Well, Subaru also reccomends letting the car idle for a few minutes after driving, which is the same thing a turbo timer would do.

 

Technically, it's not that Subaru says you don't need a turbo timer. They state there is no cool down procedure needed for the '02-'03 WRX. Using that logic, a TT would be unnecessary (for the WRX).

There's no documention I've seen from FHI/Subaru that reflects this. Just the opposite.

....as far as the conspiracy theorists who think FHI/Subaru is out to screw their customers by publishing false information...........with this sort of logic there's no facts or data anyone can provide that would change their minds.

on a side note: I totally agree with "wombatsauce". I always allow a couple minutes of "normal" driving prior to my destination if I've driven my car hard. This allows ALL of the components (engine, brakes, trans, drivetrain, etc) to return to their normal operating temperatures before I park.

Regards,
Kean

 

I don't have any documentation, but the salesman I bought the car from and two of the service managers told me that. I assumed they didn't just pull it out of the air.

 

There's still hot oil that can cool down too quickly... and even faster with this vapor flash system.

Either something's eluding me, or something's eluding everyone else. Its not the temperature of the turbo, its the temperature of the OIL. Bubbling oil cooling down too quickly will coke. That clogs the turbo's lube system over time.... to death.

I'm not so concerned that it does cool down, but that it cools down slowly and with oil on the move. Vapor flash or no, the oil is just sitting in place. And the faster it cools down, is not the better.

Get a turbo timer.

jason

 

Most salesmen are a wealth of misinformation about their own products. Two salesmen gave me conflicting information regarding the break-in period of my WRX. Neither of them were right. As for the service mgrs, I have no idea where they got the info from. If you happen to find published proof of this, please let me know (I'm not being sarcastic about this....I really would like to know). I attached a publication from FHI/Subaru that addresses this issue. Incidentally, this publication is distributed to and intended for Subaru technicians/mechanics:

(from June 2001 TechTIPS published by Subaru for Subaru Technicians):

"2002MY WRX TURBO COOL DOWN PROCEDURE
FHI's posistion regarding this is that it is not necessary to perform a "cool down/idling" procedure, as was recommended with past turbo models. Our current 2.0L turbo engine has a far greater cooling capacity and, coupled with technology advances, makes this practice no longer necessary. This explains why information about cool down is not included in the 2002MY Impreza Owner's Manual.

The heat contained in the turbo charger will begin to vaporize the coolant at the turbo charger after the engine is stopped. This hot vapor will then enter the coolant reservoir tank which is the highest point of the coolant system. At the same time the vapor exits the turbo charger, coolant supplied from the right bank cylinder head flows into the turbo. This action cools the turbo charger down. This process will continue until the vaporizing action in the turbo charger has stopped or cooled down."

Regards,
Kean