It’s well-known that turbocharged engines can be a touch finicky. The added heat, changing levels of boost, air flow, fuel flow, spark, and so on, mean motors with this type of induction very particular.

Oil and the right viscosity is crucial to ensure turbocharged engines run smoothly. Turbo timers used to be all the rage twenty years ago when the Japanese sports cars of the day were just starting to get tuned on a grander scale by American shops. The HKS units which sat comfortably underneath the dash of so many 300ZX Twin Turbos and 3000GT VR-4s allowed the prudent owner could keep their engines in good shape. It raised a few eyebrows when the car continued to run after the owner stepped out, but that was part of the fun of owning a turbo car back then – it felt like some sort of spaceship, and the chance to explain the intricacies of a turbo engine was never passed up.

The more gadgets, the faster the car went – or so we thought.

Turbo timers have fallen out of fashion these days, but the idea of allowing the oil to cool is still relevant. Running an engine hard and then shutting it off abruptly cancels oil flow and allows it to choke up in the hottest parts of the engine, thereby burning off the lighter oil and leaving a sludgy, heavier oil to reduce circulation and facilitate wear, like plaque lining an artery. Getting that oil to circulate is so important, especially when the turbine is spinning at outrageous speeds, so letting these motors get up to temperature and cool substantially afterwards is crucial.

When the turbocharger glows as hot as this one, keeping the oil smooth and circulating is all-important. Photo credit: Fowvay

Not only is the technology itself particular, but a turbo engine’s power delivery is something that requires a specific driving style. Without a doubt, one’s right foot needs to readjust if they’re used to responsive, progressive power deliveries of normally-aspirated mills, since a turbo, especially one that lags a bit, is never going to be as nice to drive.

The sudden surge of torque common with turbocharged power deliveries can easily overwhelm the rear tires and upset the car, which catches plenty of youngsters out. It’s for this reason, contrary to popular opinion that too much speed is the culprit, that Subaru STIs are occasionally found in the odd canyon ditch. Man-handling the car and expecting all-wheel drive to save oneself is foolish, since a big, sudden lump of torque is going to upset the chassis regardless of the drivetrain or level of grip.

The 996 GT2 always required respect at the limit, since that surge of torque could easily overwhelm the rears.

Opposed to what is said in this video, sometimes a purely progressive throttle application is not the best way to handle a turbo engine, since some turbo engines behave like on-off switches. Instead, depressing the throttle abruptly to bring up engine speed, then backing off and feathering the throttle slightly when sensing the boost pressure increasing is the best way to make a turbo engine responsive and semi-manageable. It takes a different technique than a normally-aspirated engine does, and isn’t true for all turbo engines, but keeping those revs high is usually pretty valuable when driving these sorts of motors. Oh, and don’t skimp on fuel – detonation is never worth the thirty cents per gallon saved.