Watercooled Turbos: Pros and Cons
Curious what everyones take is on watercooled turbos. Presently my car has a water/oil cooled T3, which will be replaced with this years tax return. I have always been told "don't bother with water cooled turbos", but recently I hear "it extends the life of the turbo".
So now I'm a bit confused as to which direction to take. The car is already plumbed for a water cooled turbo, so it isn't like I'd have to add anything. What are your thoughts, and why?
So now I'm a bit confused as to which direction to take. The car is already plumbed for a water cooled turbo, so it isn't like I'd have to add anything. What are your thoughts, and why?
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7h3|23 |234lly 15 |\|0 c0|\| 70 \^/473|2 c00l3d h0u51|\|g, 3><c3p7 f0|2 7h3 c0mpl3><17y 0f 4dd1|\|g 7h3 l1|\|35 4|\|d 7h3 4dd1710|\|4l 57|241|\| 17 pu75 0|\| y0u|2 c00l1|\|g 5y573m.
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P|205 4|23 l0|\|g3|2 l1f3 0f 7h3 b34|21|\|g c47|21dg3. 7h47'5 17.
Like an old sweater, I am torn. The car already has a tendency to heat up in this weather. I just keep thinking I'm going to have some problems come summertime...so perhaps eliminating the water cooling to the turbo will help relieve some stress on the 18-year old cooling system. Or maybe if I wasn't so cheap I'd get a new flexalite fan and call it a day.
I'm guessing with a new T3 all the feed and drain lines will be the same...so no extra fabrication would be needed. That is my main turnoff since I can't have the car down for more than a day.
I'm guessing with a new T3 all the feed and drain lines will be the same...so no extra fabrication would be needed. That is my main turnoff since I can't have the car down for more than a day.
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If the water cooling is heating up your engine that much, think of what it will do to your oil if it is the sole means of cooling the turbo... Adding an oil cooler will be a necessity. I would stay dual cooled and fix or upgrade your cooling system!
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Buy my Turbo Toyota Pickup for $2000
Buy my Turbo Toyota Pickup for $2000
If I remember correctly, the SVOs have a oil cooler on them already (although it is stock, it is still better than nothing). You should look into what is making your car overheat. I never had a problem with the merk overheating, but my stock radiator took a crap on me. Damn Ford and their cheap ass parts.
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1989 SHO
1987 Merkur XR4Ti
1989 SHO
1987 Merkur XR4Ti
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Alan, the car should NOT be overheating or getting anywhere NEAR questionable. My car barely rides at the 180 thermostat and only heats up about 15 degrees during a pass, but goes right back down immediately. I'm running a cooling fan from a 2.8 Chevy Celebrity that I got for $10 from Cophers.
As far as watercooling the turbo, the ONLY reason the mfr's did it was for warranty issues with screwed turbos. These were idiots that ran the car hard, got the turbo nice and hot, and shut the car off. If you run the car normally for about a minute prior to shutting off, you'll be fine (this includes driving down the street normally or idling through a parking lot).
All of this is a moot point of course if you run synthetic oil. It coke's at a much higher temp and thus is not affected by normal operating temps.
As far as watercooling the turbo, the ONLY reason the mfr's did it was for warranty issues with screwed turbos. These were idiots that ran the car hard, got the turbo nice and hot, and shut the car off. If you run the car normally for about a minute prior to shutting off, you'll be fine (this includes driving down the street normally or idling through a parking lot).
All of this is a moot point of course if you run synthetic oil. It coke's at a much higher temp and thus is not affected by normal operating temps.
i got a nice big 20k GVW oil cooler from AE for 45 bucks...might wanna look into something liek that aswell, run it inline with the stock one, thats what im doing with my transmission.
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El Pendejo Loco
2002 Suzuki Hayabusa
1507 "dry" block
Brocks megaphone
Spencercycle 10" swingarm
MPS auto shifter
Hays convertible clutch
Yea, that about sums it up...
El Pendejo Loco
2002 Suzuki Hayabusa
1507 "dry" block
Brocks megaphone
Spencercycle 10" swingarm
MPS auto shifter
Hays convertible clutch
Yea, that about sums it up...



