If you use a turbo timer, which one do you use?> as im thinking about getting one, butmaks like hks are abit too jap for a rs turbo!

cheers

 

i use a Blitz one

 

Blitz for me too.

 

I just drive gently for the last few miles home and don't have problems with my insurance either. Also means I can spend Ł100 or so on something else

 

how long should you actually let the turbo cool down before turning the ignition off?

 

Depends how hard you've been driving the car.
Without a timer and if you've taken it easy off boost mainly for the last 5-10mins then leave it idling for a couple of mins before switching off.
If you boost it to your doorstep then could be anything upto 10mins, 30mins dependant on circumstances..but generally a few mins is sufficient.

ALWAYS let the car idle after being driven tho. Even if it's only for 1 minute.
It's not to let it cool down as such (altho that is part of it), it's to allow the oil to circulate and prevent bearing seizure at high temps.

 

Ive got a slightly older HKS Type 0, but being prefectly honestm within 5 mins of fitting it i realised what a useless piece of crap it is.

Most of us RS boys have alarms, so you can't arm your alarm fully until the timer has knocked off anyway meaning you have to stand around and wait........

Save your cash and just make sure you let the engine run on for a couple of minutes before switching off

 

Isn't sitting there idling a couple of mins the same as waiting for the timer to count-down ??
Only a t-t is a bit more scientific using boost levels to determine the amount of time needed.

Park up and remove the keys: t-t kicks in. By the time you've removed your stereo, phone, house keys, bag and anything else you need to take into the house with you then the timer should have just about finished anyhow. All ready for you to set your alarm.

Some alarms have t-t's built in now so you can set your alarm as you leave. Car locks, t-t counts down then alarm is automatically set giving full protection.
Even if someone was to break in and attempt to drive away, they should be wired into the handbrake so if it's releaed the t-t will kill the ignition. To go with that, if they do get past the handbrake control then again the ignition will be killed as soon as the counter has finished anyhow.

 

iv got an alarm, t-t seem a good idea to me, and for some reason i reckon it will look cool turning up at the pub and people thinking youve not turned your car off then it turning off itself lol.

im gonna get one, the only thing that bothbers me is that ill be waiting around waiting formy car to turn off what ever the situation!

 

You will, but like I said if you drive off boost for a few mins before you get to your destinationthen you won't be waiting long.

They're not just turbo-timers tho. They are multi function that act as boost gauges: peak and current, 0-60 timers, stopwatch for lap timing, boost warning, internal temp and voltage displays.

I've had numerous peope tell me I've forgotten to switch my car off, just as the iginition kills and then they look all confused

 

Yep........so why waste Ł60 on a turbo timer if you're sat there fannying about anyway

 

1: Because if it's done on the timer the car gets the exact amount of run-down as calculated by the timer. Just sat there waiting *might* not be long enough dependant on how you drive, the timer negates this requirement for the user to think about how long it needs.

2: It's not just a timer..as I explained above. Some multi-functioning cool shit going on.

3: It's funny when un-educated people say you've left your car running just as it shuts-off

 

so, point 3 is the reason you blew your money on one yea

 

halfords turbo timer 30 quid works perfect does the job mate no hassle

 

i just leave mine running! cant be bothered to fit a turbo timer as its just another thing to go wrong

 

Was free money anyway mate..your momma gave me it

 

owwwwwwwwww you SCRAPE that barrel

 

I did....but got a turbo-timer out of it so was worth it

 

oooooooo cunt

 

We just let our Series 2 tick over for a minute or so before switching it off


Brian

 

Big point is many insurers won't cover the car against theft if a turbo timer is in use or the turbo timer facility is active on the alarm. Same goes for remote engine starts.

Completely pointless toy that does nothing but impress kids. Might as well set fire to a wad of fivers for all the good it does

 

Or roll them up and smoke them, could be fun too

 

Shite..big post then got "critical database error"

 

Right, try again....

All the major insurance companies I have spoken to in the past DO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM with t-t's being fitted.
I was ringing round for a renewal when this was brought up a few years back and asked again as I had it fitted to my S2 at the time. I listed it as a modification and EVERY ONE I spoke to out of the major companies (Flux, HIC, Perf Direct, etc) said they had no problem with a car having a turbo-timer fitted. They knew what they were and had no issues with fitment of them. They said if anything happened regarding the legality and continuance of a policy holders insurance they would be the first to know and would contact that person asap to make them aware. I have had mine fitted to the S2 originally around 2000 and now the S1 and have never had insurance refused or unable to quote based purely on having this fitted.

If there were issues with these items them the alarm manufacturers would not have them as part of a Cat 1 deal. I don't think they would get the thatcham rating if insurance companies wouldn't allow them to be fitted.

As for remote starts, I've never had one. These are generally part of an alarm package & if it's fitted through an approved dealer with cert of fitment (which you need for insurance anyhow) then there can be no proeblems.

