I installed the turbo insulation today and went for a ride tonight. I stopped after about 20 mins of regular driving not really boosting hard, and looked under the hood to check the pipe temps and the turbo was glowing how any metal looks right before it melts, bright red. I've seen my turbo glow at night before, but not quite sure this is normal. It was REALLY hot, burned my finger prints off just touching the aluminum insualtion. The underhood temp was INCREDIBLY low tho, everything was cool to touch except the turbo. It spooled normal perhaps better, although I didn't try much after I saw it glowing. It idled fine for 6minutes after I got home. I think its normal, but It has been awhile since I've looked under the hood at night, and just as long since I've seen my turbo glow. Someone comfort me and tell me this is OK esp. from anyone that has used DEI turbo insulation. WickedESI!! Thanks.

Oil/water cooled.... is the fluid getting thru the turbo? The first time my kit was installed on the rebuilt motor, the supply line wasnt connected right or something but anyway there was no oil getting to the turbo and it ran for 15 minutes to get the crap outta the motor and the turbo itself looked like a rustish redish/orange color.

:shrug

What part of the turbo was glowing? The turbine housing should be of course covered up, which raises a red flag to me as what else could be glowing.

My turbo is watercooled, I'd recommend doing this if your's isn't. If your's isn't definately make sure you're turbo timing the engine shut down so that oil doesn't have a chance to coke up on the hot bearings.

Edit: I can't believe you touched the aluminum insulation while the motor was hot :+

Yes its covered, but I can still see where it connects to the manifold and the exhaust side. The parts I could see were glowing, even the begining of the dp. The lines should be flowing, I'll check anyway. The inner section was not glowing. It's auto turbo time'd at a minimum of 1m30s. Only the exhaust housing was glowing. Whats involved in water cooling it?

Originally posted by sike
Whats involved in water cooling it?

Running a water or coolant line in the inlet and out the outlet. If it's that hot I wouldn't run your coolant through it. I know the 16g has water cooling, and i think the 20g does. My 25g dosen't, but I dunno what you have.

Turbo's glow red all the time, I have tons of pics on my computer of turbos (and even bare headers like on our formula car) glowing. I would definately water cool it if I were you. Your going to be heating the coolant the same way it is heated flowing around your combustion chamber! (...completely normal, and is what a healthy engine likes)

Also, be using a very good synthetic oil. I use to swear by Mobile1 but the new synthetic blends specifically made for turbo's, such as Quakerstates Advanced Engine. It's viscosity modifiers are designed away from non-purpose oils not to coke on super heated turbo bearings. Back in the day Corky Bell (Maximum Boost author) would say use a synthetic oil with a small viscosity range (like 20w50), because the modifiers are bad on turbo bearings. Well the new turbo oriented oils provide older tech. 20w50 synthetic oil protection in 10w30 form. That's switching from syrup resistance to apple juice resistance. Ohhh yeah..

Originally posted by etx
If it's that hot I wouldn't run your coolant through it.

why not?

if it causes overheating...which I reall doubt you can always go with a lower temp thermostat, run both fans at the same time...etc...ect.