Why don't we need turbo timers any more?

[xQx]

Back in the day it was (arguably) critical to run your car for 2 - 5 minutes after spirited driving, to give the turbo time to stop spinning while the oil was still circulating.

Now, they're a thing of the past. A relic on old R32/R33 GTR's and turn-of-the-century WRX's...

So what changed? Why doesn't the N54 need a turbo timer?

And given the issue of aftermarket 'smoky twins' on our cars; would this problem be at all mitigated by giving them time to spin-down properly with the car running?

[CivicDuty]

The owners manual of my 2012 Volvo C30 T5 recommended letting the car idle down for just that reason.

Out of habit I do the same with my E82. It has to be better for it, doesn't it? I know on some VW's they have a pump that keeps oil circulating for a time after the engine is shut off so you don't have to keep it running. Do the N54/55's have such a thing?

[N54Yankee]

Old Dino engine oil from some years back would coke( turn solid and hard) from the excessive heat inside turbos when turned off without letting the the units cool sufficiently or keep it circulating till cooled off for a period of time. When that happens it restricts flow, akin to clogged heart arteries. Loss of lubrication ruins turbos and other parts quickly.
Today's synthetics don't coke like organic oil based lubricants.

[Matticus91]

Originally Posted by xQx

Back in the day it was (arguably) critical to run your car for 2 - 5 minutes after spirited driving, to give the turbo time to stop spinning while the oil was still circulating.

Now, they're a thing of the past. A relic on old R32/R33 GTR's and turn-of-the-century WRX's...

So what changed? Why doesn't the N54 need a turbo timer?

And given the issue of aftermarket 'smoky twins' on our cars; would this problem be at all mitigated by giving them time to spin-down properly with the car running?

Originally Posted by CivicDuty

The owners manual of my 2012 Volvo C30 T5 recommended letting the car idle down for just that reason.

Out of habit I do the same with my E82. It has to be better for it, doesn't it? I know on some VW's they have a pump that keeps oil circulating for a time after the engine is shut off so you don't have to keep it running. Do the N54/55's have such a thing?

Originally Posted by N54Yankee

Old Dino engine oil from some years back would coke( turn solid and hard) from the excessive heat inside turbos when turned off without letting the the units cool sufficiently or keep it circulating till cooled off for a period of time. When that happens it restricts flow, akin to clogged heart arteries. Loss of lubrication ruins turbos and other parts quickly.
Today's synthetics don't coke like organic oil based lubricants.

Aside from oil no longer being total dogshit as N54Yankee mentioned, turbos are built with tolerances for heat changes. They are constantly going through heat cycles whether you're racing and turning the car off or not. In many cases, the quickest way to get a car's temps back down is to turn it off! You'll see guys do this at the track as soon as they hit their pit box in some cases.

[desertman123]

Also the water pump is capable of running with the motor off.

[Soterios]

Because in just about 99% of your driving scenarios you don't need it.

Unless you just go out and drive at redline for a half hour and then shut off your car immediatly, your cooling system has ample time to get oil temps back down in most cases.

[Tenspeed]

I always just run mine gently (by staying out of the turbo) the last mile home so it has time to cool a little before I back it in the garage and shut it off.

That is just my way of not putting it away hot.

During the summer I also leave it outside the garage with the hood up to cool for a little while so I don't add all of that heat to my garage when I close the doors.

[icegrill]

I still idle 30 seconds out of habit, granted I'm coming from the era of Saab 900 turbos as my first turbocharged cars!

[The Wind Breezes]

Mostly water cooled turbos and synthetic oil, some cars also have aux cooling system for after it shuts off. N54/N55 have all of the above.

People used to spin dials around to use a telephone too, are you also going to spin your hand in circles every time you pick up your smartphone icegrill?

[icegrill]

Originally Posted by The Wind Breezes

Mostly water cooled turbos and synthetic oil, some cars also have aux cooling system for after it shuts off. N54/N55 have all of the above.

People used to spin dials around to use a telephone too, are you also going to spin your hand in circles every time you pick up your smartphone icegrill?

Yes! I still press down the motion of a vcr door when I order a movie on Apple TV.

[nachob]

Originally Posted by xQx

Back in the day it was (arguably) critical to run your car for 2 - 5 minutes after spirited driving, to give the turbo time to stop spinning while the oil was still circulating.

Now, they're a thing of the past. A relic on old R32/R33 GTR's and turn-of-the-century WRX's...

So what changed? Why doesn't the N54 need a turbo timer?

And given the issue of aftermarket 'smoky twins' on our cars; would this problem be at all mitigated by giving them time to spin-down properly with the car running?

