Whine Noise from turbo

[rowans17 19]

Hey guys,

Spending the weekend at mates batch in Akaroa, naturally we decided to clean out the intercooler on his e46 330D (as you do) he had a couple of seals to be replaced as there was oil leaking from the boost pipes. We changed these and cleaned out the oil from the intercooler with some meths, let it dry and reassembled.

However on the road test we noted it popping off the pipe from intercooler -> Turbo at the intercooler with a pshhh sound then also a whining sort of almost whistling sound that sounds like its coming from the turbo.

Has anyone got any thoughts on what might be causing this? All the pipes seem tight. All we have done is dropped the intercooler and cleaned.

Cheers!

Edited November 23, 2013 by SN1TZR

[yng_750 247]

sounds like something isnt assembled correctly.

nobody left a rag inside the intercooler did they?

[gjm 3258]

Check the hoses. Unless they've been changed they are at best 7 years old , and do perish. Removing and refitting the i/c may have been enough to expose this.

[rowans17 19]

sounds like something isnt assembled correctly.

nobody left a rag inside the intercooler did they?

Have double checked all the assembly. It was only removing the 2 bottom hoses and removing intercooler. Didnt really mess around with too much. :/

Check the hoses. Unless they've been changed they are at best 7 years old , and do perish. Removing and refitting the i/c may have been enough to expose this.

Cheers, yeah this is looking most likely... any chance we could have dammaged the turbo though? There was quite a bit of oil and crap that came loose and may have rushed though the pipes. Also when we first started it yesterday the engine was flooded so it didnt start smoothly. Hoping for his wallets sake we havent dammaged the turbo....

[gjm 3258]

Cheers, yeah this is looking most likely... any chance we could have dammaged the turbo though? There was quite a bit of oil and crap that came loose and may have rushed though the pipes. Also when we first started it yesterday the engine was flooded so it didnt start smoothly. Hoping for his wallets sake we havent dammaged the turbo....

Sucking oil and detritus through the turbo won't do it any good, but unless that has caused turbo seals to fail, I don't think it would cause the whistling you are hearing.

Does the note or pitch of the whistling vary with engine speed and/or throttle position?

[rowans17 19]

Sucking oil and detritus through the turbo won't do it any good, but unless that has caused turbo seals to fail, I don't think it would cause the whistling you are hearing.

Does the note or pitch of the whistling vary with engine speed and/or throttle position?

Yeah it does. Sounds like a leak right? Might have to start replacing hoses....

[gjm 3258]

Yeah it does. Sounds like a leak right? Might have to start replacing hoses....

Yup. Sounds to me like you have a leak.

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2959]

One of you lift the bonnet while the other revs the engine - you might be able to get a fix on which pipe / connector is leaking by where the noise is coming from!

[aja540i 1906]

Have double checked all the assembly. It was only removing the 2 bottom hoses and removing intercooler. Didnt really mess around with too much. :/

Cheers, yeah this is looking most likely... any chance we could have dammaged the turbo though? There was quite a bit of oil and crap that came loose and may have rushed though the pipes. Also when we first started it yesterday the engine was flooded so it didnt start smoothly. Hoping for his wallets sake we havent dammaged the turbo....

If your turbo is sucking air from the intercooler you have way more problems than a funny noise!!

Almost certainly a hose or loose connection.Might be worth checking if a bit of crap has gotten stuck in the BOV holding it slightly open??

[Phil-540i 166]

Also when we first started it yesterday the engine was flooded so it didnt start smoothly.

This bit sounds 'weird', as diesels don't flood, as such, so something is up with it??

Whine IMO will be a leak somewhere, or turbo 'problem' like seals / bearings/impeller had a huck up with rubbish go through it........

[gjm 3258]

Just drove my car down the drive. For the first time, I notice it is whistling, too. Funny how that happens when you've been discussing a similar problem with someone else's car.

I'd best move the turbo check work up my list of priorities.

[Phil-540i 166]

Just drove my car down the drive. For the first time, I notice it is whistling, too. Funny how that happens when you've been discussing a similar problem with someone else's car.

I'd best move the turbo check work up my list of priorities.

Noise from turbo = no good can come from this = $$$$$

[gjm 3258]

Just drove my car down the drive. For the first time, I notice it is whistling, too. Funny how that happens when you've been discussing a similar problem with someone else's car.

I'd best move the turbo check work up my list of priorities.

Noise from turbo = no good can come from this = $$$$$

I know.

[elmarco 56]

All turbos have some level of whistle. Listen to the next CAT or Cummins powered truck you see....

[greenalleycat 1]

Just drove my car down the drive. For the first time, I notice it is whistling, too. Funny how that happens when you've been discussing a similar problem with someone else's car.

I'd best move the turbo check work up my list of priorities.

