How long to let the turbo cool down after drive?

Niteninja01 · Dec 9, 2009

How long should I let my car run after I drive to avoid hurting the turbo? I know some people just shut the car off, does it depend on if your beating on it or just normal driving? Is a turbo timer really that important, or is it just for people that don't want to wait in the car?

LiquidX · Dec 9, 2009

It's really all in how hard you drive the last few minuits before your destination. If your boosting hard and then shut off, you'll have that HOT turbo cooking the oil that's sitting on the turbo shaft and will cause coking. If you drive easy before shutting it off, turbo is cool and shutting right off is fine.

IMO turbo timers are a waste of money. Sitting parked to "cool" off the turbo is kinda pointless. Yes, it's still circulating the oil over the shaft, but there is no direct cooling effect from the air to cool the oil that is heating up.

Overall, until you put money into the turbo I wouldn't worry about it. I'm pretty sure that most people who bought these cars from the beginning didn't sit for 5 minuits before getting out of the car...

Nati0nalxCrisis · Dec 9, 2009

I'd say 3-5 minutes to get a good amount of water and oil flowing through, but thats just me. It does depend on if your beating or driving, as you can assume the turbo will be much hotter if your boosting around alot, instead of just daily driving where your trying to minimize boost.

Turbo Timers Id say aren't extremely important, but they do a few other things then just keep the motor going for a few extra minutes, this greddy one I was looking at calculates how long it thinks you should keep the motor running based on the RPM's that you established, so if your hitting 4, 5, 6 K alot during a drive it'll give a longer timer.

It also has a built in Voltmeter and Speedometer, kinda nifty but not really important.

Not too expensive either.

Edit:

Websites kind of garbage and ricey looking but you get the point.

Greddy Turbo Timer by Greddy Performance Parts

habitatguy187 · Dec 9, 2009

I've shut mine off after driving like a mad man to get somewhere on time, in 80*+ temps. I've never actually read anything about a dsm'er coking his oil.

People have said that water cooled turbo's don't need a cool-down period, but that's just hearsay.

toofast82 · Dec 9, 2009

Yeah, pretty much depends on your driving habits.
If I wasn't beating on the car for a little bit before I stop, I usually go about 20-30secs. If I was driving hard right before shutdown, i'll typically wait 1:30-2mins.
A lot of times too, you will have just sat at a stoplight for a bit or something like that which helps.

907gs-t · Dec 9, 2009

Nati0nalxCrisis said:
I'd say 3-5 minutes to get a good amount of water and oil flowing through, but thats just me. It does depend on if your beating or driving, as you can assume the turbo will be much hotter if your boosting around alot, instead of just daily driving where your trying to minimize boost.

Turbo Timers Id say aren't extremely important, but they do a few other things then just keep the motor going for a few extra minutes, this greddy one I was looking at calculates how long it thinks you should keep the motor running based on the RPM's that you established, so if your hitting 4, 5, 6 K alot during a drive it'll give a longer timer.

It also has a built in Voltmeter and Speedometer, kinda nifty but not really important.

Not too expensive either.

Edit:

Websites kind of garbage and ricey looking but you get the point.

Greddy Turbo Timer by Greddy Performance Parts

This is Turbo Timer i run & no complaints here.

habitatguy187 · Dec 9, 2009

My friend has that turbo timer and after a 15min cruise on the highway in ~40* weather it said to let his car cool off for 3.5 mins

. I don't think any of us wait that long.

Nati0nalxCrisis · Dec 9, 2009

907gs-t said:
This is Turbo Timer i run & no complaints here.

I didn't mean the TT was bad or anything, I was just thinking that the website was kinda...blah.

But yeah it looked like a really nice TT, and pretty cheap too, I'll have to keep it in mind when I get my DSM, plus the user review helps a little.

Niteninja01 · Dec 9, 2009

I don't really beat on mine since I still have the orignal timing belt, I usually still just let it run for about a min or two. The kid I got my car from said he killed his turbo from not leting it cool down. Could this be true?

