Why must diesel pickup truck owners leave their truck running while getting fuel?

[OutHouse]

holy shit do they think they are special or something? this morning while i was getting gas some asshat cowboy wannabe wearing a suit pulled up in his giant ford 350 power stroke pickup to the other side of the pump i was getting gas. asshat wannabe cowboy in a suit leaves his ANNOYING LOUD ASS truck running while he gets gas and this MOFO is LOUD is rattling my skull. Not only is it LOUD but the exhaust is choking me out. I think its the winter blend diesel because his exhaust didn't smell like diesel exaust it smelled like i just stuck my head in a coal fired oven and took a big lung full of coal smoke.

so what gives? do these guys think they are special because they drive a diesel truck and are playing mr 18 wheeler or something?

 

[surfsatwerk]

ok

 

[Murloc]

I think it's forbidden to do that, and I've seen it only in gulf arab countries because it's hot (30+ °C) so they want to leave the A/C on and the petrol is almost free there so they don't care.
No one would do that in Europe just because of the price, also the car doesn't really heats up in such a short time.

Anyway how could he go pay AND leave the motor on? He left the key in the car or what?

 

[Schfifty Five]

I think it's forbidden to do that, and I've seen it only in gulf arab countries because it's hot (30+ °C) so they want to leave the A/C on and the petrol is almost free there so they don't care.
No one would do that in Europe just because of the price, also the car doesn't really heats up in such a short time.

Anyway how could he go pay AND leave the motor on? He left the key in the car or what?

You've never paid for gas at the pump?

 

[Saint Nick]

My dad used to bitch about this...isn't it because the engines are hard to start or something?

 

[lxskllr]

Anyway how could he go pay AND leave the motor on? He left the key in the car or what?

There's a lot of places in the US you could leave a motor running until it ran out of gas, and it would be exactly where you left it. No one would think of taking it.

 

[skyking]

AFAIK there is no exemption for turning off the engine at the pumps. Next time ask them to shut it off if it bothers you.

 

[sornywrx]

There's a lot of places in the US you could leave a motor running until it ran out of gas, and it would be exactly where you left it. No one would think of taking it.

Especially in small towns. When it's really cold outside and I go to Wal*Mart there is always a couple of cars in the parking lot idling away. I don't do it but lots do.

And I think the reason diesel drivers do it is just because they think they should. Yes diesels can be hard to start in really cold temps (especially old diesels) but I seriously doubt your 2012 $60,000 F-350 won't restart immediately when you cut it off at a gas station. I think part of it is feeling like they're driving a big rig too and how many big rigs do you see idling away for hours? The motors last longer so I guess they figure they're not causing any wear.

Not everyone is like this but where I live diesel trucks are the new Harley Davidson. Loud, wanting attention, and slow 99% of the time (but they think they're fast). Not everyone who rides a Harley is like that and not everyone driving is diesel is some kid who thinks it's a hot rod either I know.

 

[CZroe]

Some have two gas tanks. He might have been filling up his auxiliary tank and running the engine to keep something powered up. For example, refer units on box trucks often have to stay on to keep food or other temperature-sensitive things from spoiling.

As far as you know, he had to jump start it that morning after leaving his lights on and couldn't let it turn off. Doubt your little car battery would help jump it if he needed another!

 

[OutHouse]

Some have two gas tanks. He might have been filling up his auxiliary tank and running the engine to keep something powered up. For example, refer units on box trucks often have to stay on to keep food or other temperature-sensitive things from spoiling.

As far as you know, he had to jump start it that morning after leaving his lights on and couldn't let it turn off. Doubt your little car battery would help jump it if he needed another!

pickup trucks do not have refer units.

 

[OutHouse]

AFAIK there is no exemption for turning off the engine at the pumps. Next time ask them to shut it off if it bothers you.

i was tempted but really didnt want to poke and start shit. ranting on OT is much safer.

 

[waggy]

also the odds on diesel blowing up is far far less then gas blowing up.

 

[lxskllr]

also the odds on diesel blowing up is far far less then gas blowing up.

Meaning impossible. Leaving a diesel running isn't much of a safety concern outside mechanical failure where the vehicle can get away from you.

 

[OutHouse]

also the odds on diesel blowing up is far far less then gas blowing up.

yea im not concerned about that.

 

[clamum]

My pansy detector is about to explode.

 

[skyking]

Having seen a few melted heaps of burned up diesel trucks, I have to disagree. The fuel is not the only problem with leaving a rig running. My buddy's truck burned up in the middle of the night, and damn near got him too in his travel trailer next to the truck. Once diesel gets going it can burn just fine

 

[Garou24]

I believe it is due to the amount of diesel required to idle the engine while fueling up is a lot less than the amount required to turn over the crankshaft and start the engine once it has been turned off. Due to it's efficiency you save fuel by running the engine while fueling up over stopping and restarting it.

 

[Zivic]

i was tempted but really didnt want to poke and start shit. ranting on OT is much safer.

I filled up the other day... woman in front of me let her dodge journey run the entire time. Not only that, but she sat in the vehicle while the pump ran. Putting us all in danger as she 'charged' herself up on her cloth seats.

the diesel truck owner is a non issue

 

[skyking]

yeah that does not fly either. the battery is just about recovered from the start while you are putting it in gear.
Most of the people do this to save wear and tear on the starter. High torque starters are high dollar.

 

[Evadman]

I believe it is due to the amount of diesel required to idle the engine while fueling up is a lot less than the amount required to turn over the crankshaft and start the engine once it has been turned off. Due to it's efficiency you save fuel by running the engine while fueling up over stopping and restarting it.

Starting an engine uses roughly 30 seconds of fuel on idle.

 

[skyking]

I filled up the other day... woman in front of me let her dodge journey run the entire time. Not only that, but she sat in the vehicle while the pump ran. Putting us all in danger as she 'charged' herself up on her cloth seats.

the diesel truck owner is a non issue

I saw a dude get back in his car so he could smoke a cig. Fricken losers.

 

[waggy]

I saw a dude get back in his car so he could smoke a cig. Fricken losers.

i can top that. I watched a guy light up a cig while pumping gas D:

I was amazed that someone couldn't wait 5 minutes to start another cig while pumping GAS WTF.

i was kinda hopeing he would explode. hmm

 

[mmntech]

My dad used to bitch about this...isn't it because the engines are hard to start or something?

In cold temperatures, yes. Compression alone can't heat the fuel enough to ignite once you get below zero Celsius. They have a glow plug to heat the fuel but even then it takes some serious cranking. This isn't an issue with warm engines.

You always seen them idling here, either to keep the heater going or to keep the AC going. Diesels take a long time to heat up. I've done full 20-30km trips in newer model cube vans without any heat coming out the vents until I almost got to where I was going.

Long haul drivers may keep them running if they've got a passenger in the back.

 

[MtnMan]

i can top that. I watched a guy light up a cig while pumping gas D:

I was amazed that someone couldn't wait 5 minutes to start another cig while pumping GAS WTF.

i was kinda hopeing he would explode. hmm

Proof, people who smoke are stupid about more things than just their health. Though catching on fire could be detrimental their health also.:'(

 

[jagec]

Starting an engine uses roughly 30 seconds of fuel on idle.

That's for gas engines, though. Diesel engines use less fuel at idle (no throttle butterfly), so the numbers won't be quite as rosy, but I still doubt that it saves fuel with modern engines. Especially if the engine is already hot.