I rebuilt my turbo over the Christmas holiday with a 360 bearing kit from SPTurboost and the 4/4 wheel from RiffRaff.

Take a look at the instructions linked below and take your time. It really was not difficult at all.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5I...ew?usp=sharing

http://www.riffraffdiesel.com/conten...structions.pdf

 

Could the sound be coming from the rubber elbows on the red and green lines?

 

Of it were a boost leak it would be blowing black smoke.

 

my truck makes this exact same sound. Mine will do it at lower RPMs on a cold motor. It seems to go away as the motor warms up. I've yet to find the problem. I can verify that the compressor wheel is not hitting the housing. When I installed the 4/4 wheel this past spring there was no visible signs of the stock wheel hitting and with the new 4/4 wheel it did not change anything with the truck making the noise.

 

The fan clutch theory sounds interesting, particularly if it never engages when hot.

 

Sous thanks for the info on the rebuild.

Z31 there is no black smoke.

I'm going to change the fan clutch, change the turbo wheel and do a boost leak check then hook up to my camper and give it a test run.

 

JJD, I have hijacked your thread a little already, I have the exact same noise, only when pulling hard and never really thought about it, but it occurs when the fan clutch is kicking on and off. I did a boost leak test and found that the boot on the drivers side plenum was leaking and the black elbow that was mentioned was leaking as well. I have also changed my wheel to a 4/4 blade about a year ago and there was no noticeable damage to the original wheel. I will take the intake tube off tonight and check the wheel for play again, but I am hoping that what I had was a boost leak. I will be pulling my trailer again in a couple weeks and will report back. What do you all think, was the noise most likely the boost leak, or maybe the fan clutch? My fan clutch seems to be working as it should, it comes on when things are warming up and cools the old gal off fairly quickly. Thanks for all your input, JJD, sorry for hijacking, but seems we are fighting a very similar issue.

 

No problem the whistle seems to stop if the fan clutch doesn't not surge. But I'm not ruling out a boost leak. Some have mentioned a belt slipping but it just doesn't sound like a belt squeal to me it's more of a air type leak. Please let me know how the pull goes

 

I think it has something to do with the fan clutch itself. If there is no play in the wheel, no evidence of contact with the housing, no black smoke, and it only happens hot, pulling a load, and the fan clutch is engaged....well, I am thinking fan clutch. It's not necessarily a bad idea to rebuild the turbo at that mileage, but I would hate for you to do it, only to find out that wasn't it.

 

agreed with the new thoughts.
i would try putting a new fan clutch on first to see if the noise goes away.
if it does, then you can rebuild the turbo at your leisure.

 

Little update, just finished a trip from Portland, OR area to George, Washington. Not sure if any of you have gone through that neck of the woods, but it is definitely a tug. I pulled my 30ft Desert Fo10,000lbs) and it was a haul. Anyways, back to the original problem, definitely related to clutch fan. I had some boost leaks previously that I fixed, but still had the same squealing and it only occurs when the clutch fan engages. I guess it is time for a new clutch fan, the one now has 172,000 on it.

 

The climb from the Columbia Gorge to Goldendale, Manastash Ridge, and the Vantage grade are all hood-up meccas. I am not in any way exaggerating, embellishing, or bullspitting - these grades are the real deal... and why I obsess over Stinky's capabilities. Many people have to turn off their A/C just to get up the grades without overheating - and that's without towing. The real monster is usually Westbound Vantage grade. It's nothing really special as far as the slope goes, but it's 10 miles of nothing but grade, usually facing a stiff wind, and in the freaking century mark on the thermometer. When I say a stiff headwind, consider this - a huge wind farm is alongside the grade, and the restaurant at the bottom is named "Blustery's".

A tired belt or belt tensioner will have the same effect.

 

The Gorge to Yakima at 97 degrees was no fun and that was just the beginning. Thinking about all this, I think you are correct regarding the belt tensioner, the belt is only a year old. The clutch fan is mechanical so it either works or doesn't. How do you diagnose the tensioner. Thanks Tugly, you have helped me a lot in the last couple years.

 

just listened to the video, that noise sounds too consistent


almost like an alarm going off

 

Put me in the fan clutch fan club. If ya listen to the fan and not the whine it doesn't sound like it's engaging properly. Clutch starts to engage, whines, lets go, rinse and repeat. Cycling faster than others I've heard as well. If you give the fan a spin by hand how does it feel?

DIY tensioner testing is basic. Push on a longer stretch of belt and see how far it deflects from straight. It should be not much and be hard to do. Those are the standard values, not the metric. Also release tension on belt with breaker bar, pull belt aside and feel action of tensioner pivot and each pulley. All should be smooth and not floppy. Ford has elaborate testing methods to measure deflection etc but this should do. Also inspect edges of belt for wear.

My money is on the clutch tho.