[Euro] Turbo Timer

[coladuna]

I wonder why people are even arguing the need for a turbo timer on a Euro when even my turbocharged WRX doesn't come with a turbo timer, which makes me think it's pretty much a waste of time fitting one on a modern turbocharged cars, let alone a N/A car!
How many people drive all day long as if they are racing on a track?
It may have some purpose for track driven cars,which I don't care about, but for street application, I wonder how many people will actually benefit from it.

[Mr_will]

I wonder why people are even arguing the need for a turbo timer on a Euro when even my turbocharged WRX doesn't come with a turbo timer, which makes me think it's pretty much a waste of time fitting one on a modern turbocharged cars, let alone a N/A car!
How many people drive all day long as if they are racing on a track?
It may have some purpose for track driven cars,which I don't care about, but for street application, I wonder how many people will actually benefit from it.

just because a factory car doesnt come with something doesnt mean its a waste, thats stupid logic.

the fact is if you have a nice fang in your wrx then turn it off straight away without driving a little more sedately to let the turbo cool down and get the hot oil away, your turbo will quickly die.

[aaronng]

I wonder why people are even arguing the need for a turbo timer on a Euro when even my turbocharged WRX doesn't come with a turbo timer, which makes me think it's pretty much a waste of time fitting one on a modern turbocharged cars, let alone a N/A car!
How many people drive all day long as if they are racing on a track?
It may have some purpose for track driven cars,which I don't care about, but for street application, I wonder how many people will actually benefit from it.

LOL, people are too lazy to just drive gently for the last 1-2km back before they reach home. Silly. I'd rather drive gently. If I was on track, I'd have a cool down lap and then either idle the car (coolant is hot enough that the radiator comes on) or to go on the roads outside the track and have a gently cruise to have the air blowing past the radiator (even more effective).

[Omotesando]

Albii - I'm sorry to inform you but a Turbo Timer is barely a timer that keeps the engine running/idling for a period of time. I don't know what kind of function or miracle you 'presume' it performs when its installed 'that will keep oil running in the turbo', but unfortunately it doesn't do anything more than a change of the dial on the oven clockwise, so your turkey will bake for another 15 minutes.

Oil always runs through the turbo even not on boost. If it doesn't, then everytime your turbo spools up you'll be hearing screeches.

Also, oil I agree isn't mainly used for cooling but to say that it doesn't cool is very unrealistic. In phsyics/chemistry, anything that is running at a lower temp next to a higher temperature component, will absorb heat. Heat always transfer to the cooler side its a law of nature.

The fact that there are Oil Cooled Turbos on this planet already proves you're not grasping the central idea...

Have you ever owned an Oil Cooled Turbo car? Check out some of the old Saabs.

2ndly, on a race track, one of the main reasons why people increase the engine oil sump size and with fins inside and outside, is because more oil means engine runs cooler, the fins outside dissipate heat better, while the internal fins plus larger capacity gets rid of oil starvation problems.

[vtec_jet]

great discussion ...

chance a few N/A drivers are gona be havin turbo timers now .. lol

[aaronng]

My DIY turbo timer: A 5 minute egg timer. I stop my car and start the timer. When it goes "Ding", I turn the engine off.

[coladuna]

just because a factory car doesnt come with something doesnt mean its a waste, thats stupid logic.

the fact is if you have a nice fang in your wrx then turn it off straight away without driving a little more sedately to let the turbo cool down and get the hot oil away, your turbo will quickly die.

I think the most stupid logic is the fact that some people are considering or even have installed a turbo timer on a N/A car.
Please name a turbocharged car that comes with turbo timer from factory. I have not read a single word of warning in my owner's manual about cooling down the car before turning off the ignition after a hard drive. If there was a chance of any damage being done to the engine, I think they would've mentioned it.

WRX, WRX STi, Golf GTi, Polo GTi, XR6 Turbo, S15 etc etc don't have a timer from factory, and N/A cars surely won't need one. Simple as that.

[Omotesando]

Good point.... if its important then it'll be installed from factory.

