Let's take care of the turbo of our car

El turbo is an engine component that requires a few concrete care so as not to deteriorate prematurely. Although it is true that many of them are well known, not everyone knows when to apply them and to what extent.

It's not uncommon to see drivers waiting for the turbo to cool down after any kind of ride. And there are also those who settle for 30 seconds idling after a mountain pass. everything must be done right on. Something that is not difficult if you have a few turbo notions.

start

In supercharged engines it is even more important to take care of lubrication than in the atmospheric ones. For this reason, it is often said that it is convenient to wait for the car to warm up a little without pressing the accelerator before starting the march. Actually, this is not true at all. If you want to warm up the engine from idle, in most modern cars you will have to wait a long time to gain a few degrees. It is rather about wait for the oil come out of the crankcase and is distributed again by all the pieces. Including the turbo. In addition the current motor oils They maintain very good properties without being at service temperature. Especially synthetic oils.

Therefore, it is not necessary to wait more than 1 or 2 minutes before moving the car. Just change your habits. Rather than get in, buckle up, check your mirrors, and drive away, it's best to start the engine first.

exceptions:

• If you must look for a start the engine at low temperature, remember that the oil will be more viscous than normal and it will take longer to lubricate the turbo and other components. In these cases, stretch the idle time more so that it becomes more fluid.
• If you are going to start a car that has long time without use, it is also convenient stretch more heating time standing still In this case, the oil will have fallen into the sump practically in its entirety. That's why it will take a little longer to re-lubricate everything.

Engine shutdown

This is the most well-known and widespread advice on caring for the turbo: wait a few minutes before turning off the ignition. The bad thing is that it is not known for sure How long is the wait, since the common mortals do not have a device that indicates the temperature of the turbo.

You don't have to wait to turn off the engine on reasonable driving urban stretches, or on typical short trips. There is also no need to wait for it to cool down by driving around 90 km/h highways, as long as you don't constantly get ahead of yourself. we give you one condition list in which it is convenient to wait and how much is recommended in normal cars approximately:

• Long highway trip at 120 km/h: 1 minute. Current cars are designed to run at these speeds without overheating. Although if you drive in summer at very high temperatures you can stretch the time to 2 minutes.
• Travel up a mountain pass: 3 minutes. Climbing twisty roads and/or big slopes make the engine work more intensely. But more important than this, is that the turbo has to blow more. In order to do so, it must turn faster by receiving a greater flow of exhaust gases. Which are precisely the ones that heat it to such high temperatures.
• Race or sections with sports driving: 5 minutes. When driving in these circumstances it is common to hold the throttle all the way down a large percentage of the time. A use for which most conventional cars are not prepared to endure by system. In these cases it is advisable to be patient. This will ensure that all key parts are cooled, not just the turbo.

way of driving

When driving with a turbocharged engine it is advisable to respect three basic tips To avoid unnecessary damage:

• Before squeezing the turbo to the maximum Wait for the engine to reach optimum operating temperature. Normally 90º. Until then, avoid going over 2.000 rpm if circumstances allow. Don't push the throttle all the way down either, so the exhaust gases don't spin the turbo at full speed.
• Try to circulate within optimal rev range for turbo operation. A good reference that you are not going to get confused with is the interval in which the engine gives its maximum torque. For example, a Volkswagen Golf 1.4 TSI with 122 hp from 2009 gives its 200 Nm of maximum torque between 1.500 rpm and 4.000 rpm. As long as you move within those values, you will be doing it perfectly.

• Do not abuse the revolutions. Although the car maintains its maximum torque at high revolutions, it is not recommended to reach that extreme by system. Actually this is advice applicable to any engine, even if it does not have a turbo. At least if you want it to last as long as possible. However, on turbo cars this advice is even more important.

Maintenance

In turbocharged engines it is especially important take care of the condition of the oil. that's why it's good change the lubricant together with the filter when indicated by the manufacturer, even if you are going to do it yourself. It is also recommended spare no on the quality of both. The difference is a few euros between a well-known brand and a doubtful one.

In addition to this, it is convenient monitor the oil level even if the change date has not arrived. Engines tend to consume it little by little, especially those that already have several years of service. It may also have small leaks that lower the level below the recommended level.

What happens if the turbo is not taken care of?

A fault in the turbo can be very expensive, since this part can have an approximate price of €1.000, depending on the model. More on premium brands. Also, replacing this element can be a bit tricky on some cars. Which adds more labor time to the shop bill.