far more damage done to the trucks in my shop from neglect then anything else. Don't worry to much.

becker87 · March 24, 2015

If you are referring to the emissions equipment and not the diesel itself then I would be a bit more concerned, but if you take care of your truck and watch your regens then you should be fine. There is a poster on here that used his new diesel for snow plowing this last season, which includes a lot of idling, with no issues. Go over to diesel place forum and a lot of those guys are also using their trucks as daily drivers.

hegsz71 · March 24, 2015

It look like I'm in the minority, but I think it's terrible for them. Granted I've been told my whole life to never fire up a diesel and shut it off quickly. My last truck was a lbz duramax and the main reason I got rid of it was I was tired of letting it warm up then drive it, let it cool down then shut it off. Maybe a handful of times I fired it up and it was shut down before it got any temp in it and in 130K miles all I ever had to fix or replace was 4 glow plugs, a belt, and the alt. I firmly believe short trips or start up shut downs are hard on a diesel and as I've said before on here the people that are towing there 5th wheel campers that come off the freeway and shut it down right at the pump makes me cringe. They sell turbo timers for a reason and it's good practice to let exhaust temps cool to around 300-400 before shut down.

While ups trucks are diesel and do get started and shut down a lot there are also at operating temp while this is happening. Firing a cold truck running for a few miles and shutting it down before it's warmed up I believe will lead to problems. I'm not a diesel mechanic just how I feel and my opinion.

sahls01gmc · March 24, 2015

Your fine, don't over think it. What's important is that you keep up on your maintenance like oil changes, filters, trans fluid.

At least around here garbage trucks, UPS and Fedex trucks, and mail trucks are all diesel. They get short tripped and started and stopped far more often then what you do and they all do just fine.

I see far more damage done to the trucks in my shop from neglect then anything else. Don't worry to much.

UPS and FedEx have to shut off their trucks at EVERY stop! Diesel's seem to do just fine for them.... As long as you maintain it, you should be fine.

A better question is, what do you "need" the diesel for?

jerseydrew · March 24, 2015

i am in no need for diesel at all. i am in need of a new truck though and not finding a gas motor in my area with the plow prep package.

sahls01gmc · March 24, 2015

Hmm, I see now. I bet you could find a truck with a lot of options that aren't offered with a plow prep package, and add what you need later. Other than auxiliary switch wiring, bigger alternator, and slightly stiffer front suspension, what comes with the plow prep?

jerseydrew · March 24, 2015

Hmm, I see now. I bet you could find a truck with a lot of options that aren't offered with a plow prep package, and add what you need later. Other than auxiliary switch wiring, bigger alternator, and slightly stiffer front suspension, what comes with the plow prep?

the warranty. if i put a plow on a truck with out it and add the plow the dealers make a big stink when it is time for repairs

jerseydrew · March 24, 2015

just found a gas motor about an hour from here. with what i wanted but also has driver alert package.

SMiller · March 25, 2015

just found a gas motor about an hour from here. with what i wanted but also has driver alert package.

Haul ass!

jerseydrew · March 31, 2015

ok so back in the same boat as before. the gas engine ones are impossible to find in any kind of good config. so now i must ask if i do get the diesel, what does the maintenance schedule look like vs a gas motor truck?

TheeSpaniard3500hd · March 31, 2015

I love my Duramax. Best truck and power I've owned. No issues with emissions and I drive a lot of shorter trips too. Like others have said, just pay attention to your regen cycles and drive for a longer trip during those times. I believe the manual says stay over 30 mph for 30 minutes. They happen about once per tank of fuel.

As far as maintenance, my dealer offered free oil changes for life which helped offset the higher maintenance costs. Look for the same type of deal as this is common in my area. Don't be afraid of the diesels, they are awesome trucks. Test drive one if you can find one. It's funny that when I was shopping, there were only gas trucks available and I had to search for a Duramax.

KMGZ400 · March 31, 2015

ok so back in the same boat as before. the gas engine ones are impossible to find in any kind of good config. so now i must ask if i do get the diesel, what does the maintenance schedule look like vs a gas motor truck?

I run AMSoil synthetic and go 10k miles per change.. You probably don't need to do this but I do fuel filter and spin on tran filter every 10k too.. I'll pay more for the diesel.. Wouldn't go back to a gasser. Make sure you get remote start.. Way easier warm the truck up when you can just hit a button

BigKahuna · April 1, 2015

This exact reason is why I sold my last diesel (12 cummins) and just ordered a new gasser. As a daily driver with many short trips the diesel is the wrong engine to have. You can use them for that, of course, but it's not good for them and I did not like it. Driving around with a cold diesel engine makes me cringe.

Krusty · March 31, 2017

ok so back in the same boat as before. the gas engine ones are impossible to find in any kind of good config. so now i must ask if i do get the diesel, what does the maintenance schedule look like vs a gas motor truck?

Pretty much the same - per the DIC but no more than 1 year LOF's. You do have (11) zerks under any HD that are a pain to do right, gas or diesel. Duramax holds 10 qts oil - 6.0 holds 6qts. Duramax has a substantial fuel filter that needs changing per the DIC or every 2yrs.

My new 6.2L holds 8qts and burns premium - so no savings there.

i've read that diesels don't do to well with lots of short trips. my job is only 7 miles from home so many times i start the truck in the morning go to work and park it all day then start it up at the end of the day and drive home. i also run errands a lot, meaning most of my day to day takes are less than 10 miles. i know this isn't ideal for any engine but is it really any worse on a diesel than a gas motor?

I drove my first diesel, a 2007.5 GMC 2500 for 10 years - daily driver - 7.5 mile commute. It was never fully warmed up in that distance - remote start and an errand or two helps - if the clean DPF occured it would take a round trip or maybe a little more. I used a Dash-Hawk engine monitor to know when it was cleaning so I could drive enough to finish - and not shutdown at 1,000+ degrees EGT. Loved the Duramax and miss it's torque - but this new half ton max tow has so many more bells and whistles and rides like a car in comparison. Time for a new love affair........