What do people think about turbo timers, how well do they work and are any of them compatible with alarms. I have a Toad Ai606 and the immobiliser cuts in about 30 secs after the engine is turned off. I assume this will cause problems if using a turbo timer but thought I'd see if any of you have found ways around it.

watches are better than turbo timers, as they don't need setting everytime u switch the engine on

I bought a turbo timer a couple of weeks ago for my Z, got fed up with sitting and waiting. Was also worried about the implications with the alarm, mine cuts in after 15 seconds, I usually wait until the engine has stopped before setting the alarm. My timer, like most, has a cut out wire to the handbrake so if anyone does try to steal it as soon as they releas the handbrake the engine cuts out. usually you have to hammer the turbos to get a high setting on the timer but if you let them cool down with a steady drive timer setting is only about 15/20 secs anyway.

Personally, I give my turbos (when their not in the garage) at least 1 minute minimum, and anywhere up to 5mins for hard as f*ck drivin'....

If at home it's good to lift the bonnet up as well in hot weather/after long run to help cooling

I guess the safest option is to go for an alarm that has its own turbo timer as an option. Some of the Clifford's have this I think. Presumably the electronics arm the alarm immediately, then wait till the engine is shut down before activating the immobiliser.

Does anyone know exactly what damage would be done to the turbo's if you didnt let the car tickover for a few minutes after a hard drive?

I have a turbo timer but never use it , i always cruise home easy for a couple miles and leave it runnin for 3 mins aswell, but what actually happens if you dont?

I believe it's called coking. It's where the hot oil will bake in the turbos.

 

Vijay

You can damage the bearings through lack of lubcrication. Also as Ajay mentioned you can get coking beacuse the excessive heat in the turbo causes the lighter parts of the oil to burn off, leaving behind a burnt sticky glaze which eventually will destroy the turbo.

It really is better, especially if you have been driving it very hard to run the car at about 1500revs steadily for around 3 minutes, the oil flow at idle is not really good enough to cool the turbo down enough.

 

Paul

It's Vijay ;)

 

VIJAY

Sorry Vijay:) :)

I hope you haven't been mentally damaged by the mis-identification. Seriously, sorry, too much boose last night, too many windows open at the same time.

 

Paul (SparkZ)

Would be interesting to know from anyone that has had the

same turbos for years, what they do, or dont as the case may be.

I personally look at my watch and give the car 5 mins. ticking over.

Perhaps I am wrong - so far so good though.

Anybody had the same turbos for years??

 

Mark

Hi Paul,

 

No problem mate, your certainly not the first to have done it:)

 

Vijay

im not sure if im missing something with turbotimers!!

 

the whole point is to allow oil to carry on circulating after a good hard thrash right??

 

so what do we do, install a turbotimer to let the car continue to idle after a good pasting - idle, when the oil pressure & flow is the lowest??

 

just drive off boost for 5 mins before parking up!!!

 

or like i said, am i missing something?? :confused:

Paul C, spot on!!!

Thats the problem, turbo timers are better than just shutting down after a hard run but they are not the best sollution. You are better running at fast idle than driving for 5 mins with no boost though. At fast idle while stationary the load on the engine is very low and thus exhaust gasses are cooler and less abundant causing the turbo to spin much slower than if you are just driving off boost. Even when driving off boost the turbo is spinning significantly faster than when stationary with no extra engine load.

 

IMHO (which may be worth listening too or not) it would be better to drive the last few miles home without using boost and then allow engine to idle at around 1500 revs steadily for a few minutes once stationary. This should provide the best shutdown conditions for the turbos and the engine.

Might be a pain in the arse but then changing the turbo's quicker than may be needed is a bigger one, not to mention the cost!!!

 

Paul (SparkZ)

Get a house like mine with a sloping drive an inch wider than the car... which means it takes me those five minutes to get the bloody thing on in reverse at 1500 revs. :-)

 

But seriously folks... I drive the last mile or so off-boost, and then my last 500 yards is all crawling in first gear over speed ramps, and then the tricky reverse onto the drive - so that gets the turbos down to off-boost speeds. I just let it idle for another couple of minutes whilst I put CDs away, turn the AC off, etc, then go inside and use the remote stop once I've got the kettle on. Cos I've got remote stop I don't really see the need for a timer.

I read a lot about people thrashing their turbos --- whereas, me, I never do things like that.:) :)

 

 

Honestly, officer, I was barely going above 45.

 

 

 

Or, at least, you won't catch me doing things like that.........

 

 

But, sure, back off a while before stopping rather than trust to electronic gimmick.

Originally posted by Nelson MainFella

watches are better than turbo timers, as they don't need setting everytime u switch the engine on

 

What? my watch wont turn my engine off from inside my house 5 minutes after I park up.

You lot want a nice little NA, you do, save you all this trouble :D