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How Long can the X Idle on a Full Tank

7K views 38 replies 24 participants last post by  Sexy-Terra 
#1 · (Edited)
Me and some friends are planning a camping trip this memorial day. We are going in the sticks. No cell coverage, bears and wolves. Its gonna be awesome.

Anyway. Forward operating base X will need some formal lighting aside from the fire.

How long do you think the X can run of a full tank at idle? Ive slept in it before doing some winter camping but turned it off and on through out the night which will probably end up happening with this trip. Im going to have a inverter running off the electrical system to power some LED work lights. No high current items.

But hypothetically, if I didnt turn it off, will a tank run for 12 hours? Or a full night?
 
#3 ·
You pulling my leg? There is so much conflicting info on this subject. One side of the fence says its bad for the engine, its far less efficient then the vehicle under load it mixes more fuel with the air, which accumulates in the engine oil....ext

And the other side of the fence reports its all gravy

Well I guess Im going to find out. When I think in my head, i really cant imagine more then a half tank at idle over 8 hours.

But I could be very wrong.
 
#5 ·
How is it bad for the engine? If the engine is running properly, it shouldn't be an issue at all. I would highly recommend buying a 2nd battery to bring with you. I've used my X camping a lot and have a power invertor plugged into the battery and used a box fan all night long and it cranks just fine in the morning. If you have a quality battery, you won't need to run the X all night long. Just periodically crank it for 10-15 mins to let the alt charge it if you are really concerned about it. All depends on how many lights you are running and what their wattage is. I have left a 30w 10" bar on for over 6 hours and I expected it to not crank up but it fired right up. All depends on the quality of your current battery but def bring another one with you or a jump box just in case.
 
#6 ·
How is it bad for the engine? If the engine is running properly, it shouldn't be an issue at all.
I agree that this shouldn't be an issue for the engine, but race cars and dirt bikes are always racing their engines at the starting line in order to circulate oil.

Perhaps this explains that train of thought? Just trying to understand the other side. Perhaps they say that the engine would starve for oil after hours of idling.

But to reiterate your point, if the engine is functioning properly it shouldn't matter
 
#13 ·
I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around running the engine just for lighting. But everyone has their own idea's about camping. So to fit your needs I suggest not using the Xterra engine, and instead bringing along a small portable generator.

A gas powered generator is designed just for this type of work, for small loads, it will use only a bit of gas, depending on model I would not be suprised if you could go all night on a single tank (the tanks are small). And best of all, you totally avoid the questions that have been risen about idlying your X for a long time.

Tom
 
#15 ·
Get a lantern for $15. Enjoy being in the woods. Hear the leaves rustling and critters about. Experience the peacefulness of the quiet wonderful woods. I would not want to camp with someone who wants to idle their engine the whole time where I can't hear or smell the campfire, I just hear and smell engines and exhaust like I'm at a stoplight.

maybe the question isn't if you could, but rather if you SHOULD...

My $0.02
 
#17 ·
If your using Xterra to protect yea from the wolfs & Bears, Or Cold Weather.. for Heat. great. Unless your having a Mega Party with Women and Brass Dance pole.. Then we want photos.
Just for camp lighting all night long.. With Xterra no longer being made. Save the engine!.

This would be your best option for power source. Bonus, will power other things.

 
#20 ·
Should have seen this coming.

You all are a hard bunch!!!

More the. Likely it won't be running for more then a hour or so. There will be lanterns but when fire wood runs short, I wanna be able to light the woods up.

It's for sure not a necessity by any means, but where we are going, I like knowing if I had to, there would be no issue.

Last year my poor got knocked out for 2 days, I used my truck then to power simple eminities but it was on and off for short stretches.

I'm debating ordering a 250 watt panel off Amazon with a charge controller. I have three deep cycle agm batteries from a hcamper solar setup up. Wouldn't mind hooking those up up in series no juice the pure sine in inverter.
 
#26 ·
Should have seen this coming.



You all are a hard bunch!!!



More the. Likely it won't be running for more then a hour or so. There will be lanterns but when fire wood runs short, I wanna be able to light the woods up.



It's for sure not a necessity by any means, but where we are going, I like knowing if I had to, there would be no issue.



Last year my poor got knocked out for 2 days, I used my truck then to power simple eminities but it was on and off for short stretches.



