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Transit van ??????

2FORCEFULL

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So, here's the deal.... transit vans... mercedes, ford, and ram,... it used to be my rule that you do not let any car sit and idle with the AC on,... I was taught that the head temp on the compressor gets extrere and will cause failure..... but, now I'm reading of people with ford transit van idling with AC on over night.... also, the ram conversion vans don't have gens, they have what they call on board generators... which is just a high output alt. some times while on the road, i need to take a nap,... so, is it safe for the ford transit van to idle for say an hour or so with the ac on.... I cut out tweeker tint panels for the windows, and bought the windshield sun blocker...... it would be real cool if you could do this,... I have the ecoboost engine in the transit
 

Mandelon

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All the people sitting at the border crossing every day for hours on end do it...
 

Flying_Lavey

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So, here's the deal.... transit vans... mercedes, ford, and ram,... it used to be my rule that you do not let any car sit and idle with the AC on,... I was taught that the head temp on the compressor gets extrere and will cause failure..... but, now I'm reading of people with ford transit van idling with AC on over night.... also, the ram conversion vans don't have gens, they have what they call on board generators... which is just a high output alt. some times while on the road, i need to take a nap,... so, is it safe for the ford transit van to idle for say an hour or so with the ac on.... I cut out tweeker tint panels for the windows, and bought the windshield sun blocker...... it would be real cool if you could do this,... I have the ecoboost engine in the transit
The only way that rule kinda applies to the A/C is the older vehicles with a clutched fan. Even then they have high pressure controls to cut the compressor when the pressures (temp) is too high. Modern vehicles with electric fans allow the A/C system to energize the fans as well. Not just the coolant temp.
 

CLdrinker

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Well... My company truck was a beat up Chevy. And during the summer that truck never shut off for 12hrs a day for 2 years before I gave it back.
I would drive from pole to pole and the truck would idle for the 30-45 minutes before I drove to the next pole and repeat.
Never had 1 AC issue.

so I think it will be ok lol
 

LowRiver2

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Well... My company truck was a beat up Chevy. And during the summer that truck never shut off for 12hrs a day for 2 years before I gave it back.
I would drive from pole to pole and the truck would idle for the 30-45 minutes before I drove to the next pole and repeat.
Never had 1 AC issue.

so I think it will be ok lol

Crown vics
Ford explorers
Dodge V6 /v8 base chargers
Chevy 02-19tahoes
05-17 GMC 2500 6.0’s

All of the above have had AC’s run from 2-10 hours at a time non stop in LA

LAPD

Per my fleet supervisor (30 years on), 0 A/C’s from hundreds of those broke while running
Fan motors would get replaced around 100k miles of that usage, fwiw

First hand info, just passing on
 

Ziggy

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It's more likely the cat would overheat.
 

DLow

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I have a ‘16 Transit 350 with the Ecoboost. That thing will idle all day long in PHX heat pumping out cold A/C with zero issues.
 

motormonkey

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With variable compressors, high and low switches and elec fans I don't think it's an issue anymore. Just like starting and turning off your vehicle with the compressor engaged is not an issue either anymore.
 

Bigbore500r

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So, here's the deal.... transit vans... mercedes, ford, and ram,... it used to be my rule that you do not let any car sit and idle with the AC on,... I was taught that the head temp on the compressor gets extrere and will cause failure..... but, now I'm reading of people with ford transit van idling with AC on over night.... also, the ram conversion vans don't have gens, they have what they call on board generators... which is just a high output alt. some times while on the road, i need to take a nap,... so, is it safe for the ford transit van to idle for say an hour or so with the ac on.... I cut out tweeker tint panels for the windows, and bought the windshield sun blocker...... it would be real cool if you could do this,... I have the ecoboost engine in the transit
LEO's idle their vehicles with AC on all shift.....

Newer vehicles mostly all run electric fans, which are capable of passing more CFM of air thru the radiator and condenser at idle, which keeps head temps in check and improves low speed AC performance.
 

Motor Boater

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Most people don’t keep their cars long enough to ever encounter any of these problems. Run it hard while you own it and send it down the road.
 

2FORCEFULL

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just did a test run to lake mead... took a hour nap...worked perfect...gauge never moved on the temp...couldn't hear the engine run, way quieter than a rv gen
 

Backlash

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Surprised it took 12 posts to point out the obvious. 😁
 

traquer

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My 2003 Suburban had the AC go out a few years back, 120k miles. Not sure if it had anything to do with it but the truck idled quite a bit at launch ramps over the years in summer river weather. Lasted over 10 years though with lots of river trips
 

Jimmyv

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At work, I’ve seen F150’s idle for hours on end without issue. Transit’s are based on the same drivetrain packages, so I wouldn’t think this would be a problem. Wife has a 2018 Transit van, we don’t idle hours on end, but I wouldn’t be concerned to.

