Impact of non stop driving on the van (1 Viewer)

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42208

Deleted User
I have had a few occasions when it has suited me to just get to a destination (or get home) and I have driven the van for around 24 hours only stopping for fuel and to make up fresh flasks of coffee. You can get a long way from Calais very quickly eg Sweden or Portugal and I have another trip coming up where I will probably do the same. I understand the issues for the driver, however, something made me think about the van. Does it do a vehicle any harm to be run continuously for that sort of time? I know lorries do very long distance, however, they do have to stop regularly in line with the countries working time directive. Guess my thoughts were does it impact on the dpf or egr or oil degregration etc?
 
Oct 2, 2008
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It better to run constantly rather than start and stop. Most wear takes place when getting upto operating norms. This does not include long periods of idling as that can be detrimental particularly to diesels .
 
Jun 18, 2008
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Never mind the vehicle, there's no way you can concentrate on driving for 24 hours, no matter how much coffee you drink. Let me know when you plan to do the journey so I can make sure my family and friends are not on the roads when you're around.

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Billy23

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I have had a few occasions when it has suited me to just get to a destination (or get home) and I have driven the van for around 24 hours only stopping for fuel and to make up fresh flasks of coffee. You can get a long way from Calais very quickly eg Sweden or Portugal and I have another trip coming up where I will probably do the same. I understand the issues for the driver, however, something made me think about the van. Does it do a vehicle any harm to be run continuously for that sort of time? I know lorries do very long distance, however, they do have to stop regularly in line with the countries working time directive. Guess my thoughts were does it impact on the dpf or egr or oil degregration etc?




You say "I understand the issues for the driver"

I don't think you do buddy.
 

BreweryDave

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I've driven for 12 hours ( with stops) no problem.
I've worked for 48 hours straight no problem.
Doctors and similar often do shifts in excess of 24 hours.
Whilst not ideal, with regular breaks, it's no biggie as long as your young and fit enough.
Red bull helps;)

TBH I'd go a lot longer and further without the missus and the dog :p

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Oct 2, 2008
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I have found that you can still drive when you cant keep your eyelids up








but not for very long tho !!!
van.jpg
 

jollyrodger

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Have done similar trips ,but then used to long distance driving ,regular servicing a steady pace after initial warm up and a good planned route eats the miles ,and not harmful to the mechanical side ,after all it is a commercial vehicle base .imo :)

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tonka

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Going back to the 80's
I used to drive Fiat and merc vehicles delivering for BMW spares..
Had the night trunk Walsall to Carlisle 5 nights a week, So 100k a year. When I got back in the morning a day driver took the van then did a run as well. So it was virtually non stop for 5 days and nights.. "Drive it like you stole it" :D

REF the long driving... Sleeping and driving is NOT recommended ;) Cost me £80 fine and a CD10 on the license..:whistle::whistle:
I have never run over another VW since.. (y)(y)
 

Billy23

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I've driven for 12 hours ( with stops) no problem.
I've worked for 48 hours straight no problem.
Doctors and similar often do shifts in excess of 24 hours.
Whilst not ideal, with regular breaks, it's no biggie as long as your young and fit enough.
Red bull helps;)

TBH I'd go a lot longer and further without the missus and the dog :p



Does it become “a Biggie” when you kill someone.?
 

EX51SSS

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Tbf, I am a commercial driver and irrespective of what vehicles I drive, its extremely rare that I'd drive more than 4 hours at a stretch (allowed 4.5) without a decent break and I'd limit any travelling day to an absolute maximum of 10 hours including breaks. Yes, there's the hour laws that cover commercial drivers but there's my health that far outweighs any hours laws. I think, over the last 12 years driving the Moho, the maximum I've drove us around 6 hours with 2 breaks and that was from Folkestone to Manchester home. No way I'd consider doing a 6 hour plus stretch on holiday no matter what.
 

Mr B

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Some people swear by RedBull and “Columbian naughty chalk” :sneaky::sneaky::sneaky:
 

eddie

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It is easier to cover long distance as a couple. Lyn drives for a few hours, then we swap over.

