Signs your turbo is failing......

[GSntncT]

It's been a very long time since I've done anything to this car, and it's mainly due to either always working or being out of town.

Today however I did notice that my car not only has the same hard pull as I remember, but when my turbo spools, the pitch is at a higher tone than I remember. I don't see any blue smoke from the exhaust, but what else can I check to see if my turbo is still intact? Any suggestion will be most helpful, since I don't remember much anymore.

 

[GSntncT]

Oh and also, as someone on here said, my turbo doesn't sound like a "screaming cat".

 

[RossY]

When my turbo started going it sounded almost like a siren when it spooled. "wwwhhoooOOOOOOOOoooo" Stupid i know but if that gives you an idea. You could check for shaft play by taking the intake pipe off and trying to move the compressor wheel up, down, in, out. If it's a significant amount then its going.

 

[GSntncT]

I'll check it out tomorrow am, as I'm likely working midnight-1 am. thanks for the info.

 

[JoeyJigglesGSX]

please let us know what happens after you check your turbo, because today i thought my turbo sounded insanly loud...not that, thats a bad thing, but it just didn't sound right for some reason

 

[Game Over]

When my turbo started going it sounded almost like a siren when it spooled. "wwwhhoooOOOOOOOOoooo" Stupid i know but if that gives you an idea. You could check for shaft play by taking the intake pipe off and trying to move the compressor wheel up, down, in, out. If it's a significant amount then its going.

Exactly, it will sound like a siren. But mine began sounding like this after it started smoking.

 

[GSntncT]

I took of the intake and checked for shaft play....none there...I dunno, maybe it's just in my head since I'm not used to driving my car anymore.

 

[ArticNemesis]

Hmm.. Mine started making that sound... And now I smoke on spool up past 8psi.

 

[compression]

i made a 1.8 turbo and it was still a project because i wasnt all the way done but i took it to the local car meet and drove around for 2 days with a bov or a wastegate so im pretty sure i messed it up because it smokes pretty bad now and the motors only 3k miles old so i dont think its that unless i cracked the rings or something crazy but it doesnt really make a screaming sound

brian

 

[EagleTalonRacer]

:laugh: dude, mine sounds like a miniture turbine.. well it is DUH!! sounds like its sucking on a string of spaghetti and spitting it out when i shift gears. My engine has 165,000 miles and my turbo 30,000 and IM STILL whopping corvettes and civics

 

[BMWHATR]

If your not smoking anything from exust your fine. Your probubly getting paranoid. Check howmuch oil your car eats up.

 

[99gst_racer]

Here are a couple signs:

1. loud siren/scream/whailing noise
2. slower and/or later spool
3. smoke in the exhaust when boost is built
4. oil in the compressor housing
5. excessive shaft play
6. doesnt build boost all the way (ei MBC set at 15, but it wont boost past 10)

I hope this helps.

 

[GSntncT]

Here are a couple signs:

1. loud siren/scream/whailing noise
2. slower and/or later spool-
3. smoke in the exhaust when boost is built-4. oil in the compressor housing
5. excessive shaft play-
6. doesnt build boost all the way (ei MBC set at 15, but it wont boost past 10)-
I hope this helps.

1.like bmwhatr said-I'm prob just paranoid
2. Before my turbo hit full around 4.2. I noticed today it's been around 3.8
3.does black/gray smoke count? However after leaning the fuel out, it's gone away
4.none
5.none
6.I switched to hi boost after I put it back together, still hits 22


It does help, thank you. This pretty much confirmed I was indeed paranoid. :thumbdown

Thanks guys!

 

[JoeyJigglesGSX]

i still dont understand though...ever since i put on my intake, my turbo has always been really loud...so how can i tell by just the sound?

 

[saw wave analog]

the sound of air being sucked in is a lot different than the sound of your compressor wheel rubbing the housing at 100,000 rpm. its loud as hell, you will know it if it happens

 

[Matrix_Blue]

so what is the conclusion if there is no shaft play and it still boosts the same and isnt delayed but it just screams....cause i just didi the clutch in my car and i left the intake tube off for the test drive, i got all over it and now that i have it all put back together the right way it screams

 

[psychlow]

It's been a very long time since I've done anything to this car, and it's mainly due to either always working or being out of town.

Today however I did notice that my car not only has the same hard pull as I remember, but when my turbo spools, the pitch is at a higher tone than I remember.

10 to 1 you have a boost leak.

High pitched noise = turbo spinning faster to create the same boost.
Less power = engine running rich due to air leaking out of the intake tract.

If it's not smoking and shaft play is normal, you just need to check for leaks.

 

[Matrix_Blue]

Alright will do, but first where is the most common place for the system to start leaking...is it the bov? or somewhere else, thanks.

 

[99gst_racer]

Alright will do, but first where is the most common place for the system to start leaking...is it the bov? or somewhere else, thanks.

There are 100 places you could be leaking boost from. Many areas are just as common as the next. Just follow the instructions and you will find your leak(s) soon enough.

 

[psychlow]

One thing I forgot to mention - the longer you wait to fix the boost leak, the more life you're taking away from your turbo. Overspinning the turbo causes unnecessary heat and friction on the bearing, which can cause wear.

Boost leaks are one of the reasons that turbo cars require a little more maintenence and attention to detail to keep running right than an N/A car.