Turbo care (TDI)

[McKipper]

Newbie (to the board and to Audi) I have just taken delivery of a 2007 2.0 TDI Multitronic, this is my first diesel and I have a question on turbo care. When I park after a long distance, high speed run, is it necessary to let the engine idle for a few minutes to allow the turbo to cool down ? Same question after a loooong low speed traffic jam commute?

So far my experience with Audi is favorable, but the vehicle handover while comprehensive on features and functions was light on technical details (this being my first experience with both diesel and automatic I would have liked more info)

Lastly, has anyone done the Audi advanced drivers course offered by Audi South Africa - any feedback ?

[Dave Avant]

Turbo charged engines do like to cool down after a high journey. If you drive 'normally' for the last few miles it will be fine. I tend to let the engine idle for about 10 secs before turning off. But its not necessary really unless you do a track day or run on the motorway at high speeds then stop, this is when the oil can be very hot.

After a long commute at low speeds the oil won't be hot, well it won't be as hot as driving at high speeds. This would be the same sort of driving you would do to cool the engine down.

Usually the manual gives you hints of what to do, some say to let the engine idle for 10secs before moving off in the morning.

The most important thing with turbos is the oil type. Make sure its upto spec and serviced properly, I tend to change the oil in my cars every 6,000 miles, but that just me. Modern oils take alot more abuse so gone are the days where you have to sit in the car for a few minutes waiting for the oil to cool down and not gum up on the turbo bearings. This is why some people fit turbo timers to allow you to lock the car and leave it running, then the turbo timer will turn the engine off. You see them on alot of Jap turbo'd cars like Imprezzas, but they're really just a gimmik.

Having said all this diesels run cooler than petrols anyway.

As the car is new, drive it as stated in the handbook - Gently for the first 1000 miles then gradually increase rpms etc and don't let it labour in gear.

Enjoy!!

[devonutopia]

Same applies to starting from cold too. The engine/turbo generally does not like to be asked to perform at 100% until after 5 minutes or so. I would say I'm more preoccupied with warming the engine up right, than on the cool down after a good run. I try to keep my boost under about 3/4 bar for the last mile or two of my journey.

[Col]

There is another school of thought that says (once warm) that during the break in period you should drive the car like you stole it.

The reason being is to allow the piston rings to correctly bed into the bores. This is done theoretically before the bores have a chance to glaze.

It is said that by not doing this you are more likely to suffer oil loss problems, which incidently you read an awful about on forums such as this.

I'm on my second PD engined TDI at the moment and both of them have only ever needed minimal topping between changes.

I say all this theoretically as it is a policy of mine never to buy a brand new car and that if I did, I'm not sure that I would actually thrash a new engine anyway...

I think it is a case of the internals being machined to such high tolerances these days that a thrashing will do little harm the bearings which used to be the main reason to 'run' an engine in. The bores and rings however benefit highly from the increased pressures of a thrashing especially when the engine is new.

A case of being cruel to be kind if ever I've heard one.

For a more plausible and informed explanation of this go to tdiclub.com and do a search.

[devonutopia]

go to tdiclub.com and do a search.

One of my other haunts, although I rarely stray from the "power enhancements" forum.