so i just completed this mod. i cut the heater core return line like everyone else does, but i decided not to cut the hardline in order to be able to go back to the original configuration. i used 3/4" OD and 5/8 ID heater hose, and got a 1/4" NPT hose barb fittings to screw into the turbo. i realized that the heater hose ran pretty close to the exhaust manifold after it came out of the turbo, so i found some braided steel sheilding around that i put on the hose. made it look nicer too.

at first, i didn't use any teflon tape on the threads of the hose barbs going into the turbo (i'm a retard) and it leaked. took me 10 minutes to take out the hose barbs and put on some teflon, and now it's perfect. looks nice, it flows, doesn't leak, and it hasn't melted or anything yet.

so does this mean, in theory, that i don't have to turbo time as long when i shutdown my car? i used to do 3 minutes for highway driving and boosting a lot around town, and 1 minute and 30 seconds for just driving to the store and stuff without much boost...

Id still recommend turbotiming your car. Leave it on for a good 30 seconds after you finish driving. Remember, all of the stock turbo cars came watercooled, but they still turbotimer thier cars :)

My turbo which runs 20psi daily and always sees a lot of abuse is oil cooled only, and I usually turbo time it for a minute after any drive. You definitely need to keep timing it. 1500 degree temperatures don't just go away immediately you know :)

From my experience, routing water lines through the turbo just helps the car run hotter and overheat in the summer. It was a good idea not to make it permanent.

hey, thanks guys for the posts. i was actually asking if i didn't have to turbo time as long as i used to, not if i should stop all together.

after a few days of the watercooling (and a day of auto-x, today...), i haven't really noticed any problems. it's still leak-proof, nothing has melted, and everything seems to work nicely.

jeff, hopefully it won't make my car overheat in the summer. if worse comes to worse i can always put it back to just oil cooling. however, i did notice that my tempature gauge has been screwey recently. i'll start it up, and after about 5-8 minutes of idling the tempature needle will be almost all the way to the top?! but when i start driving around it will almost instantally go back to the middle and stay there until i just sit there for 5 minutes or so. pretty weird, eh? the sensor for that gauge on the 420a is a little cylinder that screws into the front of the block near the starter, right? if so, does radiant heat from the exhaust manifold and turbo heat up the sensor? i'm guessing that when i start driving i get airflow in the engine bay and radiant heat doesn't really matter that much anymore...? am i making any sense at all?

The sensor is in the thedrmostat housing. I would try a new sensor, and check the wiring to the fans. Do you have a front mount? This is an issue with some of the 4G63s with a front mount, since the fans are pulling air through two radiators, effectively, which can reduce slow speed cooling to the radiator.
-=B-=

hmmm, thanks bill. i know what what you're talking about now. i bet a new sensor or one from the junkyard would be pretty cheap. so what's that little cylinder with 1 wire coming out of it on the front of the block by the starter?

I think you are talking about the silver metal cylinder with one wire coming out of it? Thats a capacitor, mostly used for noise suppression from spark plugs/wires, ect..just so ignition noise wont play havoc with the electronics in the car.

Yup, definately the capacitor.
-=B-=

crazy. i never had any idea what that thingy was.

Originally posted by Jeff_99gs
My turbo which runs 20psi daily and always sees a lot of abuse is oil cooled only, and I usually turbo time it for a minute after any drive. You definitely need to keep timing it. 1500 degree temperatures don't just go away immediately you know :) From my experience, routing water lines through the turbo just helps the car run hotter and overheat in the summer. It was a good idea not to make it permanent.

It sounds like you're refering to the thermal capacity exhibited typically when leaving open the thermostat (this is all analytical)
The heat saturated water travels back into the cooling system and makes all the water hot and not enough time for the radiator to cool it between the Thermostat opening and closing - so the answer to this is to add more water or a larger radiator/intercooler/and Fan Mod - but we all know power makes heat

skrillas right all the way. its because of where its tapped into thats making the difference. damn that turbo must be heatin up that coolant like crazy. imo...go about 60/40 water to coolant, 160 deg thermostat, water wetter. you'll probly stay nice and cool. the coolant temp sensor isnt whats connected to the gauge in the dash btw.
_________
96 talon esi-t
san clemente, ca


as needles of ice
are the ill winds' talons
the coldest of shadows
they seep unto the bone

silent souls leave .308 holes

Originally posted by turbo8u
the coolant temp sensor isnt whats connected to the gauge in the dash btw.

WTF you talkin about willis?

Originally posted by etx

Originally posted by turbo8u the coolant temp sensor isnt whats connected to the gauge in the dash btw.

WTF you talkin about willis?

Think what he's trying to sa is this:

If you look at the thermostat housing you'll see the coolant temp sensor... and you'll also see another smaller sensor... that is what is wired up to your guage.