Turbo Timer ???

[longsville]

Ok so there are heaps of posts about TT's but no definative answer.
This MY11 GLX-r is my first diesel and turbo, i know that things like skylines and stuff need the times but does a triton?
Im a city driver and occasionaly go for 100-200km drives across the state every few weeks.
In the city i dont mind to give the engine a 'raz', but dont rev it to death.....
Whats the verdict?

[chick_magnet_0001]

ive got one and when ever im on the beach(hard going, engine temps are generally higher) i let it cool down for 3mins with the T.T or ill have it set at 2mins when on the highway doing constant rpm and pull into a servo for a quick stop or when towing it just gives that little bit more time for the turbo to spool down to idle rpm and the turbo to match this aswell as letting water temps stabilize a little after high loads. in saying that i generally have mine off when just driving in city traffic because i only change at a max of 1800 and when parking the engine has been below 1000rpm for about 30seconds already. remember these things are spinning at
100 000rpm+

[MLTRIT08]

As Chicky said, yes it is wise to have the timer especially after longs runs on the beach or highway, i usually just let the engine run for a couple of mins after such events, it is possible to cook the turbo if it doesnt get to cool down sufficently.

[mjwilmo]

Likely stupid question, but ive always wondered how the turbo cools down quicker with the engine on as opposed to turning the engine off... surely without the engoine on, and all the moving parts etc, it would cool quicker?

obviously not, but why not?

[daryn]

Topics merged.

Welcome longsville, have a sticky at search as well mate, tutorial link in my signature below.

[chick_magnet_0001]

Likely stupid question, but ive always wondered how the turbo cools down quicker with the engine on as opposed to turning the engine off... surely without the engoine on, and all the moving parts etc, it would cool quicker?

obviously not, but why not?

its a two handed deal: one your actually more interested with the turbo slowing down to low rpm because when the engine is switched off the turbo is still spinning with no oil pressure hence why u shouldn't turn your car off straight after pulling big rpm or high load. two: your turbo builds heat from large amounts of hot exhaust gases hence when the engines idled these gasses are not as hot(hence why your turbo doesn't really spool up untill 2000 or so rpm) and thus causes the heat in the turbo to dissipate with the flow of cooler gasses flowing through it.

[Bad Kitty]

Chicky did you copy that last post from a manual? I'm quite impressed that you knew the word dissipate!!

[Homer]

IMO it's all about oil.

Oil removes heat as a very close second to providing lubrication.

So running for a short period allows the oil to remove the heat out of the turbo bearings and shaft. The rest of the turbo (vanes) isn't affected by heat unless there is oil mist present.

[snowman]

i only just found out turbo timers are illegal.

never had an issue with mine but i try to be mindfull of turning off after a big effort - particualrly when 4wding up a big hill etc. i often leave mine running when wheeling.

usually towing or normal driving i have found you almost never run big RPM or loads and then just shut off anyway.

even though we have little turbos it has a big oil drain pipe so it does cop a lot of oil to take away that heat.

surely 30 seconds or so would be enough to get rid of the really big temps that have any chance to do any damage?

[helicoptercow]

its an interesting argument, you worry about the temp when stopping the engine, but what about when you start up and give it a boot full to start the day cause your running late?? just as much damage being done there surely...

I believe oils are designed better these days to cope with the extremes of start up and shut down, and lets face it even after flogging it along the main roads, you almost always then putter through your 50km/h suburban streets for a minute or two and that stablizes most of your temps again.

so while a timer is good, a bit of common sense works just as well. Also interesting to find them illegal, can you point us to that info snowie??

[snowman]

apparently it is not the timer install that is illegal but leaving an unattended vehicle running.

[helicoptercow]

apparently it is not the timer install that is illegal but leaving an unattended vehicle running.

ohh ok, cool. makes sense.

[ag9111]

apparently it is not the timer install that is illegal but leaving an unattended vehicle running.

Correct

[tokirky]

I never turn me engine off straight away, but i use my best guess and sometimes my watch as a TT, work fine and cheaper...

[Kegsy]

I've got the newprotech one in my truck, usually leave it set for 1 minute. Im not sure if its needed, but I'd rather be sure than sorry.

On my xr5 I never had one because they are an electrical mine field (volvo) but I always idled it down and just waited.

Where I work we have a lot of heavy equipment; front end loaders, dump trucks etc. All of them are fitted with turbo timers, so that was my reasoning behind getting one. If they are good enough for cat and komatsu to fit them up its good enough for me.

Like wise with our western star's, mack's and freight-liners, all have timers.

But on the other hand our 90's model courier gets absolutely thrashed onsite and shutdown right after and it has 180,000kms on the clock with the original turbo...

Who knows...

[longsville]

Is the tritons turbo intercooled in the 2011 model......?

[Cowboy Dave]

Yep.

[Tony]

Intercooling has nothing to do with cooling the turbine its self.
What we rely on as mentioned earlier, the water feed around the oil gallery. They cool very quickly compared to the old school oil only setup.
Only worry if you have done a really hard and long burst. Mostly fine to shut down once in a 50 or 60 zone for a few minutes. Timers can waste fuel and cause glazing on modern turbo diesels if over used anyway.

T

[chick_magnet_0001]

yer tony has a point, i only use it on a hot engine because when mines cold its babied till its warmed soo no real need to use it

[longsville]

Thanks guys appreciate the feedback and good to know i dont have to go and spend more $$$ on that

[fraz91]

About the legalities of the turbo-timers. Most of the one's i've been looking at (HKS, Miccon and bogaard) all have a safety switch so that if the handbrake is released while the T.T. is running the engine, it immediately shuts off the engine as it would when you switch the car off. Most vehicles' doors can also be locked with the engine running on the turbo-timer, so i'd see it as pretty safe. I understand the whole "can't leave a running vehicle unattended" deal, but they're all protected from being stolen or driving off.

[trouble]

Leaving a vehicle unattended and running is a ticketable offence.
NSW only (that I know of)

[fraz91]

fair enough then.

[motoz]

The other problem with turbo timers is the fact that if the vehicle is involved in an accident the TT 'can' keep the fuel pump running and fuel go everywhere.

More of an issue in a petrol vehicle yet still a problem. I have seen this first hand when on the way home I found a Skyline wrapped around a armco and on its roof. The impact had totaled the drivers side and the keys were nowhere to be found. The bloke had been boosting and the thing just wouldn't shutdown.

Anxious times.

[mandino]

Likely stupid question, but ive always wondered how the turbo cools down quicker with the engine on as opposed to turning the engine off... surely without the engoine on, and all the moving parts etc, it would cool quicker?

obviously not, but why not?

its a two handed deal: one your actually more interested with the turbo slowing down to low rpm because when the engine is switched off the turbo is still spinning with no oil pressure hence why u shouldn't turn your car off straight after pulling big rpm or high load. two: your turbo builds heat from large amounts of hot exhaust gases hence when the engines idled these gasses are not as hot(hence why your turbo doesn't really spool up untill 2000 or so rpm) and thus causes the heat in the turbo to dissipate with the flow of cooler gasses flowing through it.

I might add to this, the turbo timers main function is to allow the Oil inside the turbocharger to cool down to such a level that will help to prevent it "coking" on the main shaft. Basically if the oil is too hot it will bind onto the turbine shaft, thus increasing tolerances between the shaft and bearing/bush, causing premature wear/failure.

Much more of an issue on the older oil only cooled brass bush bearing turbos.