Of these parts, what do you not recommend getting used?
*Gauges (Boost, EGT, A/F, Water Temp, etc)
*Turbo Timer
*Boost Controller
*Air Seperator Tank
*Exhaust (Catback, Midpipe, Downpipe)
*Power FC and Commander
*Intake
*Radiator
*Intercooler
*Oil Cooler

I'm pretty sure that exhaust and Power FC are okay, but what else?

 

I would never buy a used OEM AST or radiator. If they are aftermarket metal parts, may be ok, but I still wouldn't bother.

Any of the other items are fine IF they are in good condition.

intake - might have to clean the K&Ns
exhaust - might be rusty if not SS construction

 

I'm also a little leery of buying any used radiator (ignore the sig for a moment) because stuff gets stuck to the inside of the pipes during use. A new radiator will perform better because it has no fouling, and considering how used alum radiators are scarce and not much cheaper than new, go new.

Dave <- who can't afford new or used radiator now

 

Don't bother buying a turbo timer, as it's a waste of money. Just don't drive you car hard for the last few minutes (or if you are not going far, don't drive it hard at all), and you will be fine. If you have ever seen a car just sit there and idle, you know that the lack of air passing through it is not good, and it heats up rather quickly.



Most everything on your list you can buy used. Just make sure to check the condition. As for the AST, just don't buy a used stock one.

 

Ditto. New or used, don't get a turbo timer. If someone gives you one for free........sell it!

 

Not really. You car is cooled by fresh air moving into the engine bay where it goes through your radiator thus allowing the coolant to cool and be cycled through the engine. With a turbo timer, your car isn't moving so no fresh air is entering the engine bay. All you will be doing is heatsoaking the vehicle.

Having a switch to run your radiator fans is a better idea.

 

As long as you stay off boost for the last bit of driving, what would the turbo timer buy you? I think they were really designed for oil-cooled turbos...if you shut those down too quickly, the oil cokes the bearings causing premature failure. The stock FD turbos are water-cooled, so coking shouldn't be a problem. Although, even in that case, I would think driving sanely for a few minutes would be preferable to driving like a nut, shutting it down and letting it idle and heatsoak for a few more minutes.

jds

 

What's crazy is running a turbo timer for 5-10 minutes to let your car "cool down". The car just gets hotter and hotter. Nothing cools down.

In addition, it's a waste of time, money, gas, and wear on your engine at higher than normal temps. Other than that, turbo timers are great (not).

 

Actually, the stock turbos are water AND oil cooled, but I agree with everything else. Turbo timers are a waste of money and can, in fact, be dangerous to your vehicle. I remember a couple of forum members that lost engines because they sprung a coolant leak while their turbo timer was running for 5 minutes......

 

So what you guys are saying is that the person who invented the turbo timer is fool...The way I see it, sometimes you have to stop and shut the vehicle off in a hurry...and it just so happens that everytime I press the gas i am in full boost, everywhere I go...I just let mine run for 30 seconds and that's it. I'll keep mine..

But as for your question, I second that on the RAD...you never know when someone like me has been running blockweld through a rad...clogs them up big time.

 

The guy that invented the turbo timer is a genius. Can you imagine inventing something that no one really needs, and convincing them to buy it anyway. There are lots of products like that on the market. Cigarettes are a good example. No one needs them. They are expensive and unhealthy. EVERYONE knows that. Some people keep buying them anyway.

I'll bet that the guy that invented the turbo timer was a smoker.

 

People who buy turbo timers are usually just kids looking to: impress other kids/non-turbo owners, have people ask them why their car is still running, or want to add another cheap "mod" to their mod list.

Anyway, one thing I would add to the "don't buy used list" would be dampers and springs. I was on the market for a set a few months ago, and you just never know. People say they have been used for a few thousand miles, but it could be 70k...there is no way of proving one way or another. Save up the extra money, which usually isn't that much more anyway, and buy new.

