hey guys, i just picked up at 94 touring last weekend and couldn't be happier. the engine compression results came out extremely good and the car boosts great. it is relatively stock, so the only thing it really has is a boost gauge. the first order of business i think should be a turbo timer so i don't have to keep sitting in my car whenever i park it just to let the turbos cool off. what is a popular timer you guys use? i remember somebody saying something about a greddy profec B (?) or something like that which could vary the length of cool-down time based on how long your engine was running, which seemed pretty handy to me.

also, how important is it that i get a boost controller? i'm relatively new to turbo cars (i came from a 2000 honda prelude) so i want to make sure i do things right the first time. the last thing i want is to have my boost spike and blow my engine (as i have read can happen from just browsing around the forums). thanks in advance!

 

The concensus is that turbo timers are a waste of money and gasoline, and may do more harm than good. Do a search for turbo timer.

If you start adding modifications, such as air intake or exhaust, a boost controller then becomes a necessity to keep the boost down to the level that is safe (around 10 psi). If the intake and exhaust is are stock, then the stock system will work OK.

Also, look at the FAQ's and stickies. Lots of good info there.

 

well it has light modifications. it has dual air intakes where the stock airbox used to be, and has a downpipe with a non-stock exhaust system. also, the clutch and flywheel are aftermarket. is that something i should still be worried about?

so instead of turbo timers, you guys all just sit in your car and wait until it cools off? why would it cause more harm than good?

 

No we dont sit in the car with it running just waiting, the factory twins are oil and coolant cooled so there is really no need to run a turbo timer. It is more of a headache than anything. I personally dont like leaving my cars parked with just the ebrake, so I would have to wait for the car to shut down anyway.

The reason it could cause more harm is due to the extreme heat build up when a fd just sits and idles. I think when Mr. Wankel was designing a nuclear device for Hitler and never knew it when he created this engine.

 

No, we don't just sit in our cars and let them cool off. We drive off boost for the last couple minutes before parking the car. The turbo's are water cooler and unless you just came off the freeway doing some spirited driving there's no need to let the car run before shutting it down. To buy a TT strictly for letting the car run on is a waste. How ever with the general consensus being they are a waste of money I've found some have other features that make them well worth the purchase price of a good volt meter. With an after market intake and exhaust, making sure you maintain a max of 10 psi on the stock ECU should be just fine. The aftermarket clutch and flywheel has no bearing on requiring any thing special as far as ECU or other wise. Your main concern is reliability mods and anything that affect the amount of air flow through the motor. LEAN condition is a bad thing for rotories.

 

okay now i'm really confused...i've been under the impression that turning off the rx7 immediately after parking was a terrible thing to do, hence why I want to let the car idle for a minute or so after parking. something about letting the oil run through to cool down the engine.

 

It will gets its most cooling as you are pulling it in your neighborhood to park. Most people dont do a 8k rpm pull then shut their car down. Either way it is debatable if that would even hurt more or less. If you like the cool feature of having a turbo timer, buy one. Just dont be shocked if the engine or turbos let go right afterwards. It would simply be coincidence. I would save your money and purchase a pfc and commander,

 

Okay. so i guess with our turbo system, i can shut off the car safely after pulling in to park. but what kind of turbo system then requires you to sit in the car and wait? i've seen other people do it (in a 240sx) so of course...there are some cars out there that require it otherwise turbo timers wouldn't even be in existance.

 

why not just do a fan mod??

 

Glad to here there is a new FD owner. If you want to do the car right the first time go with the newer Electramotive Tech-GT standalone, I have had great results with mine. (Post pics)

 

It is said to make a difference on oil cooled turbos that arent also coolant cooled.

As far as it is required that is why it exists, there are a lot of things in teh automotive industry that were created and have absolutely nothing to do with necessity or function. No need for glow in teh dark shift *****, but a lot of people have them.

 

true...haha okay well i guess now i can park and not sit in my car for 2 minutes like an idiot now. and uhh...this fan mod...i just tried a search for it but i don't see too much about it. anybody care to elaborate? i know the 94's have electric fans that kick in after you shut the car down and they run for a few minutes or so, that's about it.

 

I have a turbo timer... but I only use it to leave the fans after the car if off... works a treat!