dff22

i've seen some posts mention this concerning these cars. Can someone elaborate on this as i am comtemplating the purchase of one. I assume warmup means don't just start the car and drive off, but not sure what cooldown refers to?

also would be curious as to what you folks think a cpo'd 04 turbo cab with 9000 miles should sell for?

thx in advance

ltc

As with any car (and more so a Turbo), do not get on the engine (boost) hard until the oil (not water) temperature has come up. Don't let the car just sit there and idle, it will warm faster by 'normal' driving.

For cool down, it is generally recommended to let the car idle for 1-2 minutes (after normal driving) and 3-5 minutes after "track/hard" driving. This allows the oil to circulate thru the turbos and cool down....

If you want much better explanations, do a search or send a PM to Rennlist member 'Kevin'.

wross996tt

Good advice except don't idle the car more than 2 minutes...regardless of how you drove it....the engine will be heat soaked. 1-2 minutes is good and should be done in all cases (according to Kevin).

David A

Yeah, let the oil warm up before you drive fast.

1AS

Now at 56,000 miles and have never "cooled down" (except at track). Reality has not matched dire predictions of turbo failure. AS

wross996tt

so not to stir the pot, but how many turbos do you have AS? I would bet it is a significantly smaller sample size than someone who rebuilds them. After all I have never been in an accident....does this mean accidents don't happen...LOL. Note to self....don't buy AS's turbo.

jcb-memphis

I'm a believer in the warm down. Always do it.

I've had accidents. None that were my fault....or so it would seem. None in this car, mind you...a long time ago in a 1984 celica ...

1AS

I've been on this board as long as I've owned my car, seven years. In this time, I have read the same advice on cool-down scores of times. But, I have not seen a flood of posts from irate owners about burnt-out turbos. Even though I check every day, maybe I missed it.
When I first posted that I don't have the time or the patience to cool down, I was told I would expect turbo failure at 40,000 miles. I will grant that Kevin is an expert, but recall he sees the failures, not the success stories. My guess is that most guys don't cool down, but don't care enough to talk about it, and don't make it to Kevin's shop. Therefore, the sample is skewed.
If I am proven wrong by events in the future, I will let you know. In the interim, I think a lot of guys are wasting a lot of time. If it were important, I'd expect Porsche to post a big warning and build in a cool down mechanism. I don't think the company would bet its reputation on building something that will routinely fail with routine use. But, if you enjoy sitting in a car for 2 minutes after every time you drive, go ahead. As I hope to keep my car for a long time, I will update the status every 10,000 miles or so.
Lastly, I don't get the comparison to "I've never been in an accident". This issue is related to an assertion of a causal relationship between 2 events, namely failure to cool down, and resultant turbo failure. Your example might make more sense if you said, I never slow for red lights, and I never had an accident. Nobody asserts that "driving" typically results in collisions. But, one would contend that failing to stop for red lights will result in more accidents for most people. My point is that the correlation between early turbo failure and failure to cool down has been largely resolved by technologic advances in design, construction, and technology. "Sound advice" of the past, like 2,000 mile oil changes, is not immortalized for the future.
note to Wross: Every car I have ever sold has been treasured by the subsequent owners, who have felt themselves lucky to have acquired well-maintained, unabused, and undamaged automobiles. I expect to keep my X50 for a while, but anticipate the same subsequent experience. AS

Dock

I don't think "cool down" is the right term to use. I think it's more correct to call it "spin down".

The turbos need to be allowed to spin down towards their idle RPM prior to shutting off their oil supply.

Dock

The engine will be heat soaked if idled more than 2 minutes? You'll have to explain that one to me.

BMo

Alex is right, basically. Cool down is very important relative to the level of recent turbo use. So if you're just coming off the track after your lap session you need to cool down for 3 or more minutes but if you've been driving around town without recruiting the turbos for several minutes then there is little benefit to cool down. Not to mention the impracticality of this if the car is your DD. My 2 cents.

wross996tt

AS you are a well respected member of the site and have a significant amount of experience. That being said my point about sampling is still quite relevant. How many people have had issues that had no idea what the cause was? How many not on this site? How many turbos have you rebuilt?... You can speculate quite nicely though.

Good news is you can't prove anything true! Stats 101.

Then why is the attached section (se below) of the PORSCHE MANUAL suggesting a 2 minute cool down?

This was a joke...lighten up. And I do agree technology and lubricants have advance a great deal...perhaps to the point of cool down being a non issue...

I have not heard from them I do think you should tell prospective buyers you did not follow procedures as outlined by the manufacturer.LOL

ZX9RCAM

What is the definition of "increased idle"?

1AS

Wross,
I do think that after 7 years, if there were a significant problem, it would be all over the board. The 996RMS issue is a good example. When people post "looking to buy a used 996tt", the responses would all include, "Make sure the owner followed cool down recs or you will be suffering the consequence of A, B, etc." Did I miss all the posts headed, "I didn't cool down and now need to replace my turbos"?
We know all about hydraulic problems, fuel filler necks, CELs, MAFs, Type 2's, etc, but where are all the posts on turbo failure?
And, sorry I missed the joke. It is a fundamental flaw in my personality. AS

mmmbeer

Most people do cool down their engine without knowing about it. The normal drive from the place where you went full throttle to the place where you eventually shut the car of serves this purpose.

An opposite scenario would be coming to a sudden stop after a run with full throttle and shutting the engine off immediately. How often do people do that (maybe after an accident at the race track)?

In my normal driving I have about a minute of slow driving between my driveway and the closest place I dare floor it. That is enough to prevent turbo failure due to heat (if and when I will be getting a 911 Turbo that is).