How does it work: Turbo timer?

[Dave]

Like the topic says, how does it work? I know it keeps the turbo spinning when you shut it off...but thats about all.

Thanks,
-Bryan
89 Spirit

[Mario_Boost]

All that a turbo timer does is let your engine idle for a set amount of time after you turn off your ignition and get out of your car. You can set it anywhere from 30 sec.-5 min. or instead of buying one, you could just let your car run for a few min. after driving to allow the turbo's bearings to cool down.

[Timmay2]

Funniest thing about turbo timers, is the dont have good proof behind them. Just the idea.

With your car sitting at idle, your engine bay is going to be pretty darn hot. Not to mention your block/head heat up QUICK due to the lack of airflow through the radiator and as coolant temps rise. All that heat goes into the block, into the oil, and turbo temperatures dont change all that much. The heat the oil and water is extracting from the turbo, dont matter, since the oil and water is heating right back up in the block/head.. quickly.

I was a big pro for the whole "several minute cooldown"... Until i woke up one day and realized, as i hit my hand on the wall "damn this burn hurts".. wait a minute... i scalded my hand 3 hours after I parked my car working underneath and bumping into the turbo.

Realistically now, how much of a temperature drop is a couple minutes going to do? Enough to matter? Consider how hot the turbo and its internals are hours after parking, and try to tell me a couple minutes cools it enough to matter.. To people selling you things, sure itll matter. Its like the difference between a 200 and a 205hp car. Difference between a 11.5 and 12 amp vacuum. Difference between a PUR and PUR II water filter.

A whole lot easier to just use Synthetic oil...

[xrattiracer]

go for a long drive on the interstate sometime at night. pull into a rest stop and immediately pop the hood. notice the turbo and exhaust manifold glowing. let car continue idling for 30 seconds. notice turbo not glowing as much.
now this is not to say that a turbo timer is needed. youre only gonna get the turbo that hot by running the engine at high rpms or high load for an extended length of time. normally the drive from the interstate offramp through city streets to your home is enough to cool the turbo down.
so in short, a turbo timer is yet another overpriced useless piece of electronics spawned by the ricer crowd. but you do need to be aware of when a cooldown is needed and when its not.

[Timmay2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xrattiracer go for a long drive on the interstate sometime at night. pull into a rest stop and immediately pop the hood. notice the turbo and exhaust manifold glowing. let car continue idling for 30 seconds. notice turbo not glowing as much. now this is not to say that a turbo timer is needed. youre only gonna get the turbo that hot by running the engine at high rpms or high load for an extended length of time. normally the drive from the interstate offramp through city streets to your home is enough to cool the turbo down. so in short, a turbo timer is yet another overpriced useless piece of electronics spawned by the ricer crowd. but you do need to be aware of when a cooldown is needed and when its not.

Yep.