I'm debating ordering a 250 watt panel off Amazon with a charge controller. I have three deep cycle agm batteries from a hcamper solar setup up. Wouldn't mind hooking those up up in series no juice the pure sine in inverter.


In series? You must mean that those AGM batteries are 4 VDC?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#22 ·
Thats what camping is... fire for light and heat. Headlamps for takin a leak (or deucer). Enjoy the peace and tranquility nature has to offer! Use the rig as a last resort. During day thats one of your tasks... Go out and find wood, cut wood!

Good luck out there and have fun! Hope you are not relying on your X for the power supply. And in no way am I being mean or rude... just like others, and want to throw in my two cents.
 
#23 ·
This thread is weird. I'm still not sure what you are asking. IMO, there is no reason to run your X at all, unless you intend to drive it. Let me see if I have this straight, you are going camping.... yes?

Take camping gear, and enjoy it. You know, warm clothes (layers), dry place to sleep (tent or X), sleeping bag, food, water, lights (not the ones on your X), something to cook on or in. That's about it.

Unless it gets down to -10 or -15 deg. There shouldn't be any reason to sit in your X with engine running, and frankly if you're using it for light, you're doing it wrong.
 
#24 ·
It's for sure not a necessity by any means, but where we are going, I like knowing if I had to, there would be no issue.
In a purely survivalist situation you wouldn't idle continually.
As discussed above, you would power on for a few minutes to heat the interior, the turn the motor off.
Repeat every 15-20 minutes or so, until rescued. Simply maintains temperature above freezing.

Or in your case until dawn when the bears and wolves retreat. ;)

The greater risk isn't to the motor necessarily, but carbon mono-oxide build up. Mitigate that and you should be fine all night IMO.
 
#25 ·
Why run it all night for light? Why use the truck lights? Use camping lights.

That being said, I have a National Luna dual battery system. I don't run mine at all for light. It runs my fridge, a fan, and occasional lighting all night.

Get a lantern my friend


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#27 ·
So opinions aside, how long do you think?

Lanterns aren't going to cut it, this isnt gonna be your typical sitting around the camp fire escapade. We gonna need light, lots of it to light targets and tanerite up in the wee hours of the night.
 
#31 ·
Targets? Tannerite? Sounds like you are lighting up a range for shooting.

That's better than the burning man like rave I was envisioning.

I hope you are doing it where you aren't bothering anyone else. I'd be pissed if that was going on.
 
#32 ·
So opinions aside, how long do you think?
It can take me upwards of 8 hours of driving to get from Sacramento to San Diego.
I suspect that dawn will come long before your idling Xterra runs out of fuel.


But, please, Dear God ... PLEASE know what's behind your targets in daylight.
 
#33 ·
If your use is lighting up targets at night why not just get weaponlights? Both Streamlight and Surefire make them to mount onto pistols or rifles. Otherwise, I'm in the same boat as everyone else here reading this.
 
#35 ·
I upped my power system big time. Well the install isn't done yet but I bought the supplies.

I purchased 3 deep cycle marine batteries rated @ 120a@20hr.

A new 3500w peak surge pure sine wave inverter

150a continuous duty relay

All the wiring/switches to connect it all.

I'm going to connect it to the xterra power sys with the relay inline to brake the connection because the marines will slowly kill my main car battery if it were linked all the time.

I am a general contractor and been wanting a way to power tools in the field when no mains are available.

Eventually I'll tie solar into it but that's another story.

None the less, it shall get me through the night at base X.
 
#38 ·
So I see a few issues with extended idle times. Depending on how much power you are drawing, you might be depleting the battery even with it idling. The alternator is for keeping the battery maintained. Not an alternative power source. With it just idling it may not be keeping up with the load.

Extended idle times can be bad also for the engine. There could be issues with fuel mixture and fouling, long constant RPMS can also cause abnormal cylinder wear.

Buy a generator.
Energizer 2,200-Watt Gasoline Portable Inverter Generator-eZV2200 - The Home Depot

I own the larger version. Just as quiet as a Honda. I did have an issue with the carb jet getting clogged but that was because I thought the fuel stabilizer would last longer than it really does. They just purr quietly. It also comes with 12v leads so if the Xterra were to die you could recharge the battery in it too.
 
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