 

*Gauges (Boost, EGT, A/F, Water Temp, etc)
*Turbo Timer
*Boost Controller
*Air Seperator Tank
*Radiator

 

Good one!

 

I just had to read a book on the guy who promotes smoking for his job for summer reading. Pretty good book called "Thank You For Smoking"

 

I assume thats what not to get. But why not gauges?

 

You all are not understanding the concept of a turbo timer. If you are running you engine hard and your turbo is working overtime it is superheated more then you would think. If you just shut if off without properly allowing it to cool you will burn the oil that sits in the turbo. It keeps oil moving through to help cool and prevent this. Also about your heat soak theory... when you turn your car off after a run without letting it cool proplerly you will have residual heat that means that your engine temps will increase about 15 degrees when you shut off the engine. If the car is stationary and runing timer or not your fans will be on if it is not cooled adiquatley yet. So you dont need to be moving.

To sum it up you need to let your car cool properly using a timer or driving nice. Not all of us can wait or we are in a hurry so the timer is a safety blanket for these situations.

Please tell me if you dissagree.

 

You all are not understanding the concept of a turbo timer. If you are running you engine hard and your turbo is working overtime it is superheated more then you would think. If you just shut if off without properly allowing it to cool you will burn the oil that sits in the turbo. It keeps oil moving through to help cool and prevent this. Also about your heat soak theory... when you turn your car off after a run without letting it cool proplerly you will have residual heat that means that your engine temps will increase about 15 degrees when you shut off the engine. If the car is stationary and runing timer or not your fans will be on if it is not cooled adiquatley yet. So you dont need to be moving.

To sum it up you need to let your car cool properly using a timer or driving nice. Not all of us can wait or we are in a hurry so the timer is a safety blanket for these situations.

Please tell me if you dissagree.

 

I disagree.

I've actually let my car idle just to watch the temps and they definitely go up a lot more than going down. That is not helping the car at all.

Also, this post just about sums it up:

Taking a minute or two to drive off boost is enough and better. People don't just drive 45 minutes at 14 PSI and then immediately shut their cars off. Even in that case a 10 minute turbo timer isn't going to do much good without some fresh air coming through the radiator.

 

I use mine at the track after a run but I have the hood open. Other then that I think if they where that important for normal use the car would of came with on from the factory.

 

Oil cooler, Ast, Intercooler, and radiator.

Obviously 3 of the 4 have fragile fins that get damaged pretty readily. Even more so when waiting to be packed or in shipment. Most of the dings in my intercooler are from hanging around the shop waiting to for the engine to be put back....

 

I agree...Here's the main reason...So we have these superduper heat guns at work...the industrial type, all metal and has wheel like the turbos do that spins around...When the assembly line employees use them a whole bunch they are instructed to let the run but with cool air going through them...the wheels inside the gun acutally glow red...if you shut them off at that time they acutally weld themself locked...it's weird but I have seen it happen...would this happen to a turbo? I don't think so but it's got to cause some damage.

Maybe not everyone runs their turbos at 14psi for 45 minutes...Every few months or so I take the FD in AK on the twisties and I run it hard for sometimes more than 45 mintues at a time...Either way, the temp that you gain in 1 minute (30 seconds on mine) while the car sits still with the turbotimer on isn't enough to hurt it. I do like the piece of mind though.

 

Engine temp and turbo temps are going to be greatly different! Thats why its called a TURBO TIMER and not a engine timer.....

IMO

joe

 

Unfortunately, most people are under the illusion that they need to "cool down" for 5-10 minutes. Thirty seconds to a minute isn't going to hurt anything. The engine won't heat up much during that time. However, it isn't going to do you any good if you have made that 45 minute hard run, and shut down the engine right away. I can't think of any reason to drive the car hard, and have to shut it down right away. If you care about your car, cool it off properly. Then you won't need a turbo timer.

A turbo timer is not well suited for an FD. It is more well suited for a car with a belt driven fan.