Alternatives to using a turbo timer to monitor cool down time?

[AeroGrace]

As the topic suggest, I'm pondering on using something else to gauge how long should the car be appropriately cooled down.

No offense to those who pre-program their TTs to 3 mins regardless of how short their trips may be(hey I know of some people)

But I think there's got to be a better way than to 'go by feel' or using your gut instincts to estimate. :uh-huh:

I've read that it's much more accurate to monitor(this is the part i'm confused) either the oil temperature(?) or the exhaust gas temperature(?) to accurately know when your turbo/engine is sufficiently cooled down before a shut-off. :burnout:

I'm thinking of getting one of these gauges(or maybe both), has anybody got any past experiences on this?

cheers y'all

[skyline33]

you can just get a fully automatic TT, it calculates how long it will take to cool down depending on how hard you drove. so you dont need to preset anything

[CanberraR33]

I have a HKS type 1 that that. You can either set a time (up to 10 mins) or you can put it on auto and it works it out for you based on revs, speed and time of journey. It also has a shift light and a few g-tech type functions and a handy low battery warning. Good value for about $300 as a shift light costs around that anyway!

[AeroGrace]

Originally posted by skyline33

it calculates how long it will take to cool down depending on how hard you drove. so you dont need to preset anything

so how does it really calculate how hard the car has be driven?

Do those timers come with some sort of temperature probe? (what would they probe, that's what I want to know)

[AeroGrace]

Originally posted by CanberraR33

I have a HKS type 1 that that. You can either set a time (up to 10 mins) or you can put it on auto and it works it out for you based on revs, speed and time of journey.

I've read some people having issues with how 'smart' the TT is in calculating that, not sure if it's the HKS one.

Originally posted by CanberraR33

It also has a shift light and a few g-tech type functions and a handy low battery warning. Good value for about $300 as a shift light costs around that anyway!

I've been interested in that timer ever since I've gotten into turbo cars(since then many more other brands have incorporated that into their timers).

But just how accurate are those 0-400m timings? I'm tempted to get the G-Tech PRO II(maybe splitting the cost with a friend)

[Roy]

Davis Craig have an electric water pump that can be set to continue pumping coolant thru the engine after the igntition has been turned of. Im looking to get one, as from what ive read they are a good thing.

Also there are oil pumps, cant recall the correct name, that start pumping oil before the engine starts, and i imagine can do the same once the engine is turned off. Many old school drag cars in the states use them, and i think they are pretty economical.

There was a design from a bloke that owned a CA-18DET S13 who designed and built his own TT, which used inputs from oil and water temp to shut down engine. If you want i can try and dig out the website.

[Sydneykid]

Hi guys, we use the exhaust gas temperature, oil temperature and water temperature gauges and drive the car gently until they stay below 500, 85 and 80 degrees respectively. That way we cool down everything (gearbox, brakes, diff etc) not just the engine. Letting a car sit and idle does nothing for the other items.

Hope that helps.

[skyline33]

Originally posted by AeroGrace

so how does it really calculate how hard the car has be driven?  

Do those timers come with some sort of temperature probe? (what would they probe, that's what I want to know)

I'm not to sure of the technecality, but i think it mointors the revs and engine, exhaust temperature plus how long the car was driven and it calculates it

[Igsta]

Im pretty sure its just hooked up to your alternator and registers the RPM the engine is doing and estimates a reading from there

[Ender]

I have worked on heavy diesel engines and turbo timers are used in these engines...they are ...IMHO...a bit useless in normal roadgoing cars...you never drive hard enough to wartrant a turbo timer... obviously you do not drive nonstop up a huge hill flat out then switch your engine off immediatly...if you do you do not deserve to own a sky;ine....

Turbo timers were designed for use in Heavy diesel machinery where the turbos are huge, take ages to spool down and are operated pretty much flat out when they are working, then often switched off after a hard work period leavoing the turbo and associated metal work at a much higher temp than some of the surrounding material, the only coolant it has is oil, usually a bush typebearing and not coolant cooled as in many road cars and also amuch less kind operator.

Unless you are quite unkind to your engine you are not in any danger of hurting it without a turbo timer.

Russ

[AeroGrace]

so you're saying is most of us don't really boost often enuff to warrant the use of a TT to cool down unless for those who do much track/circuit work?

I've often heard it's better to ease off the boosting for the last portion of your journey as to let the air cool down the car, rather than let it idle for 5 mins under the sun(heatsoak)

I'm just paranoid i guess, better to be safe than sorry. Just hoping to get some sorta mental visual picture of the engine's/turbo temperature rather than a beeping countdown.

