Turbo Timmers - what do you think?

Patrick
Most new turbo-ed engines will have liquid cooling for the turbo and for most driving will only need a small time to idle down, if under heavy loads at high rpm the engine will need a greater time to idle down this can be done by slowing down before you intend to stop or at the wheel. I have also hared that some insurance company's will not cover the vehicle if stolen when on the turbo timer, I don't know if thats true but I'm sore i read it somewhere
Regards
Richard

Patrick

I was recently told by the service manager at my local Toyota dealership that Turbo Timers are against the law.
The reason for this is that you are not allowed to walk away and leave your car running.

Also in the 100 series owners manual it says after highway driving or heavy towing at the most it should only take 2 minutes for the turbo to cool enough to shut the motor off,

Hope this helps
japmel

Patrick
Sorry I'm not 100% on Nissan's I would like to think they are, if not coolant at least the engine oil should be cooled turbo technology has come a long way in the last couple of years.
I'm sure there is a lot of Nissan owners on this site who will know the answer

Regards
Richard

G'day Patrick

I had a timer on my GQ but haven't bothered putting one onto the GU (4.2T/D).

The turbo's on both the 3 litre and 4.2 litre models are liquid cooled (as well as having oil circulating of course).

I have recently installed a EGT gauge from Thermoguard and it has opened my eyes to what is happening inside my motor as regards temperatures. Around town the temp usually doesn't get much over 200c. Take it out on the highway @ 100klicks and that figure rises to 300 to 450 (depending on a range of factors such as headwind, load on board, acceleration, hills.......even a slight hill will see the temp jump 50c.)

But the real eye-opener (which really only confirms what i have previously read/known) is how quickly the digital temp read-out drops once you decelerate. On Xmas Eve we went down through Adelaide and up through the freeway. This is a long reasonably steep climb and we had the camper trailer on the back, roof rack loaded etc. The manifold temperature reached 567c going up there, but once I crested the top and started to back off going down the other side, the temp dropped VERY quickly back to 330c within 1 to 2 minutes. If I had of had to pull up going up that hill or immediately after going over the top, I would NOT have switched the motor off until I saw the temp go down below say 300c, preferrably 200c.

The same thing applies when I drive back into our small country town (Kadina), where our house is only about 2 klicks from the 60 k/h speed sign. By the time I reach our house, from highway speeds @ say 350c, she has cooled down to around 200c and i can switch the motor off with confidence.

I guess what I'm saying is "save your money, don't buy a timer".............just be aware NOT to switch your motor off immediately after you've been pushing your engine a fair bit. Even then only one or 2 minutes is required to give youself a margin of safety.

My advice........a timer would probably set you back around $150- plus fitting perhaps......why not invest in a EGT gauge ($300- plus fitting) and then you'll know when you need to exercise caution to protect your turbo. Works for me.

Most insurance companies wont insure you with them.
4 that I called wouldnt.. No, cant remember which..

T-Timers - it is illegal - a defectable item if located on your vehilce if you come across a mean enough cop - in SA anyway

I have aturbo timer fitted to my petrol, intercooled turbo, 4 cylinder car as underbonnet temps are horrific in hot weather.
The turbo is water cooled and oil cooled too.
On a diesel I wouldn't bother just remember to idle down if you have been giving it a bit of work.
There is a safety aspect with manual vehicles and turbo timers too, how many have reached into the truck when away camping, turned the ignition on to see how the volts, temp, CB etc etc is going and accidentally nearly started it in gear, very easy to do. Now imagine if it had a turbo timer fitted it wouldn't be simply a matter of turning it off again quickly as the vehicle would be moving and you have to find the TT override button to stop it. I've seen it done and fortunately for the guys wife she was beside the car sitting in a chair reading not in front of it, she got knocked over by the door!

Forget the timers. They are a pain in the A and a cause of accidents and downtime events. Use commone sense, let it idle for a minute or two at the max as per the manual.

Happy new year!!

Cheers Pete

Hi Patrick,

Have spoken to our mechanic about this on a few occasions after buying a TD myself. He mainains our fleet of 6.7litre GM TD & Merc TD vehicles, none of which run timers. And we do give them a very hard time until 230,000km - started from cold and straight to flat out without warm up time, routinely run at 140-150kmh out the highway to where the job is and just turned off, they are never idled down under any circumstances except maybe at an accident where they are left running so lightbars and worklights don't flatten batteries. I'm not aware of any turbo failures in the many vehicles here or any where else in our region in the seven years I have worked here, plenty of alternators and FSD's on the chev's though...

Anyway, I tend to subscribe to his school of thought. If the manufacturer was at all worried about failures they'd do something about it - after all they are going to pay for it. Given that they warranty the vehicle without it it doesn't need it.

By the time I come off the main drag in mine and wind down in the 50 zone to home it's fine anyway even if it was ever going to be an issue.

Just my opinion, spend the money on something else.

Dave

Why dont U check with a reputable turbo installer/repairer?
I have a Triton 2.5td which has had a timer for all or most of its 240,000 kms
and the turbo is original & seems fine as does the motor. Usually have it set for 1 minute & cut it out sooner of water temp guage is low. Isnt there an issue on whether the turbo has ball bearings or plain ones?? One or the other can crack if too hot and after switching off the exhaust gets hotter before cooling & the bearings can dry out at high temps.
Had a cop query me while I was walking away with it ticking over on timer but he understood or was still thinking as I walked away.

Hi Patrick
I have a T imer fitted to my LC80, It starts at 30 sec and goes up to 5 minutes, not that I have ever used it over two minutes. Also if I start my car and turn it off within 30 sec, the TTimer won't work. So I can't get into the situation of start the car by accident when just checking gauges.
Also if it is illegal to leave the car while the engine is running, why do the cops do it all the time. Everytime they pull someone over they leave the vechile with the engine running. Or is just another case of do as I say! Not as I do.

Thank you to all of you who have taken the time to share your thoughts with me re Turbo Timers. It certainly is an area where individuals have strong views.

I have decided to continue with my warm up / warm down procedures and invest in an EGT Guage to keep an eye on the temperatures rather than a Turbo Timer.

A happy New Years to you all.

Cheers,

Patrick

Your a champ Roachie, I'll check this out with Thermoguard when ordering their unit.

Cheers,

Patrick

I use a Silicone Chip or Jaycar Kit turbo timer, I had one on my last TD and I've got one on the Surf, faultless, brilliant, keep the air con going when I lock the doors to go get the milk (great for the dog, I put a mod on to keep it going 10 minutes via a switch).

Go the turbo timer, great units IMHO!