On the stock WRX 1997 I tested once, on the side of the door it did say - please let car cool down after a spirited drive though. Didn't really see it on any subsequent WRX's I tested (I go and test cars all the time hmmm if I'm interested in purchasing it). Haven't tested the 2.5L WRX however - pigs nose.

[[[d a n n y]]]

I think the most stupid logic is the fact that some people are considering or even have installed a turbo timer on a N/A car.
Please name a turbocharged car that comes with turbo timer from factory. I have not read a single word of warning in my owner's manual about cooling down the car before turning off the ignition after a hard drive. If there was a chance of any damage being done to the engine, I think they would've mentioned it.

WRX, WRX STi, Golf GTi, Polo GTi, XR6 Turbo, S15 etc etc don't have a timer from factory, and N/A cars surely won't need one. Simple as that.

obviously u have noidea what will happen if u dont let your car cool down..
rather than forcing it to cool down with sudden tempreture change. (shutting it off)..cooling it with the gradual decreasing tempreture is wise. (letting it run for about a 1-2 or too.
if there was no benefit out of it.
why do bignames HKS,trust,apexi etc spend lot of money developing these products.

[albii]

Albii - I'm sorry to inform you but a Turbo Timer is barely a timer that keeps the engine running/idling for a period of time. I don't know what kind of function or miracle you 'presume' it performs when its installed 'that will keep oil running in the turbo', but unfortunately it doesn't do anything more than a change of the dial on the oven clockwise, so your turkey will bake for another 15 minutes.

Oil always runs through the turbo even not on boost. If it doesn't, then everytime your turbo spools up you'll be hearing screeches.

Also, oil I agree isn't mainly used for cooling but to say that it doesn't cool is very unrealistic. In phsyics/chemistry, anything that is running at a lower temp next to a higher temperature component, will absorb heat. Heat always transfer to the cooler side its a law of nature.

The fact that there are Oil Cooled Turbos on this planet already proves you're not grasping the central idea...

Have you ever owned an Oil Cooled Turbo car? Check out some of the old Saabs.

2ndly, on a race track, one of the main reasons why people increase the engine oil sump size and with fins inside and outside, is because more oil means engine runs cooler, the fins outside dissipate heat better, while the internal fins plus larger capacity gets rid of oil starvation problems.

i'm not getting my point across..sorry..i know it's simply a timer ..

[wynode]

why do bignames HKS,trust,apexi etc spend lot of money developing these products.

So that consumers like us can buy them and fund their existance

BUt yeah...IMO turbo timer on an NA car is a waste. You only drive it hard every so often....and for that minority of time just drive around the block till the car cools down!

[thenozman]

Sorry guys but i am not really seeing the point to this discussion.

A turbo timer is designed to ensure that a turbo charger is given a chance to cool down and that any oil and water in the turbo charger doesnt cook.

Think of it this way, trash a turbo hard and you can get the turbo to glow. If you were to shut the engine down without allowing the temperatures to normalise two potential problems emerge:

1. The turbo will cool down too quickly which may lead to the turbo housing cracking, exhaust manifold cracking and excess wear on the turbo seals and bearings (i.e. the differing metals in the turbo will cool at differing rates);

2. Oil sitting in a housing that it at 500-600 degrees celcius will cook, this would could cause the oil to turn to sludge pretty quickly leading to choking of the oil lines and journals in the turbo, thereby leading to bearing damage from oil starvation.

The above problems are inherant to turbos due to their high operating temperatures.

I dont ever remember seeing a n/a car this hot!!!

Sure you can get a n/a car hot but if you are driving that hard you shouldnt be on a public road and you ought give it a cool down but nowhere near the amount of time required by a turbo. I am not saying that a cool down for a n/a car after a thrash is not required, but you would not need a cool down after say driving home from work of to the shops normally.

PS. Most manuals for turbo cars do say to give the car a cool down. I've owned a few. However, with the advent of water cooled turbos the need for a cool down after normal driving (i.e. no excessive boosting) is deminished. Anyway since when has it been the case that just because a manufacturer doesnt tell you to do something that means that it isn't required.