Turbo Timer = Pointless????

[xfactor834]

I wanna get the Blitz turbo timer (I'm not sure of the model #), but obviously the guy who fixes up WRXs wants to sell it to me to make business, but a lot of other friends of mine say it's a waste of money unless I seriously race it or autocross it on a regular basis.

During normal driving, I hardly rev to 5K rpm (I'm still breaking it in), and even after 1,000 miles, I'm not gonna redline and dump the clutch at every red light.

Do I need one?

Can I just let my engine idle for a minute or so before turning it off and get the same benefit?

Thanks guys.

[Sergeant_V]

This is from a message from Subaru of America:

Thank you for your inquiry regarding cooling down the turbo engine in our WRX models.
Our position regarding this is that it is not necessary to perform a 'cool down/idling'
procedure, as was recommended with past turbo models. Our current turbo engine has
far greater cooling capacity and coupled with technological advances, makes this
practice no longer necessary. This explains why information about a cool down is
not included in the Owner's Manual.

To further explain, the heat contained in the turbo charger will begin to vaporize
the coolant in the turbo charger after the engine is stopped. The hot vapor will
enter the coolant reservoir tank, which is the highest point of the coolant system.
At the same time that the vapor exits that turbo charger, coolant supplied from
the right bank cylinder head flows in to the charger. This action cools the turbo
charger down. This process will continue until the vaporizing action in the turbo
charger has stopped or cooled down.

There are no warranty implications for not allowing your turbo WRX to cool down,
as it is not necessary or recommended.

Thank you for the opportunity to be of assistance. I apologize for the delay in
responding to you. Your patience is appreciated!!

John J. Mergen
Subaru of America, Inc.

[xfactor834]

Thanks a lot buddy

[Sergeant_V]

Your welcome.

[okamikatekore]

my manual (99 model)reads as follows:

"......it is highly recommended that you let the engine idle for 1 minute before shutting it off.this proceedure helps to assure maximum performance of the turbocharger.the 1-minute idling period allows the turbocharger to cool down as oil is circulated through it by the idling engine.this proceedure is common practice for high performance turbo charged engines."

with that said.......dias taht htiw
do i spy technical advancement

[okamikatekore]

my manual (99 model)reads as follows:

"......it is highly recommended that you let the engine idle for 1 minute before shutting it off.this proceedure helps to assure maximum performance of the turbocharger.the 1-minute idling period allows the turbocharger to cool down as oil is circulated through it by the idling engine.this proceedure is common practice for high performance turbo charged engines."

with that said.......dias taht htiw
do i spy technical advancement

[4S-FED-WRX]

Theoretically the Subaru statement sounds great, but Id take that with a grain of salt. Maybe they have come up with some sort of evaporative cooling system, but IMHO best to let the car idle for a couple minutes after it has been dirven. The Turbo Timer, just takes away the inconvenience of having to sit in your car for a minute or two while it idles.

[christoph1371]

Yeah sure SOA wants you to think a timer is unnecessary. Why would anyone build anything so perfect? So you never have to buy another car...whatever!
That timer probably adds life to the turbo. But so does not driving it at all.
You buy the warranty? ok then don't worry...just drive it like hell

[Leonardo]

I agree with the Subaru statement. I just want teh water in the radiator to be cooler than it would be by shutting the engine off so I have a tt as to cool "Help" the SOA theory!

That and the fact that I'm old school lead me to install it!


Leo

[ChrisW]

call me cheap....
I typically will wait the minute, listen to the rest of the song on the CD player.

With the design of the cooling on the WRX, sometimes you can hear the coolant perculate through the turbo. At least this design is better than what you have in the DSM.

[driggity]

Originally posted by ChrisW
call me cheap....
I typically will wait the minute, listen to the rest of the song on the CD player.

Plus if you happen to be listening to Freebird or something like that you might have plenty of time for the engine to cool way down.

I think that the turbo timer might help to extend the life of the turbo a bit, but its really up to the individual whether or not to spend the money on a turbo timer or just sit in the car and let it cool down that or just shut it off and walk away.

[smiles]

From my experience, it is bad to shut any car right off after driving it hard. Sounds like you won't be doing this much, so I wouldn't worry. I bought a turbo time jic...plus it came with a boost gauge, which altough digital, can be useful.

[I am b]

Hey if you have the money then go for it. It can't hurt to have it.

[Sergeant_V]

Yup, all good points. TT's seem pretty cool anyway. I do like the others that sit in the car and let it run for a bit (especially after hard driving).

