# Is water-cooling the turbo important?



## nisB14 (Jul 22, 2003)

i know been i am stupid on this, but mt T28 has a water-cooled passage n during my installation, i did not do the water cooled 4 the turbo. Oni oil luc n cooled.
Now my close friend tell me if the turbo has water cooled, u need to connect it with coolant or it will toast your turbo in long run oni just with oil.
I like to ask if never water-cool my turbo, how long can i last on it?


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## chimmike (Oct 17, 2002)

I can tell you one thing. if you connect the water lines, your underhood temps will decrease quite a bit. Doing so will probably extend the life of the turbo.


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## Black Hornet (Apr 22, 2003)

Water cooling a turbo is usually for the cooling of the center section ball bearings. If you have a ball bearing turbo, you have to tap your coolant lines as your friend said or else you will be buying another turbo if you dont...


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## djmamayek (Aug 26, 2003)

Without the water cooling the cartridge, the oil will "coke" or basically bake itself to the walls on the inside of the center cartridge, eventually the bearings will seize, whether ball bearing or conventional oil bearing... You will definitely want that water line, and until you get it installed make sure you let your turbo cool off slowly before shutting car down i.e. turbo timer, or the cheap way..... after a long hard drive let the car idle in the driveway for 10-15 minutes so that the turbo can cool down enough not to bake the oil.


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## James (Apr 29, 2002)

that's a little excessive for cool down time... if you just take it slow right before you get home you don't have to wait 15 min, more like 2.


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## javierb14 (Jul 9, 2002)

u can run bb turbos without the water lines, its not necessary....think of it as added insurance. running water is pretty easy though in a b14, just use the TB coolant lines if you dont live in a really cold environment. also, remember that the heat is transferred from the turbo to the cooling system.

for example, this 60-1 bb has been running without water lines for a long time.


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## nisB14 (Jul 22, 2003)

javierb14 said:


> *u can run bb turbos without the water lines, its not necessary....think of it as added insurance. running water is pretty easy though in a b14, just use the TB coolant lines if you dont live in a really cold environment. also, remember that the heat is transferred from the turbo to the cooling system.
> 
> for example, this 60-1 bb has been running without water lines for a long time.
> 
> ...


Thanks 4 the fast replys, Brothers.
try to diy the water connector, but reliease need to take out the whole turbo to do it as i cant turn in a 90 degree elbow. The turbo outlet is blocking on the turning.
Well, now m sourcing 4 a second hand S14 turbo from my local scrayard 4 stand-by n m leaving this current turbo to finish off its life span.


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## Black Hornet (Apr 22, 2003)

javierb14 said:


> *...remember that the heat is transferred from the turbo to the cooling system...*


 Eventhough I disagree with your comment about not running coolant lines to the center section of a ball beating turbo, you make a very valid and real point about the transfer of heat to the coolant system. I would add when tapping the supply and return coolant lines for the cooling of a ball bearing turbo, it's a very good idea to use high temp hoses or braided stainless steel hoses as the coolant paths throughout the entire coolant system. High grade hose connections should be used as well. This will ensure that pressure variances stay at a minimum. The last thing you want to have is your cooling system being a single point of failure.


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## holy200sx (Jan 8, 2003)

yes


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## javierb14 (Jul 9, 2002)

Black Hornet said:


> *Eventhough I disagree with your comment about not running coolant lines to the center section of a ball beating turbo*


take what you want, but ive seen many bb(ball bearing) CHRA's run without water/coolant lines that have lasted a very long time


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## holy200sx (Jan 8, 2003)

well then again, ive seen some turbos that dont even have water lines.. it only needs oil.


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## nisB14 (Jul 22, 2003)

javierb14 said:


> *take what you want, but ive seen many bb(ball bearing) CHRA's run without water/coolant lines that have lasted a very long time  *


Yo bro. From what u mention, at the very least i can have a good night sleep n not worrying about the turbo giving way that fast. 
But like what u say again, an added insurance n m keeping that in mind n so , now start sourcing 4 my next turbo. 

But then again, the most common turbo around my region 4 a 2nd hand 1 would be a TD04.....
....sigh......


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