Whats the deal with turbo timers?

[The Jake]

From my understanding they're not illegal to have but they're illegal if you get out of the car and they're running... is that right?

This is in Victoria btw.

- J.

[[WLDCRD]]

its something like its illegal to have a car running without anyone in the car (drivers seat) unlessyou are in your own driveway.

[leb]

Would you recommend a turbo timer for any turbo'd car, even if its stock? Does it really preserve the turbo that much?

[leb]

Would you recommend a turbo timer for any turbo'd car, even if its stock? Does it really preserve the turbo that much?

But yeah as was said, you have to be in your car or close to it, in other words not un-attended

[[WLDCRD]]

i think it really depends how you drive the car...if you thrash it, i would say yes. it just lets the turbo cool down. but its not that neccessary to have one. you could always just sit in the car for like 30 seconds then switch off. its really up to the individual.

[SKY031]

Provided you take it easy in the last 5 minutes of driving before you turn the car off, then a timer isn't really needed.

If it was, it would be installed by the factory.

Just don't thrash the car before you turn it off.

[leb]

so turbo timers don't do anything fancy like adjust the rpm of the turbo?

[NJR 34GTT]

Nope, purely just let the car idle for a set amount of time before automatically switching off.

[Goon]

joel, you set the turbo timer for the length of time you want the engine to run on idle, so that the engine doesnt go straight from being hot-as to suddenly cool, which damages the internals cause of the sudden temp drop. i think you're thinking about boost controllers mate.

[leb]

alex, but the thing is i thought it slowed the turbo's rpm down even more from idle causing the turbo to cool down even more otherwise you could put a turbo timer on any car (its probably already possible)

[rs73]

IMO turbo timer are overkill for street use. For everyday use, if you slow down and take it gently the last few minutes before arriving at your destination, you won't really need turbo timer that much.

Only when you take your car to the track regularly, it will be quite handy when you have to lock the car and walk away between lap sessions.

[MLCrisis]

My understanding of the need for cool down is to prevent coking/carbonising of the oil in the turbo bearings, which can occur if you shutdown while everything is still hot. If you keep it running on idle for a short while (or driving low load as Sky031 suggested), then the turbo has a chance to cool down, lots of fresh oil is circulated through the bearings and the oil left sitting there when you shutdown won't carbonise. Carbonising of the oil will stuff your bearings.

All a turbo-timer does for you is automate the cool down, so you don't have to sit there. Personally, I drive low load and/or sit there for a minute or two or keep it running while I get my bag out of the boot and stuff.

As for locking and leaving at a track day - who the hell is going to pinch it?!! I left it running with bonnet up and doors open ....

Cheers.

[QWAK]

Turbo timers a great if your lazy. when you get home late you can just walk away and goto bed and not have to sit in your car. Its just a lazyness factor.

[nmcmahon83]

As I understand it, it is illegal in NSW to leave a car running while unattended... and rightly so. It's similar to that law that says it's illegal to leave a car unlocked if you're more than 10m away (it might be 5m)...

[rs73]

As for locking and leaving at a track day - who the hell is going to pinch it?!!  I left it running with bonnet up and doors open ....

Dunno where u normally go for track days, but I've seen certain tracks with open entrance to public (no security standing there) and anyone can just walk in and pinch anything from the pits when no one's looking... Some other tracks are good as they have one or two controlled entrance in/out of the pit area.

[paulr33]

it is illegal in vic to have a turbo timer as it violates adr standards. your engine must not run when the keys are removed, this is an adr rule and a turbo timer bypasses this rule completely hence it being illegal. the purpose of it as stated is to let the engine run, while the engine is running the turbo is still spinning and has oil and water running through its water/oil lines. as soon as you kill power to the engine those lines stop flowing so the turbo halts and is most likely very hot.

with the use of the turbo timer it gets a chance to idle for a minute or two

most manauls for turbo cars suggest this and the r33 at least did have a factory turbo timer option its on the left of the sterring column down about 30cms, usually its a blank panel but on some r33s its a switch with short and long and the turbo symbol. i prefer the fact to leave it idle for a minute or two as it gives a chance for all the temps and shit (if high) to settle, at least a tiny bit

[QuickR33Melb]

I recently read an editors reply from speed magizine from a similar question.

He said that they are a waste of money that are often incorrectly installed which leads to the fuel pump still pumping petrol out if you have a major accident. They exponse ignition wires that makes the time to steal your car dramatically less. He went on to say that anyone that doesn't take it easy 5 minutes before parking a their car doesn't deserve to have a turbo car.

[MLCrisis]

Dunno where u normally go for track days, but I've seen certain tracks with open entrance to public (no security standing there) and anyone can just walk in and pinch anything from the pits when no one's looking... Some other tracks are good as they have one or two controlled entrance in/out of the pit area.

Sorry, mate. I am living in my own little world and ignoring the realities of life in places less fortunate than Perth. If you ever get the chance to cross the Nullarbor, you would enjoy a track day at Wanneroo or Collie, I am sure.

Meanwhile, life way out West seems to have other benefits compared to good ol' Victoria, judging from comments in this and other threads about their application of the ADRs. The disparity between states for relatively straightforward rules seems farcical. If the ADRs said that all cars had to have a round steering wheel with two to four spokes covered in a non-slip grip, I reckon the state rules would be something like:

NSW: RTA would say cars had to have steering wheels and cops would defect you based on your age and who's in the car.

Vic: You could have either two or four spokes or three spokes with a leather grip, but not two or four spokes with leather grip, unless it was a factory option.

WA: You could fit an aftermarket steering wheel as long as it was not smaller than the factory wheel, but cops would still defect you if you were not white caucasian or if they were having a hard time with their missus.

QLD: You could fit an aftermarket steering wheel, as long as it was yellow suede to match the seats.

SA: Any steering wheels are fine, as long as they say "Holden" in the middle.

NT: Whatever looks cool when your fingers are gripping it really tight!

Cheers.

[ferni]

Mate got fined, at the servo, standing outside his car, leaning on it, with it running wiating for it to cool down... undercover cop car pulls up next to him, 'heres a fine for have the car running unatended'

of course it was a skyline ...

he was seriously leaning on the car while it was running waiting for it to cool down heh

[95GTST]

What a ****in crock of shit!!!! I'd tell em to get ****ed! How many ****in truckies leave their trucks running while their poppin pills in the dunny at a servo???