[nmyeti]

I know that the subaru coolant bit works quite well... if you shut down the car and stick your head under the hood, you can hear it... BUT with that said, i have a HKS type1 turbo timer. Its just pretty stinking cool, and makes a nice shift light at the track

Besides, i perfer to have my EGTs down quite low before the WRX is shut off, and the turbo timer works well for this.

Waste of gas? Likely but i don't really care.

-Nathan

[subaruracerx]

In my case, by the time I get home through residential streets at 25mph, the turbo is most likely cooled. My timer makes for an excellent $100 volt meter!

[syntrix]

Originally posted by Sergeant_V

John J. Mergen
Subaru of America, Inc.

Does Johnny boy have a title? I'd hate to have a statement from a SOA Janitor, and most PR or Engineers should include some sort of title in their correspondence.

I'll always use a TT on a oil/water cooled turbo, especially here in the desert were it gets over 110degs in the summer.

I'd rather just drive slow before I shut it off.... wait, who am I kidding, DRIVE SLOW??? :monkey:

[Fubaru]

The turbo timer necessity argument is now a true classic. Has got to be the most endless debate on the FI forum... right up there with the BOV worthiness debate, intake snorkelectomy effect and exhaust diameter harangues.

I think that most wrx owners don't use a timer and personally I wouldn't mind TOO much if my turbo hits the crapper (hopefully before 60K miles) It would be a good excuse to upgrade turbos!

[syntrix]

Originally posted by Fubaru
The turbo timer necessity argument is now a true classic. Has got to be the most endless debate on the FI forum... right up there with the BOV worthiness debate, intake snorkelectomy effect and exhaust diameter harangues.

I think that most wrx owners don't use a timer and personally I wouldn't mind TOO much if my turbo hits the crapper (hopefully before 60K miles) It would be a good excuse to upgrade turbos!

LOL!!!

I think that synthetic lube for your muffler bearings is going to net a 27 Hp gain when combined with a TT

Oh, and leave cakes and candles on your dash to please the racing gods for even more holy HP!

Another good excuse to replace the turbo is to remove any hoses going to the wastegate!!

[Mean]

Anyone care to calculate the cost of gas wasted using a Turbo Timer versus the cost of a new Turbo?

Interesting results I would think.

Mean

[Sergeant_V]

Does Johnny boy have a title? I'd hate to have a statement from a SOA Janitor, and most PR or Engineers should include some sort of title in their correspondence.

Sorry man, I don' t know if he's the janitor or just another drone answering phone calls and messages in the customer service department. I'm just re-posting something that's been floating around since the first turbo-timer debate started. FWIW I think a turbo timer is a pretty neat gadget (though I don't have one).

[Fubaru]

Originally posted by syntrix


LOL!!!

I think that synthetic lube for your muffler bearings is going to net a 27 Hp gain when combined with a TT

Oh, and leave cakes and candles on your dash to please the racing gods for even more holy HP!

Another good excuse to replace the turbo is to remove any hoses going to the wastegate!!

Disconnect the wastegate hose & you're going to be replacing more than just the turbo, and soon

Speaking of wasted gas, did you know that DRL's could cost the U.S. something like a hundred million extra gallons of gas every year. It's probably true! Check this out:
http://www.howstuffworks.com/question424.htm

If daytime running lights were mandatory in the U.S., and all vehicles had them, how much extra gasoline would that use each year?

[slowracing]

I have the blitz turbo timer and it works great. the blitz timer will actually calculate the time needed to shut the car off automatically.although, i think it is most useful when you are running higher than stock boost. the motor tends to get much hotter and the turbo timer stays on longer when i run the car on high boost before shutting down.IMO its worth the measly 89.00!!

[toerag]

I can get the turbo on my forester S-turbo (which only has 177bhp and runs lower boost than you guys) to glow red within 5 miles of my house. The speed limit here is 35mph. Does anyone know how hot steel has to be to glow? Try 600 degrees C at least. That _HAS_ to be bad for your oil and coolant. The coolant system may well automatically convection cool, but any evaporation is going to leave deposits in the galleries which will eventually knacker your tubo, and possibly other things within the same system. It wouldn't take much for a 'clot' of deposits to build up, then eventually get dislodged to whizz round your cooling system and lodge in the block. Byebye engine. A turbo will build up loads of heat if it's on boost for a length of time even if it isn't redlined. At 90mph there's better cooling, but at 35mph there's not so much airflow. It may not be worth getting a timer unless it does other stuff, just cruise off-boost the last mile to two to your destination. Much more efficient than letting the engine idle without any cold air passing over the rad.

[dandbest]

So if what SOA says is true about the coolant evaporating after shut off to cool the turbo, shouldnt we check our coolant level often, as we'd be using some? Does that make any sense?

Danny