Turbo WHINES like a Supercharger, HELP!?!

[tsi1991awd]

Sunday I was on the way to work, pulled out of my neighborhood and went down the road not even 1/4 mile and heard a loud popping sound and then my car started to bog down / sputter / want to die. I knew it had to be the intercooler pipe blowing off.

So I went home and checked, and sure enough the lower hose blew off from the intercooler causing a huge boost leak. Anyways....Sunday night I hooked it all back up, double clamped it to be on the safe side and...

This morning I go to drive it and when it hits boost there is a whining sound that sounds like a gear drive, or supercharger. The BOV works fine, it builds boost like normal....it just doesn't have the spool whistle anymore. It sounds like a supercharger.

I instantly thought "oh f*ck my turbo is scraping the housing and it's toast". So I went to work and came home. Took the intake off and checked for shaft play. There is the slightest bit of play up down and side to side but NONE in and out. The turbine spins freely and I checked around the edge and there are a few spots where there is the slightest knick in the housing itself where the turbine spins. Assuming that means the fins made contact at some point in time. But as I said, it is just a few spots...not around the entire edge, so I have no clue why it would sound like a supercharger consistantly since it's not scraping the entire housing.

I checked the fins and none are bent and it doesn't look to have any damage. When I drive the car, even to redline, without going into boost then the noise isn't present. I thought maybe it could be one of the belts....but it's not. The noise only occurs when I go into boost. Doesn't matter what RPM I am at. I can start to hear it around 3-5psi and then hear it really good at 10psi.

Sometimes I hear the supercharger noise and also the spool whistle sound in the background, pretty faint but it's there. So I have no frickin idea what's up. Any input???

 

[talonawd1991]

i had the same problem on my 16 g but it was the wastegate flapper. it wouldnt open or close properly. me and my friend rigged it so it would work right and the little supercharger noise went away.idk if this will help you but thats my little idea

 

[helluvadsm]

I had an issue like that also! It, however, turned out to be my CHRA not being lubed properly.. Within 50 miles of that sound, my turbo shaft snapped, and my turbine wheel flew into my o2 housing! I had shaft play though.

 

[tank2220]

i had the same problem on my 16 g but it was the wastegate flapper. it wouldnt open or close properly. me and my friend rigged it so it would work right and the little supercharger noise went away.idk if this will help you but thats my little idea

thinking on the design of the wastegate... what would cause it NOT to open and close properaly? im got the same noise out of an evo 16g, i know it not the oil issue, wastegate huh?..... ill have to check if the could be the problem...

what did your friend do to fix it?

 

[tsi1991awd]

It is not the wastegate. I tested the wastegate and it opens and closes like it should.

As I said, this noise just started happening yesterday morning and I was thinking maybe the intercooler pipe blowing off caused it but I dont see how it would.

A month or so ago, the inlet on my intercooler broke (plastic SUpra intercooler) and when it did it created a huge boost leak, just like when the piping blew off. At that time it didnt create this turbo issue.

I dont know what to make of it...it is kind of cool to hear the supercharger noise but I know for a fact that its not a good thing.

WOuld a boost leak sound like that?? It holds boost fine though so.....

 

[froodawg]

It is not the wastegate. I tested the wastegate and it opens and closes like it should.

As I said, this noise just started happening yesterday morning and I was thinking maybe the intercooler pipe blowing off caused it but I dont see how it would.

A month or so ago, the inlet on my intercooler broke (plastic SUpra intercooler) and when it did it created a huge boost leak, just like when the piping blew off. At that time it didnt create this turbo issue.

I dont know what to make of it...it is kind of cool to hear the supercharger noise but I know for a fact that its not a good thing.

WOuld a boost leak sound like that?? It holds boost fine though so.....

When the pipe broke, did it shatter? Is there any possibility that a portion of the pipe might have pulled through and you're just hearing the whistle of diverted airflow due to debris? I know it sounds elementary but your symptoms aren't leaving much option.

I have a similar problem with my '97. Got it back from a body shop (insurance repairs for a goddamn mirror) back in december. Since then I haven't seen any performance from my turbo. Just a high pitched whine like a supercharger. Boost gauge is reading normal but no actual boost. -20 at shift change to 13 at WOT. Interestingly my turbo timer has been showing 4.99 o2 at idle since.

 

[talontd92tsi]

I would do a boost leak test. I had a huge leak at my EGR block off and it sounded like a supercharger whine, but mine started as soon as the turbo started to spin, right at 0psi.

 

[streetdsmpwr]

Was the guy who started this thread's problem ever solved? I am also having that same high pitched whine and my turbo is fine.