Prior to this van we had a diesel Mercedes Sprinter. I was nervous to idle for long periods, concerned it might foul the converter/particulate filter. Part of why we didn’t go back to a diesel.

J
 

2FORCEFULL

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At work, I’ve seen F150’s idle for hours on end without issue. Transit’s are based on the same drivetrain packages, so I wouldn’t think this would be a problem. Wife has a 2018 Transit van, we don’t idle hours on end, but I wouldn’t be concerned to.

Prior to this van we had a diesel Mercedes Sprinter. I was nervous to idle for long periods, concerned it might foul the converter/particulate filter. Part of why we didn’t go back to a diesel.

J
i've also have had the sprinter and the ford, and the express. chevy... i would hands down buy the expess over all,... but we wanted the mid roof, the same option mercedes VS ford was 40k.more ... and didn't have the rear ac...
 

2FORCEFULL

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i'm kinda old school, we used to get trucks in the shop, low miles and needed a compressor for the ac...... all of them sat and idled with ac on.....

but, the new one's have half the size of motor, and electric fans...the old one's (r134) wouldn't blow cold on the freeway, and for sure would blow warm if you just sat there,,
 

rivermobster

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So, here's the deal.... transit vans... mercedes, ford, and ram,... it used to be my rule that you do not let any car sit and idle with the AC on,... I was taught that the head temp on the compressor gets extrere and will cause failure..... but, now I'm reading of people with ford transit van idling with AC on over night.... also, the ram conversion vans don't have gens, they have what they call on board generators... which is just a high output alt. some times while on the road, i need to take a nap,... so, is it safe for the ford transit van to idle for say an hour or so with the ac on.... I cut out tweeker tint panels for the windows, and bought the windshield sun blocker...... it would be real cool if you could do this,... I have the ecoboost engine in the transit

Diesels are designed to idle for days on end. Gas engines, unless they have roller tappets, are not.

You'll end up with a flat cam in no time with a flat tappet engine.

The AC can go forever.
 

Jimmyv

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i've also have had the sprinter and the ford, and the express. chevy... i would hands down buy the expess over all,... but we wanted the mid roof, the same option mercedes VS ford was 40k.more ... and didn't have the rear ac...

We had a Chevy Express conversion van with the 6.0L (Pleasure-way Luxor) before the Sprinter. Loved that van, loved the 6.0L, but wanted the standing height van so we could ride the dirt bikes right up inside. Owned the Sprinter 5 years and sold it. A year later the wife wanted another one and we went Transit then. Love having the bikes onboard vs in the bed of a truck.

Waiting for Chevy to offer a high roof van. I’ll get in line to buy that next.

J
 

Melloyellovector

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Diesels are designed to idle for days on end. Gas engines, unless they have roller tappets, are not.

You'll end up with a flat cam in no time with a flat tappet engine.

The AC can go forever.
Cummins if I recall on rams are not designed to idle long. Something with the DEF system or something
I believe in manual it shows do not idle for extended periods of time.
 

Dalton

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LEO's idle their vehicles with AC on all shift.....

Newer vehicles mostly all run electric fans, which are capable of passing more CFM of air thru the radiator and condenser at idle, which keeps head temps in check and improves low speed AC performance.

I believe part of the police interceptor package raised the idle RPM on some models...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

2FORCEFULL

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We had a Chevy Express conversion van with the 6.0L (Pleasure-way Luxor) before the Sprinter. Loved that van, loved the 6.0L, but wanted the standing height van so we could ride the dirt bikes right up inside. Owned the Sprinter 5 years and sold it. A year later the wife wanted another one and we went Transit then. Love having the bikes onboard vs in the bed of a truck.

Waiting for Chevy to offer a high roof van. I’ll get in line to buy that next.

J
pretty much the road I've been down,.... probley never buy another low roof van, the new for mid roof is working great,... and for the price of a mercedes to get less,.... the ford has factory rear AC with nothing on the roof... I can go thru most drive through's now... we travel with the pets so being able to idle with ac on should work out great... on ours I put a queen size bed in the back that comes out easy, and we put the double big seat on the first row so easy to walk around.....but also I can put it back to stock in minutes...
 

Riverbound

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Cummins if I recall on rams are not designed to idle long. Something with the DEF system or something
I believe in manual it shows do not idle for extended periods of time.


As far as I have seen most modern diesels have a high idle option you can s to ate if you will see longer idle times. My Cummins would automatically raise idle when sitting for a while. My duramax does it as well.
 

Bigbore500r

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Diesels are designed to idle for days on end. Gas engines, unless they have roller tappets, are not.

You'll end up with a flat cam in no time with a flat tappet engine.

The AC can go forever.
5.9 Cummins diesels are flat tappet solid lifter. And interestingly enough, don’t require a lash adjustment until like 140k lol
 
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