I must admit that in our twenties either of us would happily drive back from Spain and not think twice about it.:eek:

Roll it on thirty years, the idea seems more daunting, but as I say Lyn drives for a while and I have a snooze and vice a versa(y)

I won't mention that the one not driving makes breakfast/lunch/dinner and hot drinks! :whistle:
 
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Put the cruise on and then get in the back for a few zzzzzzz's you'll be there before you know it, simples

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Oct 12, 2009
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The only time I drive for long hours now is when we are driving to UK from Poland for MOT, when if we feel like it I might drive more than 6 hours but with 3-4 breaks including a 30 min. lunch break. That is all M/Way except 5km this end, 2km at our first regular overnight Aire and 3km at the second, so not very busy except for just around Dresden, through Essen/Duisberg and near Antwerp.

We could take it slower but since we can only take 3-4 weeks away from Basia's Mother at a time we would rather cover the distance on good motorways and then potter in France.

Before I finally retired I was driving all over England/Wales, often on 10-12 hour days, even once, due traffic, 15 hours(Heathrow-Nottingham- Skipton - London) - company would have paid a hotel, but I wanted to get to my bed and it was late, so roads were clear.

I have only ever fallen asleep once - in a Boeing 737. We had done 3 consecutive night flights; I did the landing at Manchester, but the nose-wheel steering was on the Captain's side, and after reading the checklist I was gone till we got to the Gate - adrenaline must have kept me going till then. Fatigue kills more pilots driving back from the airport than aircraft crashes.

Geoff
 

TheBig1

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many many years! since I was a kid
your fiat ducato is the same van used for some front line ambulances. with shift changes, they only spend time parked up when in for servicing usually. mind some do now park at a&e for a few hours waiting to discharge
 

Snowbird

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Most harm is done to a diesel engine during warm up from cold. I had a Dodge Ram with a Cummins 6BT that was on regular runs from Manchester to the Med with marine spares. It had long range fuel tanks fitted and was only ever shut down for service every 20000 miles. The engine was never allowed to go cold and when I sold it, it was still going strong. You can see the alloy fuel tank that was fitted behind the cab so as it never made fuel stops.
img026.jpg
 
Feb 21, 2016
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Mr Reliant,the answer to your question is a very big .......No.
As to peeps who drive for hours on end,without proper rests,my opinion is they are a brick short of a load.

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Mar 31, 2015
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PLEASE, PLEASE ,PLEASE Drive careful the carnage is unbelievable.
Andy
Mr Reliant,the answer to your question is a very big .......No.
As to peeps who drive for hours on end,without proper rests,my opinion is they are a brick short of a load.
 
Jul 18, 2009
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One sure way of screwing your engine & gearbox until its fit for the re-cycle:

Drive for far too many hours and it will end up in the back of/side/of something else or a ditch.

I can drive very long hours, even in the dark. But I would never drive stupid hours or weary, let alone tired. Some days I can only manage a couple of hours and I pull over for a sleep. Some other times, I can drive from 8am-Midnight with stops and I am fine.

You know when you are weary and its time for at the very least a power nap. Anything else is as bad as drink driving or mobile phone use.

Happy & Safe Travels.

TM
 
OP
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4

42208

Deleted User
Mr Reliant,the answer to your question is a very big .......No.
As to peeps who drive for hours on end,without proper rests,my opinion is they are a brick short of a load.
A big no, which aspects of the van will suffer please so I can take appropriate measures

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Feb 21, 2016
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A big no, which aspects of the van will suffer please so I can take appropriate measures
You misunderstand I think.
You asked two questions,basically....will it harm my engine if I drive it continuously/ very long time? The answer is....no it will not hurt your engine to do that.
Just about any type of engine is better when it’s used regularly,and that includes running them for long periods.
However,as someone else has said,it is not so good to leave the engine ticking over for long periods,as grot can build up,in the exhaust system. That’s why some people recommend an occasional “ Italian tune up”. I.e take it out for a good run at higher revs,either by driving fast or,more easily,by holding in lower gears for longer.
Hope that’s useful?
 

mike mcglynn

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I drove up to do a job in Inverness many years ago non stop in the snow and it took me 9 hours that was ok until I tried to get out of drivers seat my back had gone and I had to work on a ship the next day at 7 am what a nightmare spent 3 days like the hunchback of Notre Dame .Would never ever do that again its 2/3 hours max now. its not always the engine that suffers

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