azmi951

Ok, time to buy a turbo timer.

Do any of our sounsorors have the apexi one that also displays air to fuel?

If not which one do you recomend???

Thanks

Sean

v944god

Well I thought turbo timers were not needed since our turbos are watercooled.

kevin Dubois

turbo timers are not needed because our cars have them built in. you have a small turbo water pump right off of the coolant resevior that will run even when the car is off until the temp drops to a certain level. all it does is circulate water through the turbo.

azmi951

I was under the impression that even though it does circulate water after shutdown that it can still benifit from being idled before shutdown.

Jon Moeller

Your impression is correct. The circulating water does help to prolong the life of the turbo, but when you shut the car down after a hot run, the oil stops in the turbo. The water helps to speed cooling, but if the oil is stagnant, you still have an issue.

I'm installing an older blitz DTT unit that I purchased off ebay. The unit provides a boost gauge, too, but I mainly chose it for the price. Turbo timers are incredibly simple devices, and I don't think it's worth spending a lot of money on one.

-Jon

turbo944

A lot of them leave your engine running though, meaning if you leave your car you will have to leave your car out of gear and trust only to the parking brake that your car isn't going to go visit the street, another car, etc. without your permission. I usually try to drive slowly the last couple of miles before I stop and then spend a minute or two letting it idle while I get ready to get out of the car rather than just shutting it off as soon as I stop. That gives me time to unbuckle my belt, set the parking brake, put the sunshade in to protect my uncracked dash, and grab anything I need. At home, especially if I've been out driving a good bit or driving hard, I usually pop the hood and leave it up to help with the cooling as well.

Peckster

Maybe this is obvious, but not to me. What does a turbo timer do? What is it timing, or controlling? Neither the vehicle oil or cooling system is operating after the car is shut down, except for the turbo pump which is already on a timer.

Sam Lin

All turbo timers keep the car running. I often park using only the parking brake, not leave it in gear, that doesn't concern me. In keeping the car running, the key is the oil stays flowing through the turbo, which is far superior to only having the water circulating like the stock setup.

Sam

Sam Lin

Peckster, a turbo timer simply keeps the car running for a set amount of time after you physically turn off the key and lock/leave the car.

Sam

turbo944

Hehe....glad you feel that way out there in what is likely much flatter country! Here there are a plethora of hills that I end up parked on during many occasions and I wouldn't be comfortable at all using only the parking brake then.

Jon Moeller

Regardless of what type of country you're driving through, a turbo timer is definitely a worthwhile consideration, if you're interested in extending the life of your turbo.

I'm installing mine so that I can allow the car to cool down after a hard lapping session. Could I just let the car idle, and come back and shut it off? Yes, but the turbo timer provides a level of convenience, like power locks or keyless entry. I don't have to return to the car once I park. So, if I'm helping a friend bleed brakes, creating air pollution in a restroom, or just watching a different run group, I can be assured that my turbo has cooled properly, and I'm not wasting extra gas.

A hot turbo needs more than a minute to cool down, and I don't feel like being tied to my car for an extra 3-5 minutes after each driving session, or after making a dash to work when I'm already late. If I've got to park on a steep hill, I can just turn off the timer.

-Jon

Sam Lin

Regardless of what terrain we're on, and we do park on steep hillsides at times, like my friend's driveway, if the handbrake is properly set it's way more than enough to hold the car. Plus, a couple of local racers have gotten me into the habit of NEVER leaving it in gear, due to uneven loads on the tranny gears while they cool, resulting in uneven cooling and added wear from thermal deformation.

Sam

Jason Judd

resulting in uneven cooling and added wear from thermal deformation...

Couldn't the same be said for applying the parking brake to a heated rotor...Or is the parking brake a drum which is completely separate from the disc brake? If so, would this still possibly change how the rotor cools down?

Jason Judd