Turbo Heat

[Jaguar]

My friend has a 99 Talon with a T28 turbo, after a highway run his turbo gets so hot that it is glowing orange. Is this good or bad for the turbo and would it be worth it to try and rig up something to air cool it?

[01blkcat]

Ummm... I'm not an authority on forced induction (and never claimed I was), but I'm thinking that anything that is glowing after you stop driving is bad... heating up metal over and over again could lead to long-term, long-standing damage.

[FastCougar]

This is what leads to coking of the oil ... definitely needs to invest in a turbo timer. I have seen R&D pictures of turbos glowing, but never production units. Then again, I have never owned a turbo car, so I don't know for sure, but I do know that rapid cooling after such high heat will lead to warping (think front rotors).

[SquamDuck]

Methinks after it gets nice and hot, you should dump icewater on it... :cover:

I kid, I kid. Yes, glowing turbos are bad. Bigger intercooler maybe?

[topgunz1]

definately get a turbo timer, maybe an oil cooler or something, turbos have oil in them, right?

[Slikrthnu]

He needs a big intake, intercooler, and an oil cooler couldn't hurt along with a turbo timer. Yeah, glowing metal on a car is bad news, specially an expensive part like a turbo. I'm thinkin there might be shot bearings or something, but glowing turbo=bad news.

[OffsetFactor]

Glowing turbo doesn't necessarily mean failure or damage...i have a large group of friends with turbo cars, and it is not uncommon for them to be glowing after a long night at the track or street....BUT, they all do have oil coolers, and turbo timers to run cooler fluid through the turbo to keep it functional. So to answer your question....

Glowing turbo, no timer, no cooler = cooked oil, shaft play and shot turbo.
Glowing turbo, and all the precautions = good to go.

*EDIT*
I also dont see an intercooler effecting the heat dissapation of the turbo, as it cools the charge air LEAVING the turbo, not the exhaust gas turning the turbine.