A turbo timer, also known as a boost controller, is a tiny electronic gadget that will keep your engine running for a certain amount of time in order to allow the turbo and engine itself to cool down before the car is completely turned off. It allows you to set a timer, so you don’t have to wait inside your car for the engine to shut off. While the average person won’t find much use of this gadget, the gearhead who likes driving hard can definitely benefit from it. This gadget is only useful for turbocharged vehicles, so if you own one and like driving hard, shutting the engine off right after the drive can cause severe damage to the turbo, or completely ruin it.
This simple function of a boost controller can significantly extend your engine’s life. Generally, turbo timers are model and make specific, so picking one for your vehicle should be an easy task. Moreover, they’re quite affordable and are usually a one-time-purchase. This is an investment that can add to the life of your bearings and other heat sensitive parts inside the turbo, allowing them to cool down before they stop spinning. When using a turbo timer, it will allow the vehicle to circulate the oil properly through the center posture of the turbo after the car is being turned off. It also helps reduce the heat and prevents the oil around the car’s bearing from ‘cooking’, which is commonly referred to as hard crust – a common reason for the failure of the bearings and the turbo itself. In other words, oil coking is completely removed from the foil bearings.
And while you can do all of the aforementioned manually by sitting in your car for an extra few minutes running it at low RPM, why should you? If you’re impatient like me, you risk shutting down the car prematurely as soon as you reach your destination, which will shorten the life of your turbo. So while a turbo timer isn’t mandatory, it’s a commodity that many people choose to get for a lot of reasons. It is affordable, easy to install by yourself, and it is a reliable and foolproof way to ensure your vehicle and turbo are cooled down before the engine shuts. Find one for your specific model, make and year online, and you’ll never have to spend an extra minute waiting in your car again.
