How do you start a 18 wheeler?

my freind left the country on vacation for a month and a half and he is a trucker. he left me the truck keys and asked me to let it run for 30 minutes every week. he said i have to close the door and turn the ignition one click, the the gauges will move to half way up, pause move to the end of the gauge, pause drop back downall the way and then move back to half before falling down again. after that sequence he said i can the turn the key the rest of the way and start the truck. i tried and the the truck just kept turning over but wouldn't start. :(