There has been a lot of discussion about turbo timers being useful or in other cases overkill. I hear this both here and in other car platforms. I want to get some feedback from our members about whether or not they find the turbo timer useful.

From what I hear the only reason to have one would be if you drive very hard inducing hot lubrication on the turbo. I know that I dont drive my car on the street like I would on a track so I am thinking a turbo timer would be overkill for me.

Thoughts from the FI crowd?

 

I have one but rarely use it - and my oil cooled turbo has lasted a long *** time .
Have found the voltmeter on mine more useful than the turbo timer .

Around town it is extremely difficult (and irresponsible) to drive hard enough to warrant using one - at the track you get a cool down lap most times anyway .

My feeling is that for 95% of users it is a waste of money .

 

This is kinda off topic but I have had a theory about turbo timers on NA. What about for use during a very short trip during the winter when your engine is still cold, you could get out and leave it running instead of having to sit in your car and wait. My drive is a 15 minute walk or so, and during the cold months it may help during that time.

 

^ i dont start driving my car without it heating to at least 120 degrees or so. By the time I get to a road that has a 30mph speed limit (basically outside of my neighborhood) the car is warmed up plenty enough to avoid any kind of flooding.

back to on topic

 

Timers are more for piece of mind, IMO. I had one on my FC T-II, yet I rarely ever parked after driving in high load.

If you feel as though you may drive hard before parking, then the investment will be a good one.

 

What I have always read on turbo timers is that it only applied to people if the turbo was only oil cooled? oil/water cooled I dont think its necessary. I cant imagine shutting off the car right away after hard driving anyways, thats just not smart.

On a sidenote all the kids here with Evos and Sti's get turbo timers as their first mods because they think its cool lol. To me its kind of a rice mod.

 

Turbo timer functions well as others have said for leaving the car running and locked for up for a few minutes while you run in to do something so the car doesn't have to be shut off cold or turned off and restarted when you have a weak battery like me. Also, turbo timers are so cheap and easy to install it is well worth the small cost for the peace of mind that you are not damaging a costly turbo setup when you want to turn off the car after driving hard.

 

you didn't state if the CHRA is water-cooled or not

 

mine is not water cooled.