Run / Cool Down on a Turbo

[brads]

Hi just a quicky I am having a debate with a guy at work who owns a impreza. He leaves his car running for a minute of so after driving to allow the turbo to cool etc. Is this still the case with modern turbo engines ?

Thanks

 

[paddy]

If he has been trying to keep up with your S3 it will need a lot of cooling down
Seriously i doubt its that important these days. Vast number of cars are turbo'd but you dont see people sitting around in car parks letting them cool down... but it will not hurt. More importantly i would let it run to warm TBH.
I wonder why when engine and under bonnet temps rise, airflow through the rad and oil cooler stops when stationery he thinks things are cooling down ? It probably makes more sence to drive it conservativley for the last mile of a journey TBH

 

[marknjayne]

Coming from owning a lot ( including 7 skylines and lots of scoobies etc) the above statement is just about bang on

 

[macpdm]

I was always told that a turbocharged car has time to cool enough when travelling at slower speeds for instance as you are arriving home after a longish drive you are generally driving at 30/40mph. If however you have just pulled off the motorway for fuel etc I was always told never to blip the throttle before shutting off which I never do anyway. And thats about it except paddy probably said it better than I have.

 

[lil_coz]

As the others have said. Not too important when turning off the car. Even if you've had a spirited drive on the journey. If the lasty 5 mins is normal driving, that gives it a chance to cool down. Only if you've absolutly cained it, and you've suddenly come to your destination would I leave the engine running for a bit. More important to warm the turbo up before giving it some.

I've only let my previous car (TDi) warm down once in the time I had it. That was because I gave it hell round some country roads, and where I needed to go was just off them. So left it tick over for 2-3 mins before I turned it off.

 

[marknjayne]

There are times when you need to cool the turbo and engine such as hard track use etc as you have to remember turbo's run at extremely high temps and oil can get to and above 110 degrees and just turning it off can damage things such as seals etc , you can buy turbo timers that automatically time the engine shut down

 

[S3Alex]

As marknjayne has said,there are times when it may be advisable such as after long hard runs where there will be a lot of heatsoak and the bearings will be most at risk.

On an unmapped car this is unlikely to be a problem,but many mapped cars will run high EGTs and it may be more worth thinking about there.
Modern turbos all have water cooled bearings and synthetic oils are much less liable to coking the oil galleries than mineral oils.

 

[One Spoke]

Modern turbos all have water cooled bearings and synthetic oils are much less liable to coking the oil galleries than mineral oils.

Does a 2007 S3 have a water cooled turbo?

 

[R55 MRU]

the correct thing to do is when you first start the car it needs time to move oil around the turbo about 1 min is enough, When powering the car down make sure you don't rev the car then shut it off or the blades in the turbo will seaze while spinning at to high rpm which will wear out. Again 1 min is adequate.

 

[RPB]

I too came out of a 2003 Subaru after 8 yrs into my Audi. Normal driving is plenty enough cooling down/warming up they ever need. Don't cane it, then just turn it off. Don't just turn it on, then cane it. Simple really. Some basic "mechanical sympathy" goes a long way. My WRX was modded but 108k and still going strong when I sold it.
EDIT: LOL at my poor spelling earlier.

 

[durtytdi140]

Hi just a quicky I am having a debate with a guy at work who owns a impreza. He leaves his car running for a minute of so after driving to allow the turbo to cool etc. Is this still the case with modern turbo engines ?

Thanks

ive got a sierra cosworth runnign 353bhp on rolling road its damaged at the moment due to hitting lamp post ( my dads car he hit it lol ) bt when ever we have owned a turbo car and had it tuned we have always alowed aroudn a minute of cooling down so the oil is removed out of the turbo as it is healthy for the turbo and even the head in some cases, i do it to my audi a3 2.0 tdi it has tuning mods done to it so i class it as a performance diesel now you s3 peopl mite laugh a little even though it has 100ft lb torque more than the s3's

AUDI A3 2.0 TDI 2006, BALANCE SHAFT REMOVED UPRATED OIL PUMP, SMALLER SUMP, STAGE 1 REMAP PRINTED OUT RUNNING 178 BHP 305FT LB TORQUE P, FORGE BOOST HOSES AND FORGE EGR VALVE HOSE , STAINLESS STEEL DECAT DOWNPIPE WITH TWIN TAIL PIPES, 18 INCH ORIGINAL BBS CH, BMC PANEL FILTER

 

[Brett Butler]

I got to admit, If ever I have been giving any of my car's that had a turbo some stick just before I arrive somewhere I let it run for a few minutes, before switching off the engine. I am pretty sure it even mentions it in the manual somewhere.

 

[FranA3]

when i used to have my old tuned escort rs turbo i always let it warm up to normal temp before even thinking of giving it a bit of a caning and always used the timer inbuilt into my clifford alarm to let it cool down after a min or so after a dam good ragging i always used to let it cool down for 2 mins to let the turbo cool plus to let the fans cool the water too , she has an all polished chrome engine bay so ran hot temps for most of the time even more so after a spirited drive lol

 

[S3Alex]

ive got a sierra cosworth runnign 353bhp on rolling road its damaged at the moment due to hitting lamp post ( my dads car he hit it lol ) bt when ever we have owned a turbo car and had it tuned we have always alowed aroudn a minute of cooling down so the oil is removed out of the turbo as it is healthy for the turbo and even the head in some cases, i do it to my audi a3 2.0 tdi it has tuning mods done to it so i class it as a performance diesel now you s3 peopl mite laugh a little even though it has 100ft lb torque more than the s3's

AUDI A3 2.0 TDI 2006, BALANCE SHAFT REMOVED UPRATED OIL PUMP, SMALLER SUMP, STAGE 1 REMAP PRINTED OUT RUNNING 178 BHP 305FT LB TORQUE P, FORGE BOOST HOSES AND FORGE EGR VALVE HOSE , STAINLESS STEEL DECAT DOWNPIPE WITH TWIN TAIL PIPES, 18 INCH ORIGINAL BBS CH, BMC PANEL FILTER

That is of course quoting a tuned diesel Vs the stock S3 since you seem interested in the figures.

If you compare that with a tuned S3 the figures then reverse,with some of those producing between 450-500lbs or more.

None of that alters good advice and practice though,which is to treat machinery properly if you want it to last.

 

[TheStreetman]

Interesting post, Personal preference for me is wait 1 minute after starting the engine and 30 -secs to 1 minute before switching off....... It certainly aint going to hurt!


A3 1.8TFSI Sportback - Black Edition.Ibis White.Pan Roof.S3 pedals.........Lovin it!!!!!