This is the 3rd accident I've avoided in the past 3 days.

Yesterday an old woman almost side swiped me through and intersection, and pushed me into on-coming traffic....I slammed on the brakes and got behind her and just missed hitting another car head on.

Just now, I was driving up the road in the right lane, with a car next to me in the left lane. We were coming up on a driveway to turn into the Staples parking lot, and there was this mini-van sitting there waiting to pull out. Well, the guy didn't wait, and he pulled out right in front of me as I was doing 50mph. I had nowhere to go so I slammed on the brakes (which just about locked up, smoke came up from the tires, but then the ABS took over...). The person in the left lane saw what was going on and made room for me to share their lane, so I got over and passed the mini-van with about 3in to spare... I would have hit the guy so hard if I didn't have that room to get over a little bit.

Anyway, got to my driveway and turned off the car. The turbo timer kept the car going so I didn't think anything was wrong. I went inside, but three minutes later the car was still running... I went outside and found the turbo timer was off but the car was still running. (and yes, the key was out of the car) So, I reach back, open the passenger compartment and disconnect the power from the battery....BUT THE CAR KEPT RUNNING.

I let it sit for a minute, but nothing happened. Pretty much, the car was still running, with the turbo timer off, the key out, and the battery disconnected!

The only way I could shut the car off was to stall it, so i let the clutch out to kill the motor.

I hooked up the battery and started the car again. It seems to be fine. But when I shut it off, it does the same thing...now it keeps running even with the timer off, key out, will stay running if I disconnect the battery. My check engine light and ABS lights are on after I turn the key to off, but I thought that was normal of the turbo timer.

WHATS WRONG?!?

Any help? I'm going to check all the fuses now, but I have never heard of this happening before. Ideas?

I HATE OLD PEOPLE!

~Tom

 

As for the original reason it's running without the key, I don't know. But the car can run off of the alternator alone with the battery disconnected. Can be a pain in the but. That's weird that it stays on. Maybe the turbo timer is malfunctioning. Mine did once. Disconnect it and hook up the ign wires normally and see if it runs and shuts off normally. At least you can rule that out. Anything else it could be.....beats me...wierd.

Greg

 

you could check the previous post cuz i remember i see one thread was talking about that before.....

 

Yep, it was the turbo timer...

After I posted the thread, I went out and checked all the fuses (all OK). I took off the dash and steering column covers and unplugged the turbo timer (I'm SO glad I installed it with a harness instead of cutting wires...)

With the turbo timer unit unplugged, the car starts & shuts off like normal again. (phew!)

I opened up the turbo timer housing, and it reeks of burnt electronics. I have no idea how my almost-accidet today cause the turbo timer to have a meltdown...but atleast it's only an $80 part and not something major.

By the way, it was the newer GReddy timer. I've had it for several months. It has always worked fine before, so something had to have happened when I almost got in that wreck earlier.

I still hate old people though. :P

 

I never really understood turbo timers, the radiator and oil cooler does it's job far more effectively when you are driving

so....drive your car easy for 5 mintues after hard running, that's what I've done for 6 years now and my turbos are tip-top

another in the "usless gadgets" list in my book

 

I agree with that. But as I have been informed by others, some just can't drive their car that long without getting on it.

 

Fujikuro, thats what you get when you in live in FL. I too hate old people. Ive been cut off many time before, and the old people just look at me like it was my fault. Too many old people here, the state should have them take a more difficult test. It scares me that I too will be old one day

PS: I read that MM Magazine all the time. You guys put some really sick rides on the covers.

ALI

 

I agree but hell I have one and all I can say is better safe then sorry. Whats 5 min to warmup and whats 5 min to cool down ? Just 5 minutes... Have a smoke. hehe

 

And the first thing most newbies get for their car before they read the forum...

 

So true


On the highway the other day while I was in my FD, an old man hauling some hay and a tractor cut me without signaling, and gave me the wtf look. I was like wtf you... It was like my car was inexistent and was not even there the way the man turned into my lane. I honked my horn and had to turn into the left lane to avoid getting hit. Luckily the car in the left lane time kept a distance for me to safely transfer into the lane. My FD could have been ruined right then and worst of all I could have been seriously injured or killed. I have many other incidents but this is the most recent one. Glad you made it out.

Well, I hope you solve your problem. Great website you have there. Very professional. When will it be completed? Again, nice car.

 

But the Greddy unit has a feature that will allow it to monitor the rpms of the car. If you go above 4000 rpms, the timer counts up.. If you never get above 4000 rpms for instance the turbo timer will never turn on.

I normally do the 5 minute driving thing too so my timer never gets turned on.

 

Meanwhile your ride is just sitting there running and not getting any air throught the radiator. Then all of the sudden it shuts off. Guess what happens to your under the hood temps... Yup that's right up up and away! and this same scenario is performed EVERY time you take your ride up for a spin. It's got to take it's toll.

 

Really, why is it so hard for people to understand turo timers are garbage?

 

I've actually been hit in the parking lot by an SUV, the guy could see me cause my car was so low, half of the times that I've been cut off is becuase the other person doesn't see me and the other half is becuase they can't drive. I hate SUV's, Old People, some women.

 

Wow! I actually agree with YZF for once

 

Yea, well I HATE EVERYBODY!
I just set my expectations of people very low. On the road, as far as I'm concerned, every other driver is drunk, 120 years old, blind, retarded, AND are actually trying to crash into me for an insurance claim. It's kept me accident free my whole life, and I daily drive an invisible Miata through LA everyday.


Be sure to check your wiring before you install another timer. A shorted harness will probably just eat the next one.

 

My car came with a turbo timer when i bought it, its alittle small one though from apexi and i shut it off if i want

 

Move away from sarasota? Cool place, but mad old folks there. Its a strange mix of young people and old folks trying to run you down

 

ok everyone, quit being so lame. we have all heard the turbo timer arguments...

yes, some say bad things about them. and others say good things.

i happened to like mine. i've had it for over 20,000 miles, and never had any motor / turbo / over-heating problems yet. would the car be in the same condition without it?...maybe, no real way to know.

florida is hot. i'm always in a rush, and sarasota traffic sucks. so, i find the turbo timer to help out when i cant sit around waiting for the car to cool a little. besides, it doesnt run EVERYTIME i shut the car off. i have it set to LOW, so it only counts up time if i have been getting on it...at most ill end up with a 30 second countdown when i get out of the car. no harm done?

so quit bitching...on both sides. if you like them, good for you...and if you dont - then dont use one. simple eh?



and yzf-r1, please stay out of my threads. i thought he was banned like 10 times already??

 

yeah Fujikuro you got off EASY by avoiding 3 accidents....a guy i know on a BMW forum of mine is on his 3rd E36 M3 in a week. Some lady t-boned him in an intersection, insurance totalled the car, gave him another E36. Day after picking it up he gets rear ended by a minivan, totalled. Is on his 3rd currently, lol.



(and yes turbo timers are gay)

 

^^ LOL @ last statement

 

 

damn sorry to hear what happen to u.