2nd Gen R56 Cooper S Most liked posts in thread: Heat Shield vs Turbo Wrap?

turbo blankets work really really well we use them on our Turbo 6 Grand National and GMC tyhoon and they drop under hood temps by 75-120* depending on outside temps. It also speeds the spool up of the turbo as it holds the heat in the exaust side and causes the impler to spin faster sooner. Id say that is the best way to keep heat down you do not want to cover the inlet side as that will increase the inlet temp to the engine and cause knock and posiable damage to the engine.
If you do a search on SummitRacing.com you will find DEI has a few styles of blankets that will work on most turbos. There around $200 but will help performance and drop the temps that would be reaching your hood and scoop
Our mini is supercharged so I have had no issues with the scoop but just thought Id try and help with examples of Turbo cars we have. My buddy also has a Neon and we saw the same improvments on his SRT-4 if that helps as an example more.

 

Google "Turbo Wrap"

LOTS of knowledge about this topic on a wide variety of cars. We're not breaking new ground here.... this has been worked through on lots of other platforms that have been turbo'd for a lonnnnnng time.

The turbo wrap isn't some kind of "Way Motor Works Voodoo" dreamed up after too many margaritas... it's a proven approach.

 

i cant say about having it vs not, as ive had my grille completely removed for a very long time now... heat definately pours out better and my scoop does still look brand new.

Some have painstakingly dremeld out the other holes, but by then you might as well just take it out lol

 

Fully agree, and in fact the open scoop on the R56 probably serves its owner best after the car has been driven and is at rest, since it provides the escape route via convection for the hot air that would otherwise pool under the bonnet.

 

With the MINI I know it continues to circulate coolant, not so sure about oil, but many cars still use engine driven water and oil pumps so they can't continue to circulate. Turbo timers really aren't needed even in those applications, a few miles of gentle driving or a cool-down lap are all that's really needed after hard running and modern synthetic oils don't coke at the temperatures a normally driven car would be at at shutdown. Back when I was into a different type of car the turbo-timer vs. not controversy was the big thing to debate (that and "Crank-walk") Back then I came to the conclusion that a semi-intelligent driver could replace a turbo-timer most of the time and that they were only really useful for getting people to remind you you left your car running.

Also, in many places a turbo-timer is actually illegal, there's laws against leaving a car running unattended for different reasons. I know St. Louis is one such place.

 

Like I've been saying:crazy:

So why not just swap the whole bonnet for a Just-a-Cooper one.

Mark

 

Short version - turbos turn heat and pressure into mechanical energy to make boost. They're designed to see the hottest exhaust gases the car can produce, all day long, every day. They're most efficient when 100% of that heat flows through the "hot side" of the turbo and out the exhaust. Any heat that radiates out of the turbo is wasted energy.

Putting deflectors, shields, etc. near (but not directly in contact with) the turbo allows heat to radiate out of the turbo. Then that heat must go *somewhere*. It's going to go up, and it's going to flow wherever the under-bonnet airflow takes it. I love and respect orangecrush/mark - but i doubt he would have melted his valve cover without the M7 deflector on there - might have melted his hood scoop, but not his valve cover. The deflector deflected heat away from where it would have gone (up) and sent it where it went (valve cover).

A wrap keeps the heat in the turbo. Turbos are designed to get VERY hot. They like heat. So wraps work. That seems pretty easy to understand to me. I don't understand why it's counterintuitive to others.

 

Concerning the turbo heat issue. Regarding the reports of distorting / melting hood scoops, hood stripes (white) turning brown. Both of these are plastic / polymer items that are reacting to the heat. Paint is also a plastic / polymer made from acrylics, polyesters, polyurethanes etc. Should we expect to see damage to the painted area on the bonnet directly over the turbo? I read somewhere where MINI removed some of the under bonnet insulation in order to save a few dollars per car.:mad2:

 

I have been saying this for a very long time now. THE TURBO IS MORE THAN CAPABLE TO WITHSTAND VERY HIGH HEAT. It can do this constantly, even if you never shut down the engine.THE THING IS DESIGNED TO DEAL WITH HIGH HEAT. Shut down "MAY" be an issue, but take off your seatbelt, get your iTunes ready for your next motor, and you are safe to shut down.

The shield does nothing for performance, it does not keep the turbo heat on the hot side, where it improves performance, it just directs it wiggle niggle up, sideways, backwards, but not out the hot side/exhaust A wrap holds the heat in the turbo, and lets it out the hot exhaust side, where you want it to go.

So, bottom line. A wrap keeps heat from the plastic bits, and there MAY be some slight performance increases. Simple.

Not sure if the under bonnet insulation would help or hinder this issue. But I don't like the "LOOK" of the bonnet without it.

Mark

 

But people have learned not to listen to you. Simple.
:devil:

 

I know, but I just keep on yakking:crazy:
Some day I may shut-up, but it will likely be on the sewing site first:arf:
rrr:

Mark

 

Having some grill, as opposed to no grill, may prevent low flying birds or wayward rodents from getting sucked in at high speed

 

Screw the rodents. They deserve the fiery death they receive.

 

You should listen now because he is right
:idea:

 

Turbo Wrap=Bearing Failure

All the comments about turbo heat management are quite correct while the engine is running and the car moving. When it stops, the last thing you want is something that holds the heat in the turbo, like a wrap. The bearings will eventually cook. A shield like m7's will allow convection currents to cool the turbo normally and not melt the scoop at the same time. It is not intended to be a performance mod. BTW, my OEM scoop had the holes in it. It melted anyway. Put the shield on and no problems since (+8K). See the NAM thread's on this, there's only about +200 posts!

 

Sounds like a choice...... Keep the heat in and you coke your turbo bearing (after the time on the water circulation stops). Let the heat out and you melt your hood scoop / valve cover. :yikes:
Maybe a period of moderate driving after the aggressive romp to let the exhaust temperatures stabilize?