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TURBO TIMERS - WASTE OF TIME ON MODERN ENGINES?

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Old 01 November 2007 | 02:23 PM
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Originally Posted by Mystik Journeyman
I don't see why not - the Clifford turbo timers are integrated into the system,(unlike other third party devices) so it's impossible to do anything to the car whilst the turbo timer's running that you couldn't do when it's not. The alarm is armed and if you try and drive away the engine cuts out.

By definition the car isnt imobilised is it! Its running. lol

How can that be Cat1?
Old 01 November 2007 | 02:28 PM
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Originally Posted by michaelro
You fill up with petrol with the engine running....
What's wrong with that?
Old 01 November 2007 | 02:32 PM
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If you stop for petrol or for a time not long enough for the engine to cool then you don't really have to idle/wait for the turbo timer to switch off.
Think about it, the engine temp won't have changed much by the time you return to the car, therefore unlikely turbo damage.

Nick
Old 01 November 2007 | 02:34 PM
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Originally Posted by 172sport
By definition the car isnt imobilised is it! Its running. lol

How can that be Cat1?
It immobilises after the turbo timer's done and you need the keys to disable the timer if it's running.

I'm not sure of the exact standing (I've looked on Thatcham's and Clifford's websites but there's no mention of the device) but I perfectly happy because I know that the car is just as secure as normal.
Old 01 November 2007 | 02:34 PM
  #35  
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Originally Posted by Mystik Journeyman
I let the turbo timer run whilst I'm filling up. If the missus is in the car I lock the doors and leave the engine running.
You fill up with petrol with the engine running....

Originally Posted by Mystik Journeyman
What's wrong with that?
Have you not seen all of the warning signs in a petrol station asking you to switch off your engine????

A spark from your car could set the whole place alight
Old 01 November 2007 | 02:38 PM
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Originally Posted by skoobidude
If you stop for petrol or for a time not long enough for the engine to cool then you don't really have to idle/wait for the turbo timer to switch off.
Think about it, the engine temp won't have changed much by the time you return to the car, therefore unlikely turbo damage.

Nick
Yes, definitely. Really, I leave the engine running out of concern for wear and tear - I've heard that starting a car engine is quite damaging (relatively) so, if I know I'm gonna be driving again shortly, I keep it running where security permits. Sounds a bit pedantic but, if it's true, that situation arises many times.
Old 01 November 2007 | 02:44 PM
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Originally Posted by michaelro
A spark from your car could set the whole place alight
I think that's "over-cautiousness". Someone I used to work with did ignition testing and they found there wasn't enough ignition in a lit cigarette to ignite petrol. Theoretically, any electrical device could ignite petrol when buttons are pressed but they don't tell you not to touch your radio. Allegedly.
Old 01 November 2007 | 03:04 PM
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you MUST switch off the engine, headlights and fog lights ------------------------- See link below.
238-252: Waiting and parking : Directgov - Travel and transport

In the Highway code.
Old 01 November 2007 | 03:12 PM
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Originally Posted by Scoobyspanners
you MUST switch off the engine, headlights and fog lights ------------------------- See link below.
238-252: Waiting and parking : Directgov - Travel and transport

In the Highway code.
Those rules are for regular cars. I'm waiting for a response from the DfT regarding turbo timers...
Old 01 November 2007 | 03:22 PM
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Threads like this make me **** my pants. lol
Its just a car nothing mystical, as if any damage is going to happen haha.

Its not as if you have come into a stop with your turbo glowing cherry red is it....................... If you did i may agree with you that you need to cool it down.

More than likely you've been to the shop to get some more hair product pmsl............................!!!!!!

Get a grip
Old 01 November 2007 | 04:14 PM
  #41  
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What's the problem fuelling with the engine running? How is that more likely to cause a spark than without?

Fuelling with anti-lag on, well I could see your point then
Old 01 November 2007 | 04:42 PM
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ahhh, the great trubo timer debate. I personally leave my car running when fueling up because I am getting right back into it to continue driving. I don't have a TT but I do have an EGT and oil temp guage. I watch the EGT and oil temp. If I am doing alot of hard driving or Highway top speed pulls I will let the car cool till I see around 800-600 on the EGT's and somewhere around 180*F on the oil temp.


