ABF | Freightliner idle shutdown bypass?

Trailboss

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I searched the internet forum boards and youtube, and have seen several instances where guys have come up with solutions to keep the truck idling. The problem is that there are too many variations that work on specific models, but as of yet I haven't found one that works on our trucks.

I am speaking of linehaul Freightliners, spec'd for ABF, not the "white cab" used Ryder/ Penske's.

Has anyone come up with a solution, or is it a programming issue that cannot be bypassed?
 
I searched the internet forum boards and youtube, and have seen several instances where guys have come up with solutions to keep the truck idling. The problem is that there are too many variations that work on specific models, but as of yet I haven't found one that works on our trucks.

I am speaking of linehaul Freightliners, spec'd for ABF, not the "white cab" used Ryder/ Penske's.

Has anyone come up with a solution, or is it a programming issue that cannot be bypassed?
Ours at holland if you keep the tractor valve pushed in it let's it idle for 20-30 min wake up crank it back up go back to sleep.
 
I would not even go there and I would not recommend that you or anyone else go there either. That is one way to lose your job.


I wasn't suggesting doing any modifications to the truck...I currently drive a Mack and simply pulling the trailer brake hand valve will keep it idling during the DOT mandated break. Here in Arizona you will get thrown in jail if you leave a kid or a dog in a vehicle...As far as I know, Idling isn't prohibited on breaks, and is a lot cheaper than paying for ambulatory heat stroke when it can get 150 degrees in about two minutes in a closed car...probably 130 with the windows down.

 
The ECM on ABF tractors are set to idle for 5 minutes. The engines & especially the emission systems last much longer if they are not idled. Many states, cities & ports have strict laws against idling. Idling wastes fuel as well as shortening engine life. Excessive idling will void warranty on the engine & emission system. The ECM logs vehicle/engine history for 90 days cumulative.
 
The way I see it when roads are closed due to blizzard conditions the company better find a way to rescue the driver.I got trapped a couple of years ago in Wyoming in a chain up area , sat there for 10 hours in a mack. Kept it idling and wasn't a big deal. Just a little boring. I do carry heavy winter clothes ,but heat is a must.
 
There are situations that really should be addressed for safety issues. On a tour bus recently I spoke with the driver about it as we sat at a restaurant for dinner on a 90* day and he kept the bus running. We both agreed that there was no way that he could shut that bus down on that day with people waiting in the bus. He also indicated that tour buses are not exempt to his knowledge but the buses that he drives do not shut down on him either. He has not had an issue with it yet.
 
To my knowledge, there is no work-round for the idle shut-down on the 2015 Freightliner road tractors. There is also no work-around for not being able to shut off the headlights when crossing a state truck scale. As long as the truck is moving, the headlights stay on. It took us a while to get through explaining to all the weigh masters for that one. At first ,they were pretty grumpy and let us know it, now they just accept it.
 
There are situations that really should be addressed for safety issues. On a tour bus recently I spoke with the driver about it as we sat at a restaurant for dinner on a 90* day and he kept the bus running. We both agreed that there was no way that he could shut that bus down on that day with people waiting in the bus. He also indicated that tour buses are not exempt to his knowledge but the buses that he drives do not shut down on him either. He has not had an issue with it yet.
A relative recently went on a bus tour to the left coast. The driver stayed with the bus a lot of the time at stops. He would start it intermittently to cool it before the passengers returned from their meals. Once he saw an enforcement official of some capacity checking for idling. He shut it down before he got a citation. Many states & cities are serious about stopping idling trucks/buses.
 
Several years ago we removed the idle shutdown when we winterized the tractors then reinstalled it in the spring. This was done to allow a driver to keep idling in the event he was stopped in traffic or had to sit for long periods of time in extreme cold weather. Safety men observed unoccupied tractors idling for long periods of time while drivers were sitting in truck stops or taking breaks. Idle times are recorded on the ECM, PCM or whatever the term the engine manufacturer called it. Idle times of many hours were recorded so the decision was made to set all tractors on 5 minute shutdown.
 
