A friend of mine strongly recommended that I get a turbo timer for my 2004 STi. Does anyone here have one? If so, what exactly does it do, and why is it so important?
Also, how does everyone warm up their STi's in the winter months? I keep mine in a garage, and I've been idling mine for about a minute, then driving under 3k RPM until the temp goes up.
Matt
A turbo timer: (as I understand it) An electronic device which keeps your car running after you turn off the key for a programmed amount of time. This can be a set time that you put in, or it can calculate the time from your engine RPMs for the last 30 or so minutes of your driving. The goal is to allow the engine temp (or Turbo temp) to come back down to normal. The danger is turning off the turbo while still hot (or glowing) and cooking the oil that is in the turbo. This will quickly degrade your oil and eventually destroy the turbo.
However, in the WRX and I assume the STi is a built in thermal siphon system. In other words a "cold" water reservoir mounted vertically higher than the turbo, so when you turn off the engine and the turbo is still hot, the water in it heats up, rises into that reservoir and draws in cool water down from it. Ideally cooling off the turbo and not frying the turbo. So this in theory, this eliminates the need for a turbo timer, or you can just let the engine cool down after driving. I mean unless you are on the turbo hard for a long time or the 5 minutes right before you kill the engine, I don't think you will have a problem. However if you really want to be careful with your Suby then get one.
As for warm up in cold climates, I let my WRX warm up for a minute or two. Or till the light tapping noise inherent in most boxer engines goes away some. It is quite a obvious change. Then it only takes like 4 or 5 minutes of light driving to warm up to normal.
Hope that helps.
Ed
I've noticed my WRX comes up to full operating temps much faster than my '95 Integra GS-R. I just let it warm about 30 seconds, and drive gently.
And for the turbo - synthetic oil might be a good idea after the engine is broken in. My preference is Mobil 1. I'm debating whether or not I should use it the first change at 3K miles or maybe the second at 6-7K miles.
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