This is from Subaru itself
Turbo Timer FAQ

The primary purpose of an aftermarket turbo timer is to allow your engine to idle unattended for a user specified amount of time. This will allow your engine, specifically the turbo, to return from elevated temperature levels to normal temperature levels prior to the engine being turned off. This can prevent oil coking in turbochargers that are cooling by engine oil.

Are these necessary with Subaru Turbos? No.

June 2001 TechTIPS published by Subaru for Subaru Technicians states:

"2002MY WRX TURBO COOL DOWN PROCEDURE
FHI's position regarding this is that it is not necessary to perform a "cool down/idling" procedure, as was recommended with past turbo models. Our current 2.0L turbo engine has a far greater cooling capacity and, coupled with technology advances, makes this practice no longer necessary. This explains why information about cool down is not included in the 2002MY Impreza Owner's Manual.

The heat contained in the turbo charger will begin to vaporize the coolant at the turbo charger after the engine is stopped. This hot vapor will then enter the coolant reservoir tank which is the highest point of the coolant system. At the same time the vapor exits the turbo charger, coolant supplied from the right bank cylinder head flows into the turbo. This action cools the turbo charger down. This process will continue until the vaporizing action in the turbo charger has stopped or cooled down."
Old 01 November 2007 | 04:47 PM
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The highway code says "you MUST switch off the engine, headlights and fog lights
you MUST apply the handbrake before leaving the vehicle"

It doesnt say you have to switch the engine off while your in it and technically the engine still turns off, just not when your sitting in the car.
Old 01 November 2007 | 05:03 PM
  #44  
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Originally Posted by bish667
The highway code says "you MUST switch off the engine, headlights and fog lights
you MUST apply the handbrake before leaving the vehicle"

It doesnt say you have to switch the engine off while your in it and technically the engine still turns off, just not when your sitting in the car.
That'll do for me!!
Old 01 November 2007 | 06:17 PM
  #45  
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Originally Posted by FlyinbySTi
I personally leave my car running when fueling up because I am getting right back into it to continue driving.
You do realise most petrol stations have cctv for number plates
Old 02 November 2007 | 08:14 PM
  #46  
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Originally Posted by 172sport
Threads like this make me **** my pants. lol
Its just a car nothing mystical, as if any damage is going to happen haha.

Its not as if you have come into a stop with your turbo glowing cherry red is it....................... If you did i may agree with you that you need to cool it down.

More than likely you've been to the shop to get some more hair product pmsl............................!!!!!!

Get a grip
LOL couldn't have put it better myself!
Old 02 November 2007 | 10:27 PM
  #47  
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i cannot believe that some people think it is ok to refuel with their engine running, any spark near (spark can come from any electrical system running, or a backfire, or a leaking exhaust, or a faulty coil-pack etc etc, turn your engine off ffs, fires, although v rare, do happen at petrol stations) fuel vapour such as the fuel filler will result in a burn likened to an explosion, and guess who will get the blame.....anyway, stopping a hot engine and restarting it will have absolutely no adverse affect, the 'starting an engine damages it' applies to stone cold engines that have had the oil drain back to the sump. as for the scoob, i have yet to see the temp exceed 95c (psi3 datamonitor) although will drive less spirited just prior to shutoff as i would like the turbo to be spinning a little slower than max boost as the oil is no longer pumped.
Old 03 November 2007 | 12:05 AM
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All this stopping engines and not using phones etc in petrol stations is BS. You may stop your engine, but what about the engine of the person arriving or leaving? You may not be talking on your phone, but what about when your phone is polled by the network? You know, when you leave your mobile by a radio and you hear that interference.

If these things really did cause an issue, there would be explosions all over the place. You would be there filling up your car, and have to have warning signs all over the place to stop anyone else coming onto the forecourt to stop you all going up in smoke with their running engine
Old 03 November 2007 | 12:27 AM
  #49  
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Originally Posted by Luminous
All this stopping engines and not using phones etc in petrol stations is BS. You may stop your engine, but what about the engine of the person arriving or leaving? You may not be talking on your phone, but what about when your phone is polled by the network? You know, when you leave your mobile by a radio and you hear that interference.

If these things really did cause an issue, there would be explosions all over the place. You would be there filling up your car, and have to have warning signs all over the place to stop anyone else coming onto the forecourt to stop you all going up in smoke with their running engine
Kinda shows how little ya know eh fella. Its all about reducing risk.

