Turbo Care

You want to make sure that the turbo has spun down and cooled down a bit before you turn off the engine. If you drive the car sensible on the last couple of miles before you turn off the engine you should be OK.

This is less critical with a water cooled turbo these days but if yours isn't then turning off the engine while the turbo is still glowing red is not a good idea.

Regular oil changes with decent oil, for starters.

Agree with all that. When you switch off the engine, the oil supply to the turbo stops. If the turbo is still blazing hot it will burn off the remaining oil. Then when you start next time, it will have no oil and wear down the bearings. Hence always drive gently until the engine is fully warm.

I thought the theory was that the oil is thinner when it is hot, and runs off rather than burns off?

OK - just found out that mine is water-cooled. To what extent does this remove the problem?

It doesn't allow the turbo to get that hot, for starters. You should still treat it carefully on the last mile or so but if *that* turbo glows red, you've got a bigger problem!

If you have been driving the car on boost with the turbo working hard, and come to a halt, this is the most important time to idle the engine for upto

1 minute or so for the majority of the heat to be carried away by the water / oil / exhaust gases etc.

Pulling off the motorway for fuel / coffee is the most important time to do this as the engine / turbo has no time to disapate the heat.

Tim..

In my dim and distant memory, turbodiesels have a secondary water pump to deliberately cool the turbocharger...?

Or am I spouting? :)

Spouting.

Some turbo petrols do though.

Tim..