Turbo-timers and remote starts have built in safety devices to ensure against theft when in use, so if they've been fitted in accordance with the regulations then there should be no issues with insurance.

Do you leave your car idling when you get back? Why? To protect the turbo from cooling with no oil. Exactly what a t-t does. How long ? Do you know that you've left it the right amount of time? This automatically knows how much you've been boosting your car via a boost tap-off and adjusts the countdown accordingly. Not exactly a pointless toy is it

As I said before, it's not just a t-t. They are multi-function. Saves buying a boost gauge if you don't have one and shows peak boost also. Can use it for lap times or sprints. Can have it set-up to give an audible warning if the car reaches a set boost level to prevent excess over-boosting.

Boost gauges and pod are what Ł50/Ł60 ? Can have one of these for around the same price that does more.

 

Shaun were not all trying to gang up on you

I see your point about the turbo timer calculating the time but how often has your turbo timer left the car running more than a couple of minutes realistically?

Ive got a HKS one, and mine can only establish the run down time on the engines RPM, so theres not much high tech about that IMO. And obviously common sense tictates to me if ive just boosted it all the way up the road at hgh RPM its going to want a few good minutes to run down, but then i wouldnt do that anyway.

So in most cases the 30 secs - 1 minute is sufficient to take the heat from the core and allow the shaft to stop spinning i feel.

Yes mines got some nice features like the voltage monitoring and digital RPM, but they aren't really essential

 

I too have spoken to insurance companies about them and was told the fitment of one would not invalidate the theft part of my policy. As soon as the device was in operation/activated though that did invalidate the theft part of my policy. (Adrian Flux May 2005)

I only leave my car idling for a few moments while I clear out my stuff from it before putting it to bed. I run the car gently for the last few miles on my return home (sometimes even do a lap of the village if I've been hammering it). I know my car inside and out so I stand by my comment that they are a toy and not worth a damp squirt. A gimmick that I'm sure the kiddies will lap up, bit like dump valves.

 

No, they are not essential..but they aren't a pointless toy.
I feel it's different for people like us who know about things like this and how it's important to let the car idle for a bit before switching it off, but Joe Bloggs doesn't and fitting one of these may be a way of prolonging the life of their car.
Yes if they don't know or adhere to this it's their fault, but perhaps they just need a bit of re-educating about turbo cars. They may never have had a turbo before and treat it like a norm asp car.

I work with two people, they own a new golf gti turbo and one's got an ST Focus (which I found out last night). I know the golf owner lets the car warm up before boosting it but unsure of post-drive idling. The ST driver's habits are unknown but I do know he doesn't drive it the 2 mins to work for the right reasons, as he told me last night.

I don't think they know about turbo-timers and could be damaging their turbos through not knowing. If they had a t-t fitted then they wouldn't have to think/ remember to leave it for a short time before switching off.

As I said at the top, no they are not essential but may benefit those who aren't as clued up as we are.

 

Thats just typical neglicence though, the type of people who refuse to read the manual because "they know it all already"

Even back in the day when you bought a Series 1, read the owners handbook and it advises about letting the car run down before switching off, if they can't read the literature thats provided for their own benefit then they deserve to pay the price when they fuck it up

 

Oranoco: Just read your reply...
Again I quote:

Just as you wrote you do...

Btw, the ST owner saw my sig last night and asked if it was an RS. I said yes and he then said "Is that a zetec or a pinto?" No, cvh. "Is it 2 litre turbo'd?" No, turbo'd 1600.

Another example of someone who bought an ST simply for how it looks, the performance and the fact they had the money to

 

Amen to that mate.

 

Bloody hell didnt think this topic would cause so many posts!!

Im ordering mine on friday when i get paid, Which Model have you got shawn, becasue theres 2 blitz ones FATT DC which is Ł70, and DDT,DC4 which is Ł104. Suppose the extra money is for added features.

And to who ever said buy onefrom halfords, i dont think i could put halfords stuff in my car

 

Blitz Dual Turbo-Timer.
Does boost, peak boost, auto timer and manual timer.
It's quite an old model: had it for around 6-ish years I think, but still spot on and does the job.

 

How does that work out boost? Sensor presumably?

 

There's a boost bled off point, which goes in at the back of the inlet manifold. All the wiring is missing in that pic.

 

A what

Has it got an external sensor or do you run a vacuum hose to the unit?

 

 

Boost pressure line is a small vac hose tap-off point from the manifold to the unit.

 

ahh ok thats what i thought.

P.S you appear to have left part of your lunch attached to the instructions (saving it for later are we? )

 

That's a black smudge left by the electrician who fitted it to my S2 after holding the leaflet with mucky fingers.

 

yea yea exscuses excuses we all know you're a fat scranner