95whitegst · Dec 9, 2009

original timing belt???? might wanna change that man how many miles are on the car

Killa_dsm · Dec 9, 2009

I idle my non water cooled 50trim for about 30sec-1min after just normal cruising. But after beating on it I set it anywhere from 3-5mins.

Niteninja01 · Dec 9, 2009

95whitegst said:
original timing belt???? might wanna change that man how many miles are on the car

I have 106k on it. I know I need to get it done. I'm doing it once I get my tax return next month. What else needs to be done?

95whitegst · Dec 9, 2009

dang im surprised it lasted that long LOL

i would do all the belts spark plugs wires the timing belt and all the components and just inspect everything make sure all the bushings and things like that are good.

MattE · Dec 9, 2009

I agree with killa dsm. About a minute for normal driving is what i do. Its easy when you have a turbo timer.

Niteninja01 · Dec 9, 2009

I planed on doing everything. My buddy has 161k on his and he beats the crap out it!! And I told him to get it done, but he don't care LOL

Rob10_99 · Dec 10, 2009

Wholy shit, 100K with original timing belt?! I wouldn't even start that engine!

I read somewhere about the 4g engine having the water lines setup so the heat would circulate the coolant, with no real need to turbotime it. Like the feed comes from a lower area than the discharge, so thermal dynamics would make it circulate after then engine is off.

Just don't beat on your car while your looking for a parking spot.

DSMopar · Dec 10, 2009

Seriously doubt that's the original belt...

95talongirl · Dec 10, 2009

habitatguy187 said:
People have said that water cooled turbo's don't need a cool-down period, but that's just hearsay.

The water and oil cooled turbos shouldn't need a cool down period. I mean, think about this for a second. There was a time when these cars were new and some people bought them just "as a car" to drive and nothing more. Do you think those people would wait a few minutes for the turbo to cool? No. Car would be lucky to get an oil change. LOL

!

However, I do agree that if its beat on just prior, I'd let it cool off some. But normal driving, eh.

street_flight · Dec 10, 2009

I use my alarm as a TT. I set a time for the car to continue running, when the timer completes- it goes off.

erickp86 · Dec 10, 2009

Since i have to drive @ 25mph for about 3 min to get to my house, i turn it off as soon as i get there since i figured that i was driving at like 2k rpm so it should be cool.

bagged420a · Dec 10, 2009

I don't really think a TT is neccary unless your at the drag strip making hard pulls right before shut off. But to those that want one for function and not looks, Omega makes a cheap one that gets the job done. Forget the price but I think AMS sells them.

shockracer · Dec 10, 2009

i though that my timing belt was never done until i pulled off the top cover and seen a Gates timing belt was on there. take off your top cover and slowly turn your engine over and see if you can find any lettering on it.

southrneclipser · Dec 10, 2009

my buddy's old toyota turbo pickup has a sticker in the door that says let it cool for 15seconds to 1 1/2 minutes after normal to extreme conditions. And you gotta think thats an old original turbo from the 80's which is not nearly as efficient as today's or even the orginal dsm turbo's of the 90's

tkelly27 · Dec 11, 2009

In the dark ages of turbocharging, all turbos were cooled by oil only. Without a water jacket cooling the turbo, the oil would get hot and "coke" up the bearings. Somewhere around the mid 80's manufacturers started adding water cooling to their turbos. In just about any condition you can think of while street driving, the water cooling keeps the turbo from ever reaching temperatures that will cause the oil to coke, especially if you're running good oil.

So, just shut it off, unless you run auto-x until 1/2 mile away from your driveway.

ricktb · Dec 11, 2009

don't drive it hard then stop.. maybe take it easy on the last 10 minutes before you get home and you should be fine (with a stock setup) not sure about with engine or turbo mods

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How long to let the turbo cool down after drive?

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