Do you cool your engine down after a drive?

[cas951]

Who else is crazy like myself and do this to their car at the end of the day? I've been doing this for years now. My theory? Keep the Eng compartment cool will keep things from getting too brittle.

[Deserion]

On my previous turbo cars, I'd generally drive leisurely for a while to let them "cool" down. I do the same on the Boxster if it's been run hard, but haven't used the fan method aside from the times I wanted to cool the engine bay on the E320 to do work.

[clickman]

Maybe you're cooling things down too fast and making them brittle...

[cas951]

Once they are cooled my next step is this. Yes my wife used to laugh at me but she does the same process now. She places the fan right where it belongs.

The two in the garage a driven only on weekends. The blk one is driven daily.

[ATX_Boxster]

I broke out a fan on my Boxster last weekend the same way you did, and also wondered if others did the same. Seems like it's the only way to keep air circulating once the car has been shut down and sits, essentially baking, in the garage.

All of my other cars are front engine, and during the summer TX heat season, I have always backed them into the garage and popped the hood, which allows all of that heat to escape from the engine bay.

My next step for the Boxster may be a larger floor fan to circulate air under the car while a smaller one is aimed at the intake.

[Eric G]

I whisper sweet nothings to it before I drive to get it warmed up! So far it seems to be working. Cooling down has not been an issue however!

[cas951]

Originally Posted by ATX_Boxster

I broke out a fan on my Boxster last weekend the same way you did, and also wondered if others did the same. Seems like it's the only way to keep air circulating once the car has been shut down and sits, essentially baking, in the garage.

All of my other cars are front engine, and during the summer TX heat season, I have always backed them into the garage and popped the hood, which allows all of that heat to escape from the engine bay.

My next step for the Boxster may be a larger floor fan to circulate air under the car while a smaller one is aimed at the intake.

This is my routine. I use a larger fan in front of the Box. It cools both front radiators and blows air under the car.

[Flavor 987S]

Yup. Bought this for the job, about $100 at Grainger. The Turbo really loves it. Not as much for the Boxster due to the hidden motor:

[Nimbus117]

After a 'spirited' drive, I normally take the last mile easy. I dont like the idea of thrashing an engine then just turning it off, the fan is a step too far for me though.

[recycledsixtie]

Originally Posted by Nimbus117

After a 'spirited' drive, I normally take the last mile easy. I dont like the idea of thrashing an engine then just turning it off, the fan is a step too far for me though.

+1 in this.
This thread forced me to look up engine cooling in the Owner's Manual. Page 63 explains the fans may continue to run or start to run. To me any other external fans are redundant.

[Topless]

I am less concerned about airflow and more concerned about hot oil flow. After a track session I always drive an easy lap or a few miles to cool down the oil, coolant and brakes. When I park the job is done.

[thstone]

Keeping the engine compartment cool is generally a good thing. While I've never heard of parts failing due to brittleness from normal operating temps (ozone and plain old age are probably just as or more so damaging), I suppose if you have the time and the will to do this, go for it.

[particlewave]

And I thought I was OCD.
Seems excessive, but to each his own.

[Squozen]

Pointless IMO, but it's your money.

[Johnny Danger]

Is this the equivalent of a "happy ending" for a boxster ?

[Whippy]

O.C.D. XXL IMHO.


The manufacturers test these cars from the Gobi Desert to the Artic Circle.... If they're happy, I'm happy.....

[Hayden]

This is unnecessary, but I like that you like your Boxster that much. I'm way out of my range of expertise, but could changing the temperature of plastics quickly, rather than slowly, make them more prone to cracking due to the transition process being faster?

I think the main benefit here might be to cool it off as much as possible before sealing it in a garage, which thermally effects interior conditioned space of your adjoining home. Unless it's winter. Take advantage of that heat!

[particlewave]

Heating and then quickly cooling any material will make it harder and more brittle. A slow cool is almost always best, unless you're tempering glass. Whether a fan will cool things quickly enough to cause this is doubtful though.

[Nimbus117]

Originally Posted by Johnny Danger

Is this the equivalent of a "happy ending" for a boxster ?

Brilliant!