Turbo Noise

[BButkus51]

Hello,

I was going down the road today and my turbo changed tones. My exhaust is off the car, so you can really hear the turbo. While accelerating with traffic you can hear it spooling, not necessarily making boost but you can hear it ready to come to life. Today while accelerating, the turbo was spooling then the noise went away like within 2 sec. Its like it stopped spinning. It did this about 3 different times. I got on the car a little and it did build boost. What do you guys think, is my turbo about ready to crap out? Is this a common sound when they are ready to go? Or something else I should look at? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Bob

 

[notacarlo]

Sound of the turbo is overcome by the engine. You will hear the turbo begin to spool in the range where humans can actually hear, then it goes into warp speed spinning at some 75-150000 rpm.

if it's accelerating.....it's working.:biggrin:

 

[BButkus51]

I hope you are right! I don't think I'm doing a great job of describing the noise though haha. . . . . .This is a new noise its making. Its like you can hear the turbo come to a halt. I think I might pull it off just to be safe and check it out. Once it sounds like the turbo goes away, if you get on it it does not spool.

 

[notacarlo]

I think you are being overcautious.

Pull the inlet ducting and grab the nut on the compressor wheel (not running)
pull/push, move up/down, move left/right. If there is a lot of movement then the bearings ar going out. This would also show failure by smoking while the car is running. Excessive oil in the intake tract and tubing (there will be a little in there normally).

The turbo will "sneeze" or "flutter" when coming off throttle from boost. This is also normal.

Audible failure would be a howling similar to a fire engine siren. Sometimes faint, sometimes pronounced. This would be the shaft being bent, and/or the compressor/turbine wheel rubbing the housing under load.

From your description I don't think there is anything wrong with your car.

 

[BButkus51]

I appreciate your responses. I will do as you said hopefully this weekend and I will report back. Thanks again for your responses.

Bob

 

[BButkus51]

I appreciate your responses. I will do as you said hopefully this weekend and I will report back. Thanks again for your responses.

Bob

 

[BButkus51]

Well I pulled off the ducting today and played with the shaft. It will not push in or pull out, but it does move left to right a little. When you push it right and spin it, it does hang up a bit. I ran the car then got it good and warm and did a couple 3000-3500 revs and you could hear it spooling. Also, there was no oil in the piping. I think you are right and ill just run it and see what happens. I still don't have a great feeling because I know the noise changed, but the turbo seems to be fine. The external wastegate couldn't do what I was describing could it? Dump all the pressure then the turbo would slow down? I dunno. . . . . .

Thanks,
Bob

 

[BButkus51]

Anyone?

 

[turbo nasty]

Well I pulled off the ducting today and played with the shaft. It will not push in or pull out, but it does move left to right a little. When you push it right and spin it, it does hang up a bit. I ran the car then got it good and warm and did a couple 3000-3500 revs and you could hear it spooling. Also, there was no oil in the piping. I think you are right and ill just run it and see what happens. I still don't have a great feeling because I know the noise changed, but the turbo seems to be fine. The external wastegate couldn't do what I was describing could it? Dump all the pressure then the turbo would slow down? I dunno. . . . . .

Thanks,
Bob

Yeah if the wastegate is letting exh enegy leak then of course the turbo will drop on boost/ sound.