 

[horizontalkev]

Sorry for bringing this back from the dead. In 5th gear at about 55mph, pressing the gas causes the turbo to whistle.. I dont really hear whining 1st through to the 4th gear. Is this normal? It has always done this, and I have no shaft play.. T28 turbo, K&N cone filter with Tial BOV

 

[preludeachris]

High pitched or supercharger noise could be a turbo bearing issue.

 

[DSM Phantom]

Sounds like somthing else let go in the prosess
Boost leak test time
Let us know what u find

 

[Afizzle]

Whining from the turbo is a for sure sign that your turbo is on its way out. My turbo whines as well (small 16g) but it still spools and pulls like an ape. The whining is just a sign that its not the turbo it once was.

It happens. You beat on the turbo, it wears and tears and eventually will need to be replaced. Now, if its whining and having trouble spooling... id say its near shot.

You mentioned the boost leak at your SMIC. Depending on how far you drove it, that could be your issue here. Your wastegate opens at X amount of boost. If you have a big leak, especially a big one near your intercooler, your turbo is actually using more effort than it normally would to open the wastegate. Its spooling 32 lb/m (24-25 psi) to get 25 lb/m (16-18 psi) into the motor, thus, pushing the turbo much harder to create the desired effect.

This is why its imperative to maintain an air tight intake system by boost leak testing once a month. I know you guys hear it a lot, but a weekly or monthly BLT is a necessity. Not only for restoring horsepower, but for insuring that the car is running properly and every component is doing its job correctly.

Think of it this way... When these cars rolled off the lot back in the 90's, they did not have boost leaks. That is when the power rating is accurate. If you havent BLT'd the car and sealed everything up and re-tested tight, you are not even making the base HP from the factory, which quite frankly, is slow.

 

[JusMX141]

Whining from the turbo is a for sure sign that your turbo is on its way out. My turbo whines as well (small 16g) but it still spools and pulls like an ape. The whining is just a sign that its not the turbo it once was.

...unless, of course, you have a boost leak at the j-pipe flange.

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/newbie-forum/398242-weird-whistle-new-e3-16g.html

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/turbo-system-tech/398068-high-pitched-noise-new-turbo.html

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/turbo-system-tech/460310-turbo-whining.html

 

[EVO9_Inside]

my srt4 used to whine on the stock turbo when i overclocked it, i thought it was a cool sound. but my intention was to destroy it before i upgraded.

 

[interturbo]

Hello everyone. Im new to dsm tuners but not new to dsm cars. I've had all three turbo and N/A... Back in 2006 I bought a 91 tsi awd with 80k miles on it . She now has only about 93k miles on her.. anyway she is mint and she made the famously feared supercharger wine instead of a whistle and they previous owner said it was the wastegate. She still pulles hard as ever and no smoke hickups burbs or anything and is silky smooth so I don't now for sure if the wine meansa certain death for the turbo or not although she xoes have the stock turbo on her.

 

[TalonBoi91]

Had the same issue on my old 14b, eventually it went. Got a EVO 3 16g, been perfect since. Time for an up grade, before it goes and ## a slow moving smoke screen.

 

[interturbo]

Again I'm not 100% sure but you would think that if it was the actual turbo itself then it would've gone by now. I mean it's been SEVEN years and noise is no better but at the same time no worse.. always kept it maintained. Mobil 1 fully synthetic throughout the entire car. This sweetheart is no lambo but shocks the crap out of a lot of people.. Beats my old eclipse and destroys my sons trans am.. if anyone had a turbo go out because of the noise then can they give an approximate mileage because I know she may only see 20 miles to 100 miles a year I would just like to be sure. Thanx

 

[TalonBoi91]

Mine lasted about 2 months of daily driving, don't know the mileage. I see you said yours is bone stock besides k&n. I have some dejontool intercooler pipes, e.g.t. gauge and probe kit. And a few other mods if your interested, I'm in Altoona pa. Sent you a friend request to add on your list, you can pm me about any parts of questions you have about your 1g as I'm right in Altoona.

 

[interturbo]

Yea you are pretty close.. thats a sweet lookin talon. Like the gray. Did you paint it? Not too familiar with Altoona but I know where a couple places are thanks for the info and I got your friend request and added you. Thanks

 

[DSM1G90]

High pitched or supercharger noise could be a turbo bearing issue

Kinda what I was wondering-since the oil pressure is the "bearing" for the turbine shaft. And the shaft did some metal to metal contact getting things a bit too hot.

 

[preludeachris]

Kinda what I was wondering-since the oil pressure is the "bearing" for the turbine shaft. And the shaft did some metal to metal contact getting things a bit too hot.

Yeah hard to say without actually being there to hear it....another thing I was kinda thinking about was "leaky" waste gate but seems unlikely given that its only making noise when its under boost correct op? A video sure would help.