I have seen this in other threads and wondered the same thing...is a 6xx engine that much different from the engines in most semis?

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Current Mercedes
1979 maple yellow 240D 4-speed

Gone and fondly remembered:
1980 orient red 240D 4-speed

Gone and NOT fondly remembered:
1982 Chna Blue 300TD

Other car in the stable:
2013 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI / 6-speed MT

I'm going to be instantly outvoted on this, because I've started threads about it before.

My personal opinion: no.

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~Michael S.~
Past cars:

1986 300SDL
1987 300SDL
1982 240D
1982 300SD


Current:

1987 300SDL

The 603 is indirect injection while essentially every semi is a direct injection. Other than that...they are just big rugged diesels....just like the ones in our cars....

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

Semis usually idle because they want cabin heat and power. A lot of newer semis have an Aux Power Unit which has a smaller diesel engine that can run just to provide heat, A/C and power.

See post #37.

Diesel semis used to idle, it's all they had for heat. Many semis will shut-off on their own now, and are equipped with Webasto etc. diesel-fired heaters to keep the cab (and often the engine) warm so that the engine doesn't need to idle. Idling is bad for semi engines also and owner's manuals recommend not idling. My Caterpillar manuals (dating back to 1977) have all said the same thing, do not idle to warm up, drive easily until the temp gauge comes up, and do not idle for extended periods at any time (I believe that 15minutes was the maximum back then). My Mercedes diesel manuals (602 and 603) say the same.

See post #37 again.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

I went to NAPA tonight seeking a magnetic pan heater and they didn't have any, only "clamp on" ones. For those of you with a magnetic pan heater....where did you get it, and how much was it?

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

before I pulled the engine out of my wrecked 3ood (this was just a few weeks ago) I left it idling and actaully forgot about it. It was idling for three hours before I knoticed the noise. I guess this means I probably have a crapload of carbon in there, that will be gone soon the way I drive.

As for warming it up, I let mine warm up for usually ten minutes before I go. I like getting in a car thats warm, happy and strong, not cold slow and shifting weird

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1981 300SD 512k OM603