Anymore it's all about the money and the police are as much about public safety as they are fundraisers for their respective governments.
I have heard police chiefs claim there are no quotas as such for officers to write citations. I wonder how long an officer assigned to a specific job would keep his job if he did not write tickets that produced revenue for the town. county or state. A need must be established to justify most jobs & police work is no different.
 
I've seen diesel locomotives idle for 24 hours on a railroad siding. I've also seen tugboats on the rivers idle for extended periods. I've also never seen an apportioned plate or state stickers on either of them. How do they do their fuel tax when they cross state lines?

I guess the rules are different for their exhaust emissions. I don't believe either boats or locomotives are running DEF fluid or re-generating their exhaust.

But any truck driver who has spent hours in a truck stop on a bitterly cold day just trying to keep the heat up can sure give you a good reason for a shutdown override.

I guess our lobby in Congress isn't big enough.........
 
I've seen diesel locomotives idle for 24 hours on a railroad siding. I've also seen tugboats on the rivers idle for extended periods. I've also never seen an apportioned plate or state stickers on either of them. How do they do their fuel tax when they cross state lines?

I guess the rules are different for their exhaust emissions. I don't believe either boats or locomotives are running DEF fluid or re-generating their exhaust.

But any truck driver who has spent hours in a truck stop on a bitterly cold day just trying to keep the heat up can sure give you a good reason for a shutdown override.

I guess our lobby in Congress isn't big enough.........
I have heard that those locomotives have trouble starting for some reason but I do not know what it is. I have been told they they even keep then running while they change the oil, big river goes in while big river comes out for a specified amount of time.

On fuel taxes, those apply to highway vehicles only so boats, airplanes and locomotives don't pay them.
 
The river navigation system was paid for by tax dollars. I remember several years back there was an attempt by this state to impose a ton/mile tax on river barges/tugs. I don't remember how that came out. The railroads are a much stronger lobby than the trucking industry. I saw that years back when states were attempting to increase the gross truck weight from 73,280 lbs. to 80,000 lbs. This state had a highway department director that hated the trucking industry. He was the most powerful man in the state(an appointed, not elected position). He would cut off highway funding for any district if the state senator & representative didn't bow down to him. Even after he retired he could come to the capitol during legislative sessions & have state representatives & senators shaking in their boots. The state raised the fees for 80K lb. tags so much that trucking companies based in state were forced to license trucks out of state to be competitive.
This state has some of the largest trucking companies on the planet but they couldn't afford the outrageous fees. The company owners were loyal to their home state & would have paid a moderately higher fee to keep revenue here.
 
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The river navigation system was paid for by tax dollars. I remember several years back there was an attempt by this state to impose a ton/mile tax on river barges/tugs. I don't remember how that came out. The railroads are a much stronger lobby than the trucking industry. I saw that years back when states were attempting to increase the gross truck weight from 73,280 lbs. to 80,000 lbs. This state had a highway department director that hated the trucking industry. He was the most powerful man in the state(an appointed, not elected position). He would cut off highway funding for any district if the state senator & representative didn't bow down to him. Even after he retired he could come to the capitol during legislative sessions & have state representatives & senators shaking in their boots. The state raised the fees for 80K lb. tags so much that trucking companies based in state were forced to license trucks out of state to be competitive.
This state has some of the largest trucking companies on the planet but they couldn't afford the outrageous fees. The company owners were loyal to their home state & would have paid a moderately higher fee to keep revenue here.
ad been told that California had ridiculously high fees for trailers, so many companies started registering the trailers out of state...California then got the message and changed their policy....
 
If this is in regards to Freightliner Cascadias, try engaging the cruise control and pressing the ACC button. This engages high idle.

Note that this is not guaranteed to work. If an aftermarket idle shutdown has been fitted to the truck, it'll do it regardless of high idle.
 
Pushing the clutch pedal enough to open the switch on the pedal every 5 minutes or pushing the accelerator will keep the engine from shutting down. The shutdown light on the dash should come on before the engine shuts down. The reason for the overrides on the accelerator & clutch pedal is to keep the engine running if the cab is occupied.
 
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