Everything is better now but if you rev the car, give it a few seconds to spool down. You wouldn't believe how many people gun a turbo motor a few times and turn it off immediately.

So you don't need them but still a good practice to not rev and shut off and it is still a good practice if you just drove it really hard to let it car idle for a bit to keep the oil circulating and reduce heat stress on the turbo bearings.

[ejm3]

I just generally take it easy the last mile or two before I arrive at my destination.

[Tommm]

Originally Posted by icegrill

I still idle 30 seconds out of habit, granted I'm coming from the era of Saab 900 turbos as my first turbocharged cars!

Originally Posted by The Wind Breezes

Mostly water cooled turbos and synthetic oil, some cars also have aux cooling system for after it shuts off. N54/N55 have all of the above.

People used to spin dials around to use a telephone too, are you also going to spin your hand in circles every time you pick up your smartphone icegrill?

GM got rid of the oil cooler on the C6. They switched to factory a fill of synthetic.

[fun2drv]

I have a '19 M5 Competition and it does have turbo timer. It took me a while to getting used to the fan running for a couple of minutes after I shut off the ignition. It pretty much does it all the time, even if I have been driving it "nicely"...

[Soterios]

Originally Posted by fun2drv

I have a '19 M5 Competition and it does have turbo timer. It took me a while to getting used to the fan running for a couple of minutes after I shut off the ignition. It pretty much does it all the time, even if I have been driving it "nicely"...

This is another reason we don't have turbo timers anymore.

Pressumably your new M5 uses water cooling for the turbos. When you shut your engine down, the radiator fans and water pump keep running to cool things down, though I don't know if oil continues to circulate as well.

[N54Yankee]

Originally Posted by Tommm

GM got rid of the oil cooler on the C6. They switched to factory a fill of synthetic.

My C6 Z51 has a factory oil cooler and came loaded with Mobil 1 and that's what Chevy calls for. In fact since the C6's inception all of them come with full synthetic regardless of oil coolers or not.

[Tommm]

Originally Posted by N54Yankee

My C6 Z51 has a factory oil cooler and came loaded with Mobil 1 and that's what Chevy calls for. In fact since the C6's inception all of them come with full synthetic regardless of oil coolers or not.

That's a Z51. The base got rid of the oil cooler. That's what I was told in late 04 early 05.

Maybe I typed to fast. When GM went from the C5 to C6 they got rid of the oil cooler and made the factory fill Mobil 1.

[N54Yankee]

Originally Posted by Tommm

That's a Z51. The base got rid of the oil cooler. That's what I was told in late 04 early 05.

Maybe I typed to fast. When GM went from the C5 to C6 they got rid of the oil cooler and made the factory fill Mobil 1.

Just to clarify. C5's also came new from Bowling Green with Mobil 1 also and that's was the recommended oil for all future changes. I get what you're saying though.

[dtla1]

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by N54Yankee

My C6 Z51 has a factory oil cooler and came loaded with Mobil 1 and that's what Chevy calls for. In fact since the C6's inception all of them come with full synthetic regardless of oil coolers or not.

Yep. My Z51 optioned C6 did as well!

[Tommm]

Originally Posted by N54Yankee

Just to clarify. C5's also came new from Bowling Green with Mobil 1 also and that's was the recommended oil for all future changes. I get what you're saying though.

Then I guess they tested the car with and without and determined it wasnt needed with synthetic. I had just leased my GTO and he told me about the change from LS1 to LS3. My GTO LS1 came with dino. I switched it to synthetic and even sprang for a magentic drain plug (for my aluminum motor) at 700 miles. A friend's son bought out the lease early. Friend told his kid he need look no further and buy my used car when his kid said he wanted a GTO with a manual. Yes, I got the $100 a month three year lease at the end of 04.

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by Tommm

Then I guess they tested the car with and without and determined it wasnt needed with synthetic. I had just leased my GTO and he told me about the change from LS1 to LS3. My GTO LS1 came with dino. I switched it to synthetic and even sprang for a magentic drain plug (for my aluminum motor) at 700 miles. A friend's son bought out the lease early. Friend told his kid he need look no further and buy my used car when his kid said he wanted a GTO with a manual. Yes, I got the $100 a month three year lease at the end of 04.

The guy that taught me most about LS tuning had one of the fastest bolt-on GTO's around here for a long time. Nice car!

I was with him at the shop the day he sold it doing some tuning on a C5Z I had. I never thought he would sell the car....but he did. The next time I had a chance to hook up with him, he had picked up a C6Z and starting to modify it!.