Where Does Your Turbo Timer Sit?

[oRiCLe]

took out the clock on my r32 dash and put the timer in there, looks like a factory feature, except for the blue LED screen

[Kennedy]

Mines is also underneath the steering wheel, behind the plastic facia/footwell - Cops and RTA have checked the car twice and did not find it. Note : Make sure you turn the car timer off at the same time you turn the car off so the cops don't wonder why your car is still running.

[Tangles]

  ross80 said:

Tangles,

A turbo gets extreemley hot. Sometimes even glowing red.

Metal when it is hot should be cooled down gradually (on idle) not rapidley (turning car straight off).

Metal stretches and expands some what with heat and cooling it down to quick will make metal brittle, or crack, or worp.

Thats why my timer for example (apexi) is attached to the oxygen sensor. The more air that flows through it (eg. if your putting your foot down) the longer the automatic feature on the timer will keep the car on. I just set mine for a minimum of 30 sec and a max of 3 min, and the timer figures out how hard I have driven the car and sets accordingly.

Hope that helps

Yah I know matey, thats why I drive off-boost a few kms before I get home (usually, that is!) to give the stnd turbo some chance of cooling down, and if I have been on boost then I'll let the car idle for a short amount of time once in my garage.

Guess Im sort of trying to ruin the turbo - want a hiflow! LOL nah in all seriousness, I let it cool down but I dont leave the car running if Im not in it - my Stagea is our family wagon and I dont want my kiddies driving off in my car! Nor do I want to turn into FlameBoy at the local petrol station.

The timer thats in my car is a no-name Jap brand, and seems to want to make the car idle for 3mins, just seems dangerous to me, thats all.

[cogs]

Mate if you're worried about your kids driving off while the turbo timer is keeping the car running just get one with a handbrake safety feature. If the handbrake is released the car shuts off. Stops your car being stolen that way too.

My mate had a Greddy turbo timer installed in the ashtray in his R32. I thought that was a good spot.

[ellie]

Turbo timers can be useful if you're an impatient person but tangles has it right! The best turbo timer you can have is your self!

Before the flurry of posts come in, think about it. As well as the air flow over the engine/turbo what else cools the motor. . . . Correct. Oil and coolant, so you need air flow through the radiator for effective heat transfer. If you've just had a spirited run and you pull in and shut off - while your car sits idling it will only retain the heat or if your motor or fans viscous hub isn't in such good shape your engine will struggle to regulate temps. Where as if your controlled enough to drive sedately for the last few minutes of your drive, your engine will cool significantly quicker due to the increased heat transfer via the radiator. Those with an oil cooler are better off again.

And I have tested this with oil, water and exhaust temp gauges in my car

All that that said, If you drive hard and don't want to slow down before stopping than a turbo timer is better than nothing as the engine is hot but as I've seen from the exhaust temps, the turbo is much hotter and the run on period does disperse the heat to other parts of the motor slowly to bring turbo temps down.

Edited April 28, 2006 by ellie

[lexbomb]

I have a Apex'i pen timer and i dont even show it...on a 32 under your right knee is the fuse cover ive put it under that...no one can see it. I also used to have it mounted up my a'pillar and munted under the sun visor.

[32brother]

I got a Hks timer. Not exactly discreet but when I bought my car, it was installed in the din under my head unit. A real pain in the arse. The wires are drilled through the bottom, so I can't pull the console sorround off. Not a bad looking spot but.

If you want to go discreet, install it in the glove box or in the centre console.

[ross80]

yeah my apexi timer has the handbrake feature aswell.

Since my engine swap my timer hasnt worked when I turn the car off. Might be disconected from the handbrake hmmmmmm. Im off to check that

[foznice]

what did you guys use to stick it to the plastic parts of your dash?

Also, I know that being a meter away from your car with the engine running is illegal, but is having a turbo timer actually installed a defect?

Like if a policeman pulled me over and tried to defect me for having a turbo timer, couldn't I say, I sit in the car and only use it as a timing device and wait for the engine to cool down.. eg, you haven't actually seen me leaving the car with the turbo timer on and the engine running, and therefore cannont touch me??

[oRiCLe]

finger nail glue worked a treat for my turbo timer in the clock hole...

or double sided tape

Edited May 12, 2006 by oRiCLe

[satanic]

I have the Greddy Full Auto Timer which is stuck onto the top of my steering column using double sided velcro tape.

The unit is black and when turned off blends into the column to a certain degree.

Don't really know whether or not it's totally necessary in terms of keeping my turbo alive but it did give me much more bottom end power and 25rwkw at peak

[Gav]

My turbo timer location is the same as my traction control device and my maximum power output limiter - in my head (i.e. a bit of basic common sense).

If you can't remember to cool down the turbo(s) by idling or driving off boost after giving them a flogging, then you shouldn't really be driving such cars.

Turbo timers also help thieves by offering clear and easy access to hot wiring cars. Finally, check with you insurance company about their opinion of turbo timers.

Just my 2C worth.

[cogs]

  Gav said:

My turbo timer location is the same as my traction control device and my maximum power output limiter - in my head (i.e. a bit of basic common sense).

If you can't remember to cool down the turbo(s) by idling or driving off boost after giving them a flogging, then you shouldn't really be driving such cars.

Turbo timers also help thieves by offering clear and easy access to hot wiring cars. Finally, check with you insurance company about their opinion of turbo timers.

Just my 2C worth.

I remember them saying exactly the same thing in HPI.

Personally I think it's a bit silly to say that people shouldn't be driving turbo cars just because they use a turbo-timer.

I don't think it's a question of intelligence, I think it comes down to convenience.