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Hi Idle setting

1K views 12 replies 6 participants last post by  goats 
#1 ·
Hello all, my 99 7.3l powerstroke is finally running like new. 200, 000 on the clock but after 8k into the engine she runs so well. Heres my questuion to those who may know more. About midday each day in central cali where I live temps rise to nearly 100 or higher. For about an hour each day I find myself resting or napping in the truck before going back to hustle of work. I keep A/C on max, and just idle her. The temp guage never moves above what it always is, idle is smooth, although the A/C is just very slightly less efficient than if I was driving. I also have a chip on her with a dial on the dash that has a setting called HI among 6 other settings. If I switch her to high idle the RPM jumps to 2100. Fearing that this is too high for idle I leave it off and go to normal idle. Is what im doing safe with normal idle in 100 degrees for one hr everyday? Or should I just switch her to 2100 rpm from now on? Staying inside my work place for my break isnt an option. Ive heard mixed things. Any other outside the box solutions? Like changing to certain motor oil in summers??
 
#2 · (Edited)
My guess is the clutch on your a/c compressor is slipping. You can remove a shim or 2 and it will fix this issue, its a common problem.
 
#3 ·
I don't think anything is wrong with your AC, sounds normal to me.

The high idle setting should be 1100-1300 RPM though. 2100 is way to high
 
#4 ·
Hi Joel, ya I think this is normal. All my cars trucks have had problems gaining full efficiency in cooling the cab while idling in 100 degree. Is there a way to add freon? And yes, 2100rpm is too high I feel like. Never mind the fuel consumption problem, im just worried it is too high of rpm and could damage my engine. So I just idle her at normal rpm below 1000.
 
#5 ·
It only takes a few minutes to try, it has fixed more than one of my trucks in the past.
 
#7 ·
Holy crap, im not mechanically inclined but im willing to try that. Im most worried about engine idling for that long everyday. Ac itself when set on max feels cool but im so paranoid this will cause damage. But thanks for the tips guys. Any more info would be helpful about engine stress, oil for better friction protection etc...
 
#6 ·
I live in dallas and cold ac is a must too! I just did the ac mod, you install a vacuum actuated ball valve on the coolant lines running to the heater core, it shuts off the flow of coolant, my ac went from 62* to 51*! total cost was $35.00 and about 45 mins.

heres the link: http://m.ford-trucks.com/forums/atta...5&d=1246564179
 
#9 ·
The link won't open for me.
 
#8 ·
You can run oil analysis test for about $20 from Blackstone laboratories in Indiana, that will tell you a lot about your engine. I and many others love Rotella T6 synthetic oil. Blackstone labs says I can safely run 10k miles Inbetween oil changes. I don't tow or anything, I idle during the week sometimes 20-45 mins per session, sometimes my truck is running all day driving and idling.


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#12 ·
My 03 CCSB is the same way. Sit in the sun a while, A/C barely drops the temp below about 90 (if ambient is 100 or more). And takes forever to drop to that 90, running on high fan setting max a/c. Pressures 245 high/28-35 low, so it's in the ballpark. And that's sitting idle with no appreciable airflow over the condensor, ambient 97° humidity about 58% relative. Vent temps in the high 70's. My boss's '03 was the exact same way.

I saw mention of an electric fan on the condensor, but I can't remember if it was on this forum or another. I tried searching and saw mention of E-fans for the primary cooling fan, but nothing of the condensor. I seem to remember the poster saying that the condensor-only fan worked excellent, especially at idle with vehicle not moving.

I would be interested in doing the vacuum valve mod if it works, but the link doesn't work.
 
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