Turbo timers

Turbo timers are used on turbo cars where you want the engine to idle for a short period after the ignition has been switched off. The function is to give the turbo and the engine’s oil system a little extra time to cool down and stabilise after load before the engine stops completely. This can be relevant on cars that have been driven hard, where the turbo has been operating at high temperatures and where a gentler shutdown after driving is wanted.

In practice, a turbo timer keeps the engine running for a preset period after the driver has removed the key or switched off the car. This means that oil, and in some cases also cooling, continues to circulate for a short time so the turbo is not stopped abruptly immediately after high load. This is especially a solution associated with performance cars, older turbo cars, motorsport and custom builds where extra focus on reliability and gentler treatment of the turbo setup is wanted.

Turbo timers are especially relevant in projects where the car is used for hard road driving, track days, motorsport or other demanding driving where the turbo and engine bay become very hot. In these cases, a turbo timer can be a practical part of a more complete turbo setup, especially if you want a fixed solution instead of letting the car idle manually after driving.