Quick question

If for example I drive long distance on a run for example, should I when I stop the car let it idle for a minute or so so that I don't cause turbo wear or can I just turn the engine off.

I've heard stories on turb cars that when you say arrive at your destination that you let the car/turbo cool down for a few minutes or is it the case now where cars are much more advanced that I don't need to do it anymore.

Every time I've been on a trip I always let the car idle for a min or so just to let the turbo cool down.

What is people's opinions?

David

I give it about 10-20 seconds at idle before shutting off

Heard the same, let it idle after a hard drive or long drive...

good practice with any turbo mtr

My mate with a Skyline has one of those run-down timers which keeps his car idling for a few minutes after he's turned off the ignition...

I reckon that's a bit excessive for little TDi's...

You should always allow the car to idle for at least a few seconds, long enough for the turbo to stop spinning.

Remember grandad when he used to give the car a rev before turning off the key? certain death for any turbo!

thanks guys i was wondering the same thing but question answered also sorry is there anything you should do to look after the engine in the morning when on cold start up? cheers

thanks guys i was wondering the same thing but question answered also sorry is there anything you should do to look after the engine in the morning when on cold start up? cheers

don't thrash it until its warmed up fully , even though the temp gauge can say its warm , the oil in a diesel engine takes a lot longer to warm up

run decent lube

You don't have to sit in your car and wait for the turbo to cool and run down. A few minutes before you arrive at your destination, drive it easy.

But no harm in the above advice.

thanks guys i was wondering the same thing but question answered also sorry is there anything you should do to look after the engine in the morning when on cold start up? cheers

Take it easy until the engine has reached its normal operating temperature, most of all engine wear happens when the engine is first started. Don't forget that regular oil and filter changes will prolong the life of the engine and turbo, but always use good quality oil, PD oil is essential for the TDi engine.

HTH

Is there any harm in putting a little slick 50 in the engine?

My Dad is a tradesman and swears by it... uses it on all his Transits....

any thoughts?

Is there any harm in putting a little slick 50 in the engine?

My Dad is a tradesman and swears by it... uses it on all his Transits....

any thoughts?

Tech Tip: The truth about Slick 50

This is worth a read if you have some time

Normally on the last leg of my journey, I just drive it steady and gentle, backing off and limiting use of turbo. Then brief idle on driveway or car park just whilst I grab my things before off and out.

Normally on the last leg of my journey, I just drive it steady and gentle, backing off and limiting use of turbo. Then brief idle on driveway or car park just whilst I grab my things before off and out.

ditto, seems sensible.

It seems what I'm doing is right then, When I come back I usually let the car idle for a few minutes while I fumble for my house keys and get my jacket.

Thats a thing I never do is thrash it from cold, with going to and from work which is a 7 mile trip in the morning, I don't think it gets much of a chance to warm up.

David

Same as above, drive it steadily whilst warming up, and drive it steadily as you approach the end of a long run, let it idle for a few seconds and everything should be ok.

Tech Tip: The truth about Slick 50

This is worth a read if you have some time

That just about sums up my thoughts on engine additives.

On older engines, maybe, on newer ones, leave well alone.

It's interesting all the care that people take with warming engines up and "cooling" turbos down. Looking around at the other "mundane" cars with the same engine in and most will be thrashed from cold, never allowed to cool down and still running fine after hundreds of thousands of miles!

The key, imho, is regular servicing. Modern engines are a lot less fragile than engines of old and the turbos in TDI's are not subjected to the same stresses or generate as much heat as a petrol turbo.

Chris

I think the book says you only need to let it idle for a nminute after 'full load operation'

I pull up and switch it off after about 10 - 20 seconds.

With the turbo spinning anywhere between 10,000 and 100,000 RPM , possibly more when it's working....if it's going to go pop....it will.

Like ScoobyChris says, regular services are vital and using the best oil as well. You shouldn't need to put additives in, Castrol (or Shell) would have been though this anyway and they add what's best for the engine in the oil.

If you listen carefully, I think you can hear the turbo slowing down when you switch off the engine.

I had to get my dad out of the habit of bliping the throttle before shutdown

Ben

Surprising how much tractor technology I use on this site for questions

If you listen carefully, I think you can hear the turbo slowing down when you switch off the engine.

No, thats the engine fans

cheers guys thanks for your help on this i have a 5 mile trip there and back taking my girlfriend to work i do take it steady and will let the car idle on my return from trips cheers again what oil do the main garages use? i am only going to get mine done at a main dealer i think from now on

No, thats the engine fans

Mine will do it when the fans are off, i.e I don't have the air con on.

The fans are on alot of the time on mine as the air con is used quite a bit, but it does it in the winter below 4 degrees when the air con won't work??.

I'm going to have another listen tonight when I get home with the bonnet open, hope it's nothing serious? :confused:

Anyone know how many rpm the turbo spins at when the car is at idle? I'd always assumed that it wouldn't be spinning at idle as exhaust gas volume would be negligible, but it then occurred to me that with variable vanes, it may always be spinning....

Chris

always spinning - only way the engine gets air is through the the turbo