How necessary is it?
discuss

 

Very necessary. It allows the turbo to cool, alleviating the oil to coke, or bake, to the bearings. If you did not run it hard, allow it to idle for a couple of minutes. If the turbo has been spooling hard, allow 3-5 minutes for the turbo to cool, or slow damage can occur. If you do not have guages, that should be on your list. Pyro, boost, and tranny temp. We like to see the EGTs down around 300 before shutting down.

 

If you tow heavy, absolutely. Allowing the turbo to cool down with keep the keep the oil that lubricates the bearing from coking (burning to crystalline form). Also remember that the oil not only lubricates but also acts as a coolant for engine components, i.e. turbos. If you ever have seen a big rig console a lot of them have placards informing driver's to let the engine idle a minimum of 3 minutes before shutting the engine off for this reason.

A buddy of mine is a mechanic for a very large oil field service company and has replaced many turbos because of this. A frac truck or cement bulk truck coming off the highway and pulling immediately into the yard next to the freeway may have had exhaust temperatures of 1200+ degrees for hours and it is going to take awhile for that heat to be removed from the metal components of the turbo. Those kind of temperatures will cook the thin film of oil than remains on the bearings in a few seconds.

L8r,.............dogger

 

It dependes on how hard you were working the truck, before you shut it off.

Just "driving" is not much of a problem. Long heavy tow, sustained high speed,etc the turbo gets hotter than light use. At shut down, the lube/cooling oil flow stops and the oil left around the turbo brgs. cooks Some one posted a thread on the subject, a while back with reccomended idle time for use.

The best thing, would be to get a Turbo timer. Check SHOP DTR above. Great product, easy to install & low cost. Set the idle time, shut down, walk away, no worries. Has safe guards built in, so some Billykin can't drive off with your truck!

Dave

 

I don't have a pyro yet, but even when my truck is warming up(coolant temp around 120) the exhaust coming out the tailpipe is really hot. Like burn your hand hot if you keep it there for more than a couple of secs. 300 seems almost impossible to me, but I have been wrong way more times than right.

 

Well, 150 degrees is hot enough to burn your hand so 300 at the turbo should be doable.

 

My truck is very hard to get to 300. Even in well below zero weather. I usually shut mine down when I reach the 350 mark. That's easy to do. Also, upon warmup the third injection event is being used to heat the CAT up so your exhaust will be hotter than after the truck is fully up to operating temp and idleing at the same RPM. When my truck is warming up the exhaust temp is around 370's. Once the heater stops cycling and the engine reaches about 144 the temps will slowly come down to about 310's.

 

Same here. I shut mine down abot 350 deg.

 

thx for the help guys
I have run my truck pretty hard during the initial 500 miles so far and I let it idle about a minute or 2 before I shut her off.
but there seems liek there are alot of variables in the equation
shopping for a turbo timer
anyone got a link to a top o the line one? My truck is an 06 and the ones in the Shop DTR thing says they only fit up to 05 models

 

I inquired a few weeks ago and Lary told me Howard's timer also works on the 06 models.

 

To give the turbo added protection I will start using synthetic oil when I get 5,000 miles on it. I ran synthetic on my Ford and the inside of the valve covers was clean as if it was new. Synthetic will take more heat and not coke the bearings like dino oil.

 

I've got an alarm on my 06 that includes a Turbo timer. When I want to let it cool down I simply put the ebrake on, turn the key off, and after getting out click the remote which locks the doors. The motor will run for 2 minutes unless someone tries to break in to the truck and then the motor will shut off and won't be able to be started. Its not adjustable but for normal driving its fine. If I'm towing I'll simply let it idle for a longer time before starting the 2 minute cool down. My diesel motor home which works a lot harder idles while we are parked or getting fuel. I let it idle for around 10 minutes or so if we've been on the interstate running at 70 or so. Its got around 45,000 miles on it and no turbo problems. So far...

 

Read and follow the Owners Manual, if you do this then you will maintain your warranty with out any questions.
Or invest some money and install a true Turbo timer that goes by Temerature and NOT time. Mine shuts off at 300 degrees Post Turbo and yes I have a Pre Turbo EGT also and they usually get to 300degress at about the same time.

 

I too have a Turbo Timer that goes by EGTs. I set mine to shut off at approximately 300°. Unless I've been running it hard that usually only takes 30 seconds or so.

 

If you have been running down the interstate for a long time when the temps are in the 90s you wouldnt believe the amount of time it can take. I stopped at a rest stop and went to the restroom. When I got back the EGTs were still reading 450! That was an empty truck on a road trip. My 12V cools down way faster. Maybe a third of the time.