Noisy Turbo!?

MikeHunt79 · 17 Sep 2009 at 22:09

Do turbo's get noisier before they bite the dust? I've got a Pug 205 TD, it's got 90K on the clock, and recently above 4000rpm it seems a lot more noisy. Now it's not exactly high tech engine like the one in a BMW 330D, but do most turbo's tend to last around 100k or does it depend more on how they are looked after and what sort of pressure and power it develops?

I do try and let it cool down and warm up, but I do like to put my foot down when I can. I have not done the infamous screw mod tho, it's pretty standard apart from a bit of air intake modification...

You used to be barely able to hear the turbo whistle even when it was revved to the guv'nor, but now it's much more noticable - it's like a really really loud whistley noise, similar to some of those Jap cars you see with silly huge turbos.

I may be able to get a sound recording tomorrow if that would help?

classicVin · 17 Sep 2009 at 22:10

why are you taking a derv up to 4000rpm ?!

Michael Myers · 17 Sep 2009 at 22:11

boost leak maybe? that will cause a noisy turbo, check your pipes arent getting loose

NickXX · 17 Sep 2009 at 22:12

My turbo in my Mk5 golf died at 1yr, 10,000 miles. My turbo was/is still original at 140,000+ miles.

FWIW, it did start getting a bit noisier in my golf before it went, but the main indicator was that it started using a lot of oil about 500 miles prior to failure.

iaind · 17 Sep 2009 at 22:21

classicVin said:
why are you taking a derv up to 4000rpm ?!

This - thats a bit like bouncing a petrol car off the rev limiter at every gear change - pointless

CoreKrogoth said:
boost leak maybe? that will cause a noisy turbo, check your pipes arent getting loose

Also this, plus intake/exhaust mods can increase the turbo noise.

If you can, pull off the intake pipe and see if there's any play in the shaft

TaKeN · 17 Sep 2009 at 22:37

My one always used to give some turbo whistle and slight flutter

Sounds to me like you've got a boost leak or something dodgy going on with the exhaust though.

If a turbo goes, it goes... or if its on its way out the its likely to burn oil which you'll see

Stick up the sound recording please, I sold my 205 2 years ago, and miss the sound!

NickXX · 17 Sep 2009 at 22:38

iaind said:
This - thats a bit like bouncing a petrol car off the rev limiter at every gear change - pointless

Eh, no it's not. Even the lowliest of TDs will rev to 4,500. You rev high for the same reason you'd rev a petrol high - that's where you get the most power.

I rev'ed my 330d to the red line in the same way I would rev my M3 or 318 to the redline now.

mjt · 17 Sep 2009 at 22:38

if you take it above 4,000 on a regular basis, then i suspect the turbo probably is on its way out

iaind · 17 Sep 2009 at 22:40

NickXX said:
Eh, no it's not. Even the lowliest of TDs will rev to 4,500. You rev high for the same reason you'd rev a petrol high - that's where you get the most power.

I rev'ed my 330d to the red line in the same way I would rev my M3 or 318 to the redline now.

My limiter's at 4600 and it's not exactly a lowly TD - its also a bit pointless revving it past 3500. You might feel like its faster because its noisier but it really isnt.

TaKeN · 17 Sep 2009 at 22:41

mjt said:
if you take it above 4,000 on a regular basis, then i suspect the turbo probably is on its way out

Why?

A turbo is a turbo.. just cause its on a diesel engine doesn't mean its going to break any easier :confused:

iaind said:
My limiter's at 4600 and it's not exactly a lowly TD - its also a bit pointless revving it past 3500. You might feel like its faster because its noisier but it really isnt.

My 306 HDi.. makes peak Horse Power at 4145rpm I rarely take it there though

iaind · 17 Sep 2009 at 22:42

TaKeN said:
Why?

A turbo is a turbo.. just cause its on a diesel engine doesn't mean its going to break any easier

It would be true for a petrol engine with a turbo - if you rag the nuts off it on a regular basis it's going to wear more quickly

NickXX · 17 Sep 2009 at 22:42

That is why you use all the revs...

If you don't, you must be a hugely unenthusiastic driver.

iaind · 17 Sep 2009 at 22:44

Because max power at the wheel's at 3400rpm?

NickXX · 17 Sep 2009 at 22:44

iaind said:
It would be true for a petrol engine with a turbo - if you rag the nuts off it on a regular basis it's going to wear more quickly

It really doesn't. If you're sensible about it - I.e. let it warm up and cool down you shouldn't have any problems (I drive my N/A M3 the same way - take it easy until the oil is warm). As mentioned above, my 330d is on over 140,000 miles on the original turbo and I drove it properly.

TaKeN · 17 Sep 2009 at 22:45

iaind said:
Because max power at the wheel's at 3400rpm?

No, 3995.

Its also worth mentioning, that my 205 TD had over 180,000 miles on the clock and to my knowledge was still on its original turbo.

iaind · 17 Sep 2009 at 22:45

NickXX said:
It really doesn't. If you're sensible about it - I.e. let it warm up and cool down you shouldn't have any problems (I drive my N/A M3 the same way - take it easy until the oil is warm). As mentioned above, my 330d is on over 140,000 miles on the original turbo and I drove it properly.

My point was if you're not sensible about it

- I dont know how the OP drives...

NickXX · 17 Sep 2009 at 22:47

iaind said:
Because max power at the wheel's at 3400rpm?

That doesn't stop the car from accelerating though... :confused:

You still have a lot of power to play with up until the red line.

iaind · 17 Sep 2009 at 22:51

TaKeN said:
No, 3995.

iaind said:
Because max power at the wheel's at 3400rpm?

NickXX said:
That doesn't stop the car from accelerating though...

You still have a lot of power to play with up until the red line.

You've got every bit as much power lower down the rev range too, its practically flat after 2500rpm

Any diesel I've ever driven has felt pointless and noisy towards the red line, have always been able to make better progress changing up at about 75% up the range

mjt · 17 Sep 2009 at 22:54

iaind said:
You've got every bit as much power lower down the rev range too, its practically flat after 2500rpm

Any diesel I've ever driven has felt pointless and noisy towards the red line, have always been able to make better progress changing up at about 75% up the range

i agree. i took it all the way to 5000 earlier this week for the first time in a year, and it really made no sense.
change up before 4000 rpm makes for quicker progress in my case.

twin turbo BMWs is a different story though

NickXX · 17 Sep 2009 at 22:54

iaind said:
Any diesel I've ever driven has felt pointless and noisy towards the red line, have always been able to make better progress changing up at about 75% up the range

Try driving a proper one, I can assure you that you will make much better progress making full use of the revs - as you would in any car, petrol or diesel.

You're not going to be making good progress if you're constantly flapping about with the gears without taking advantage of the full rev range.