Severe lack of tools and knowledge.
Thread Starter
Registered User
iTrader: (8)
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 550
From: Bay Area, CA
Car Info: 04 Forester XT and 06 WRX TR
Severe lack of tools and knowledge.
Can someone please assist me with a turbo timer installation? I have a very minute selection of tools...hammer...screw drivers...pliers...etc...etc.. and in dire need of someone knowledgeable to help me with installation. I searched the forums for HOW TOs but lack the confidence to actually do it. Any help would greatly be appreciated. 
Just bought an APEXi Turbo Timer with HKS harness, from one of our members in the classifieds.
Just bought an APEXi Turbo Timer with HKS harness, from one of our members in the classifieds.
Thread Starter
Registered User
iTrader: (8)
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 550
From: Bay Area, CA
Car Info: 04 Forester XT and 06 WRX TR
So, just PnP and splice into parking brake harness?
Turbo timers arent that helpful? I was under the impression it was recommended?
Turbo timers arent that helpful? I was under the impression it was recommended?
Registered User
iTrader: (5)
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,695
From: San Jose, CA
Car Info: 99 Swap'd GM6
What Brfatal didn't tell you because he felt like being snarky, was that it's been noted in multiple forums and, IIRC, Subaru itself, that turbo timers are pointless on our cars from a stock or lightly modified point because the turbos cool naturally.
Thread Starter
Registered User
iTrader: (8)
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 550
From: Bay Area, CA
Car Info: 04 Forester XT and 06 WRX TR
well better to have one now than later i guess....got it for a pretty good price.
Technical Know-It-All
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,123
From: Sterling, VA
Car Info: '02 WRX + '15 WRX
Our turbos are both oil and water cooled. As are essentially all aftermarket turbos that fit on our cars since ~2003-4. No production car since built since the mid 1990s would benefit from a turbo timer with the stock turbo.
A turbo timer does absolutely nothing in our cars except waste time and gas.
A turbo timer does absolutely nothing in our cars except waste time and gas.
All turbos will cool eventually naturally, that's not the issue that makes the turbo timers essentially pointless for our cars.
Most modern turbos are both Oil & Water Cooled. The Turbo Timers were useful back years ago when turbos were mainly only Oil Cooled as they helped prevent Oil Coking.
How Easy is it to Coke a Turbo? - NASIOC
With both modern turbos being typically both Oil & Water Cooled as well as the lubricants (oils) that are being used today having been improved upon since the days of early turbos both of these things combined help to negate the need for a Turbo Timer. Now if you want to have one just to have one that's not a problem, but it is not a necessary item for your car in most instances currently.
Most modern turbos are both Oil & Water Cooled. The Turbo Timers were useful back years ago when turbos were mainly only Oil Cooled as they helped prevent Oil Coking.
How Easy is it to Coke a Turbo? - NASIOC
With both modern turbos being typically both Oil & Water Cooled as well as the lubricants (oils) that are being used today having been improved upon since the days of early turbos both of these things combined help to negate the need for a Turbo Timer. Now if you want to have one just to have one that's not a problem, but it is not a necessary item for your car in most instances currently.
Thread Starter
Registered User
iTrader: (8)
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 550
From: Bay Area, CA
Car Info: 04 Forester XT and 06 WRX TR
Our turbos are both oil and water cooled. As are essentially all aftermarket turbos that fit on our cars since ~2003-4. No production car since built since the mid 1990s would benefit from a turbo timer with the stock turbo.
A turbo timer does absolutely nothing in our cars except waste time and gas.
A turbo timer does absolutely nothing in our cars except waste time and gas.
All turbos will cool eventually naturally, that's not the issue that makes the turbo timers essentially pointless for our cars.
Most modern turbos are both Oil & Water Cooled. The Turbo Timers were useful back years ago when turbos were mainly only Oil Cooled as they helped prevent Oil Coking.
How Easy is it to Coke a Turbo? - NASIOC
With both modern turbos being typically both Oil & Water Cooled as well as the lubricants (oils) that are being used today having been improved upon since the days of early turbos both of these things combined help to negate the need for a Turbo Timer. Now if you want to have one just to have one that's not a problem, but it is not a necessary item for your car in most instances currently.
Most modern turbos are both Oil & Water Cooled. The Turbo Timers were useful back years ago when turbos were mainly only Oil Cooled as they helped prevent Oil Coking.
How Easy is it to Coke a Turbo? - NASIOC
With both modern turbos being typically both Oil & Water Cooled as well as the lubricants (oils) that are being used today having been improved upon since the days of early turbos both of these things combined help to negate the need for a Turbo Timer. Now if you want to have one just to have one that's not a problem, but it is not a necessary item for your car in most instances currently.
Technical Know-It-All
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,123
From: Sterling, VA
Car Info: '02 WRX + '15 WRX
I suggest you stop buying and start researching.
Coilovers are the last suspension mod you should be doing, and at $1,500 and up for anything half decent they are the lowest bang for the buck.
Coilovers are the last suspension mod you should be doing, and at $1,500 and up for anything half decent they are the lowest bang for the buck.
iTrader: (12)
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 4,030
From: In Mother Russia...
Car Info: ...zeh car drives you!
I would agree they are not necessary, but there are not pointless either. I used mine (the one you bought) to warm up the car when I lived in Chicago and keep tabs on the battery voltage. Midwest has something called a "winter" with temperatures below 40 degrees. Though I still had it on ~30 sec cool down (just paranoia
). +1,000 jumping to coilvers from the start is like slapping on a big turbo as your first mod. There are plenty more gradual and useful things you can do.
Thread Starter
Registered User
iTrader: (8)
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 550
From: Bay Area, CA
Car Info: 04 Forester XT and 06 WRX TR
Yeah. I have been doing research on lowering springs, coilovers, and sway bars. Leaning towards a good lowering springs and struts combo that would be suitable for dd, but some suggest coilovers. Getting mixed reviews but it looks more cost effective to just invest in some good springs and struts. Do coilovers really add that much performance, while sacrificing ride quality?
I would agree they are not necessary, but there are not pointless either. I used mine (the one you bought) to warm up the car when I lived in Chicago and keep tabs on the battery voltage. Midwest has something called a "winter" with temperatures below 40 degrees. Though I still had it on ~30 sec cool down (just paranoia
). +1,000 jumping to coilvers from the start is like slapping on a big turbo as your first mod. There are plenty more gradual and useful things you can do.
Thread Starter
Registered User
iTrader: (8)
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 550
From: Bay Area, CA
Car Info: 04 Forester XT and 06 WRX TR
Yeah. I have been doing research on lowering springs, coilovers, and sway bars. Leaning towards a good lowering springs and struts combo that would be suitable for dd, but some suggest coilovers. Getting mixed reviews but it looks more cost effective to just invest in some good springs and struts. Do coilovers really add that much performance, while sacrificing ride quality?
Thread Starter
Registered User
iTrader: (8)
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 550
From: Bay Area, CA
Car Info: 04 Forester XT and 06 WRX TR