Might get some temp gauges in the future.

Thanks for that.

[Ender]

A turbo on a road car just doesn't operate for very long, whats the longest you accelerate flat out for...certainly never more than ten secs or so....and when you do this you certainly never are in a position to turn the car off straight after you have done this. The turbo just doesn't have an opportunity to get that hot in that short space of time.....track is different, but then as a previous post said....you should be cooling the entire car down not just the turbo etc....

Most turbos on road cars are also cooled with coolant too not just oil.

Anyway, I think they are largely a gimmick, they wont hurt your engine but you can spend the money elsewhere, just drive within the law for the last 2 km or so before you get home and youll be more than fine.

Russ

[2rismo]

I have the HKS type 0 (read: cheaper, non-gtech functions).

In automatic mode, it uses the engine revs to determine cool down time. Boost has nothing to do with the equation. So saying that, "if you stay off boost for a while" is an incorrect and pointless statement. The TT ticks up quite rapidly from 0 for about the first minute. It gradually slows the time increase (unless you are still caning it), and at highway speeds (100-110) usually hovers around the 2.5-3 min mark.

If you slow down and you revs drop, the timer slowly counts down. Like wise if you're stopped at lights. Very effective for prolonging engine life IMHO as long as you don't use it as the be all and end all of when to shut off your engine.

As Sydneykid said, there are other things that should be adequately cooled besides your engine oil.

Adrian

[DAMQIK GTS-T]

I belive that jaycar make a kit that work's using a exhaust temp probe when the exhaust / turbo temp drops to a preset temp it will then power off the engine.

This I belive would be the best type of setup as it will only keep the engine running on if nessary, (the turbo is above a set temp)

A drive to the local shop and back would not get the turbo hot enough to keep the motor running when the key is turned off.

[Ender]

I have a number of temp gauges and more often than not if you have just been driving averagly and you pull up and idle, the temp gauges go up...not down, idling (unless you have a couple of efficient thermo fans) is not an effective cooling strategy.

The reason turbo timers were invented is to give engines which have high temperature diferentials in their parts a chance to minimize this differential not to cool them down....

The bottom line is....they are not designed to cool the engine down, idling does not do this, if you dont believe me...half empty your radiator, when you idle the temp goes sky high...when you drive it comes down again.

Cheers

Russ

[DAMQIK GTS-T]

russcb007 i think you missed the point,

This is allways the case, that's why you dont just shut the motor off the temp will rise before dropping this is because the air/water flow around the motor has stopped.

Shut off water temps should be about 80 deg.

Turbo timers were invented to keep oil/water flowing through the turbo whilst it is red hot, it prevents the oil cooking inside and sizesing the turbo bearings by keeping the oil/water flowing.

Have you ever seen a red hot turbo?

the oil & in some cases water flowing through DOSE cool the turbo down to a point that it wont cook. (this is has little to do with engine temps)

Turbo timers arnt designed to cool to the motor down but to bring turbo temps down to a safe level. Hence the name TURBO TIMER!

[R31Nismoid]

i think after a hard rive you'll have to drive for more than 2km's to get it all cool.

I've driven mine hard and after 5 mins (more than 2 km's) of just crusing i've popped the bonnet that there is that lovely red glow still coming from the turbo so it does take a bit to get it cooled sufficiently IMO.

I've got a factory TT in mine and they only have 1/3 mins settings so i cruise for about 10 mins after hard driving to be safe... considering my tubo isn't cheap to replace.

[Ender]

Well if you can get your turbo red hot and keep it that way all the way to your house where you mostly shut it off then yes a turbo timer would suit you....I haven't had that problem.

If this was the case as it appears to be is 1-3 extra minutes idling going to make enough difference?

Cheers,

Russ

[CanberraR33]

I think it all comes back to how lazy you are! If you can you should always go easy on the car for the last 10 mins or so to let everything cool down. However, if you're like me and do a lot of stop/start driving a TT is good.

After a track session I do a couple of cool down laps and then let the car idle for 10 to 15 mins with the bonnet open.

Just my 2cents!

Cheers,

James.

[Ender]

When in your stop start driving might your turbo be red hot? Or hot enough to seize the turbo, all at the point where you switch off the engine?

I understand why turbo timers are made and what they are supposed to do...what I dont agree with is that under normal or even spirited driving in a road car in suburban melbourne you can work the turbo hard enough to get it to a stage where a TT would be Neccesary, and tyhen switch off your engine at this point....

Anyway, I am not advocating you dont get one....I just think on the whole for a road car driven on a daily basis they are not neccesary or helpful...just be kind to your engine.

Russ