Is this a whistle over and above your standard turbo whistle? My car (the one this thread is about) always had a very distinct turbo whistle from about 1500 -> ~3000rpm, give or take... I'm hoping your going to say that's all yours does too

[gjm 3258]

Is this a whistle over and above your standard turbo whistle? My car (the one this thread is about) always had a very distinct turbo whistle from about 1500 -> ~3000rpm, give or take... I'm hoping your going to say that's all yours does too

It could be so... Above 3000rpm the engine makes enough noise that I can't hear it any more!

It could well be that as a result of this thread, I was listening more carefully today. It's not an ear-splitting sound, but it is definitely there. Almost a friendly little whistle, really.

Checking the turbo, hoses and cleaning the i/c won't hurt.

[greenalleycat 1]

It could be so... Above 3000rpm the engine makes enough noise that I can't hear it any more!

It could well be that as a result of this thread, I was listening more carefully today. It's not an ear-splitting sound, but it is definitely there. Almost a friendly little whistle, really.

Checking the turbo, hoses and cleaning the i/c won't hurt.

Friendly little whistle sounds basically like what I have/had, you're probably ok. The noise we're getting from my car is distinctly unhealthy sounding, a load whooshing noise when revving and my very own blowoff valve when changing gears.

Also, this talk of blown turbos is getting me paranoid. I connected my OBD scanner up and was monitoring the boost while revving it in neutral, and it registered up to 5psi with the throttle I gave it - surely that's saying that the turbo is still alive and well?

Edited November 24, 2013 by alleycat

[gjm 3258]

Also, this talk of blown turbos is getting me paranoid. I connected my OBD scanner up and was monitoring the boost while revving it in neutral, and it registered up to 5psi with the throttle I gave it - surely that's saying that the turbo is still alive and well?

Where are you based? You're welcome to do a comparative test on my car if that helps? (Might put my mind at rest, too. )

[Phil-540i 166]

Also, this talk of blown turbos is getting me paranoid. I connected my OBD scanner up and was monitoring the boost while revving it in neutral, and it registered up to 5psi with the throttle I gave it - surely that's saying that the turbo is still alive and well?

Is it not boost under load that is measured, rather than free-revving??

[greenalleycat 1]

Where are you based? You're welcome to do a comparative test on my car if that helps? (Might put my mind at rest, too. )

I'm in Christchurch... I'd say I'd meet you halfway but that could be difficult haha. How about you?

Is it not boost under load that is measured, rather than free-revving??

Not too sure sorry; I'm using the Torque Pro for Android app and it has a boost gauge in the app (can't remember the exact name they've given it). I've tested it before when the car is moving (got ~17.5psi) and I'm fairly sure my idle results are consistent too. In this case my car was on axle stands at the front and being revved in idle, and the app's gauge was registering a changing turbo boost, varying up to 5psi with the throttle I used.

[gjm 3258]

I'm in Christchurch... I'd say I'd meet you halfway but that could be difficult haha. How about you?

That puts us meeting somewhere between Paraparaumu and Wellington!

OK... So that's not so practical. Is there anyone you know of down that way you could run the same test with?

I keep wondering if I should get some sort of OBD testing kit... It's one of those things you don't need often, but when you do need it, it is the only thing that will do.

[greenalleycat 1]

That puts us meeting somewhere between Paraparaumu and Wellington!

OK... So that's not so practical. Is there anyone you know of down that way you could run the same test with?

I keep wondering if I should get some sort of OBD testing kit... It's one of those things you don't need often, but when you do need it, it is the only thing that will do.

Hmm that could be a wee bit of a long drive with no turbo Haha

I just bought a cheap $30 one off trade me, it connects over Bluetooth to my phone (sometimes..its pretty crap). Very handy though, I can read and clear fault codes as well as read all the sensors etc.

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2959]

There are two definate signs of a blown turbo on a diesel:

1) lack of power - not enough urge from the engine to pull a maggot off a greasy chop

2) clouds of black smoke out the exhaust - and I mean clouds, not a puff.

If you have neither of these then it is not a major turbo failure. All turbos have a "whine" it is a high-revving turbine after all, the blow off sound would still suggest an loose joint or leak in a pipe.

[greenalleycat 1]

There are two definate signs of a blown turbo on a diesel:

1) lack of power - not enough urge from the engine to pull a maggot off a greasy chop

2) clouds of black smoke out the exhaust - and I mean clouds, not a puff.

If you have neither of these then it is not a major turbo failure. All turbos have a "whine" it is a high-revving turbine after all, the blow off sound would still suggest an loose joint or leak in a pipe.

I have one of two. Anything above 1500rpm and the car bogs and surges and won't go anywhere. Below that and it feels 100% normal. No clouds of smoke other than what was blown out when we started it, which was blue I think.

My car still has its usual turbo whistle (that's a good sign that its not blown right?) And above that it has a massive whooshing. This YouTube clip basically sounds like my car.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9Ohkx0q12M

I also have a blowoff sound when changing gear

Edited November 25, 2013 by alleycat

[elmarco 56]

Huh? That sounds completely normal to me....