Yes petrol station forcourts are zoned areas. Look up what that means and you may learn something!
Old 03 November 2007 | 12:31 AM
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it is the fact that the device (mobile phone) is not intrinsically safe and is banned from ANY site that carries a risk of explosion, the reason that there are not explosions everywhere is due to the fact that only a very very small minority of people deliberately flout the rules, if everyone used mobiles and left their engines running then there would be regular incidents. it is like saying that driving at 150mph is safe because you don't spontainiously crash when your speedo touches 150, now if everyone drove at 150mph there would be quite a significant amount of accidents attributed to driving at that speed.

Last edited by gallois; 03 November 2007 at 12:40 AM.
Old 03 November 2007 | 06:19 PM
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Originally Posted by gallois
the reason that there are not explosions everywhere is due to the fact that only a very very small minority of people deliberately flout the rules, if everyone used mobiles and left their engines running then there would be regular incidents.
ROFL!!!!!!!!! Do you honestly believe that?

You don't work in health and safety per chance do you
Old 03 November 2007 | 06:22 PM
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Originally Posted by 172sport
Kinda shows how little ya know eh fella. Its all about reducing risk.
In exactly the same way as you reduce the risk of getting killed falling out a plane by flapping your arms.
Old 04 November 2007 | 10:29 AM
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Some stoopid people on here. lol

Its a shame common sense aint so common!!!!
Old 04 November 2007 | 10:51 AM
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You do know that (on the debate for whether or not to turn your car off at a petrol station) that petrol in fluid form isnt actually that flammable, its the fumes that are and a full tanker of petrol is less likely to blow up in an accident than an empty one
Also, petrol is heavier than air, so you can theoretically (though dont try this at home ) smoke at a petrol pump, just dont drop your cig!

Tony
Old 04 November 2007 | 10:56 AM
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Yup i work at an oil refinery
Old 04 November 2007 | 11:41 AM
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Originally Posted by RB5_245
In exactly the same way as you reduce the risk of getting killed falling out a plane by flapping your arms.
LOL that example is nowhere near the same thing. If you must use an aeroplane analogy it's more like reducing the risk of everyone getting killed on a plane by advising the passengers not to bring machine guns on board.

But we're not talking about air travel, but road travel. With all due respect your analogy is absolute nonsense. The rule about not smoking or leaving your engine running at the petrol station is the same as the rules about driving on the left or not speeding. They are policed mainly 'by consent' meaning that people follow them through common sense. Occasionally people may contravene these rules and no harm will come of it - I for example have been done for speeding a fair few times and but have not had any kind of accident for 8 years. However this doesn't take away from the fact that if everyone decided to do 104 on a dual carriageway most of the time, we would rapidly get a situation where crashes would occur. If every now and again someone decided they would drive on the right most of the time they'd be OK. Once in a while they'd crash, with consequences for not only themselves but probably others. If you go into a petrol station with a *** on, most of the time you would be OK - as someone mentioned, liquid petrol is hard to ignite. One time out of a 1000 though there'd be fuel vapour around and your *** would blow the whole place up, along with everyone else there.

I just hope I'm not around when all these people who think the rules apply to everyone else but them pull up at the petrol station or come the other way along the road.
Old 04 November 2007 | 07:53 PM
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Turbo timers are just toys, end of.

They serve NO purpose AT ALL!!

My cars have always been switched off straight away regardless and over 100k now on the same turbo so can't be wrong.

Many many people I have watched on here have warmed up and cooled down their cars only to have the engine go bang before 60k, mine has been started and stopped just like it should with NO problems EVER.

A car warms up as you drive, why just heat the engine and drive off on a cold transmission
Old 04 November 2007 | 08:17 PM
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Originally Posted by silent running
With all due respect your analogy is absolute nonsense.
That's what I was aiming for. As is the notion that a running car can cause an ignition source powerful enough to ignite the petrol vapour in the area that it is rich enough to support combustion.

If the vapour cloud were large enough to be ignited by your own car, then time to run for your life as the cars driving in and out won't have there engines stopped

Anyway, the most common ignition source from a car would have to be a spark from static. If it were a real risk car's would have to be earthed before entering the station and vapour recovery used from the tank.

As it stands there is no risk, just stop your car so it doesn't get nicked
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