flc

Hi,

I spoke to my dealers about awhile back ago about this. And the dealer said I didn't need to bother with letting my 1.8T cool down 1-2 mins unless I've driven the car for an extended period of time or at full trottle.

I've pretty conservative in drive my A4 1.8t and never really drove the car at full throttle... Just wondering if I need really wait all the time for 1-2mins. Sometimes, I just make a short trip to the mall and barely drive for 10-15mins,
keeping the car between 2500-3000rpms (yeah I know, a sick sight to see a crawling A4, but it's pointless to blast way in silicon valley local streets for short distances)....And although I try to let it cool down every now and then, sometimes I just forget and let it idle for 30 secs or so....

Pardon my ignorance, but what exactly is "full trottle"? I know really dumb question. Do you guys have a guideline of when and how long I should let my care cool down?

Also, can anyone recommend a turbo timer and an installer in the SF bay area?

RickM

"Full throttle", a/k/a wide open throttle, a/k/a WOT a/k/a pedal-to-the-metal, a/k/a flooring it, is one aspect of "spirited" driving. Your short trips to the mall, with rpms never exceeding 3000, really don't require any turbo cool-down time. It can't hurt, but it isn't necessary. And I'd be willing to bet that your 30 second idle is 30 seconds more than the vast majority of 1.8T owners ever give their cars. Just the fact that you're sensitive to the issue makes you 100% more informed than most drivers.<p>Rick
99.5 A4 1.8TQMS silver/onyx
97 A6Q Wagon black/taupe

RickM

<p>Rick
99.5 A4 1.8TQMS silver/onyx
97 A6Q Wagon black/taupe

turbojet

I have some stupid questions here. Pardon my ignorance too, but I am new to this turbo thing.

1. What is the best method of letting the turbo cool down? From these posts, it looks like I need to let the car idle for a minute or so. Is idling a way to cool the turbo, and not shutting the engine off?

2. ALso, you guys keep saying the constant high boost leads to a hot turbo. Is there a way to see the turbo boost on the dashboard, like engine tachometer which tells me engine RPM. So do I know that I am using high boost or do I have to just guess it based on the driving conditions?

3. What is the warm up for? Is warm up needed for a turbo engine, and how is letting the car warm up related to turbo life. I got confused because somebody said one should warm the car up for 1 minute or so before running it.

4. And the last question... What is a turbo timer, and what does it do? Do I really need it for noraml driving conditions (mostly city driving with occasional freeway runs)?

Thanks.

RickM

<i>1. What is the best method of letting the turbo cool down? From these posts, it looks like I need to let the car idle for a minute or so. Is idling a way to cool the turbo, and not shutting the engine off?</i>

Yes. 2-3 minutes is more like it.

<i>2. ALso, you guys keep saying the constant high boost leads to a hot turbo. Is there a way to see the turbo boost on the dashboard, like engine tachometer which tells me engine RPM.</i>

You'll see posts here where people talk of installing a boost gauge. That's what it's for. Otherwise, yes, it's seat-of-the-pants based on driving conditions.

<i>3. What is the warm up for? Is warm up needed for a turbo engine, and how is letting the car warm up related to turbo life. I got confused because somebody said one should warm the car up for 1 minute or so before running it.</i>

The "warm up" you've seen others refer to isn't of the start-and-let-it-idle-before-you-drive variety. You aren't supposed to do that. What you want to do is start the engine and drive off, but take it easy until the oil temp is 175 or better. This simply ensures that the oil is freely circulating. Lubrication good, friction bad.

<i>4. And the last question... What is a turbo timer, and what does it do? Do I really need it for noraml driving conditions (mostly city driving with occasional freeway runs)?</i>

It keeps your engine running during the cool-down phase. Click the link to read about the Greddy turbo timer.<p>Rick
99.5 A4 1.8TQMS silver/onyx
97 A6Q Wagon black/taupe
<ul><li><a href="http://stores.yahoo.com/supra/gredturtim.html">Greddy Turbo Timer info</a></li></ul>

Jason H

1. its the oil circulating INSIDE the turbo's casing that cools it down, not outside air. If you shut down a really hot turbo the oil inside it will stop flowing and potential "cook" into a sludge like substance. If done repeatedly, your oil will cease to lubricate properly and your engine and/or turbo can fail, also the little shaft that the tubine spins on can actually become semi-molten from the heat and without the gyroscopic action of spinning can actually droop and become off balance. The next time the turbo runs, BANG! Wastegate failure or worse.

2. You can install an after market turbo gauge, or you can wait (wink,wink) to see if someone finds a way of converting one of the dash gauges to a boost gauge. old Ur S4's had a cool one built into the trip computer from the factory

3. You can start driving immedietely, just don't drive HARD until the oil warms up enough to properly lubricate the turbo, When the water temp gauge hits halfway is good enough.

4. A turbo timer allows the engine to run for a specific period of time before shutting down even after you've removed the key. It then shuts off the car. You can go on your merry way without sitting in your car for 2 min. every time you stop it.<p><a href="http://registry.audiworld.com/audi/registry/details.asp?car=2361"> <img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/AudiWorldPics/2000/jasonh_aw_sig.gif" border=0></a>

BillK(n)

This is based on my experience with a 1989 Ford Probe GT. Always changed the oil at 3K miles, always idled 30 seconds before shutdown, turbo lasted 90,000 miles before I traded it in and may still be going strong today for all I know...

(Even my PROBE had a boost gauge... :-))