Does idling extend the life of the turbo?
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Asked by Rob Barron.
My family now has two turbocharged cars in the garage, one an auto 2007 Nissan Patrol 3.0-litre intercooled turbo diesel, the other a manual 2011 1.4Ti Holden Cruze. In the past I was always advised to let the vehicle idle for a few minutes after driving, to allow the oil to cool and to prolong the life of the turbo, or fit a Turbo Timer. Now I am being criticised for being old fashioned and out of date when I do this. Should I idle the car after driving or not?
Answered by CarsGuide
9 Aug 2011It was common practice to idle early turbo engines for one to two minutes before switching off to help protect the bearings in the turbo. It was done to ensure the turbo was not spinning at high speed and was not too hot when the oil pressure and flow was shut off. As you say some people even fitted aftermarket "turbo timers" to delay shutdown for a period after the ignition was turned off. Early turbochargers weren’t as robust or reliable as today’s are and some manufacturers recommended a short idle before shutting the engine down, particularly immediately after operating the engine at high load. Turbochargers and turbocharged engines, such as the 2.0-litre diesel and 1.4-litre petrol engines in the Cruze, have come a long way since those early days, so you don’t have to let them idle for a period before turning them off.
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