Possible turbo issue
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Possible turbo issue
So when my turbo hits around 16-20 PSI I start to hear a high pitch whistling coming from what appears to be the turbo area. I smoke tested the system today thinking possible Y-pipe and nothing. Took the intake off and played with the turbine shaft a little, you could move it up and down but not in or out. From what I understand if it's moving up and down the bearings need to be replaced, and in and out the turbo needs to be replaced.
The 2 threads I've read covering rebuilding a turbo seem to be rebuilding it for the purpose of replacing the oil seal which I don't think is my problem because I'm not burning off any oil in the tailpipe, and it's not smoking. Would the turbine shaft being a little loose like that be fixed by rebuilding the turbo, and would that actually cause my turbo to make a odd whistle at 20 PSI only? And would it cause me to feel a lack of power at all? Any input is appreciated.
The 2 threads I've read covering rebuilding a turbo seem to be rebuilding it for the purpose of replacing the oil seal which I don't think is my problem because I'm not burning off any oil in the tailpipe, and it's not smoking. Would the turbine shaft being a little loose like that be fixed by rebuilding the turbo, and would that actually cause my turbo to make a odd whistle at 20 PSI only? And would it cause me to feel a lack of power at all? Any input is appreciated.
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I'm not sure what the specs are for shaft play but I think it's ok for it to move a slight amount. I would suspect an air leak. Check around expansion joints on exhaust up pipes (cold start). Not sure what year you have but my '06 had a split in the plastic CAC pipe under the air filter. Tried to whistle sometimes but mostly a hissing noise. It screeched really loud when I tried to tape it up with rubber tape as a temp fix. 20psi will find all your leaks, lol.
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The truck is a 2005. It has RiffRaff CAC boots on it, and the whistle was there before I added those. If there was a leak at the expansion joints on the Y pipe wouldn't that show up on the smoke test? The only thing I think of is on the intake piece that has the metal bracket that screws the FICM in place to the intake, where the 2 little 8mm bolts go is cracked there on both holes. Would that cause a hiss?
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On the exhaust side you have a good 5-10 minutes from a cold dtart to reach around and feel all the clamps, joints etc. A rubber hose can be used as a stethoscope or a stick with a string attached to it.
Josh
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Possible the intercooler popped. Somewhat easy to plug one opening and plug the other and plumb about 10 psi of shop air thru it. On the exhaust side you have a good 5-10 minutes from a cold dtart to reach around and feel all the clamps, joints etc. A rubber hose can be used as a stethoscope or a stick with a string attached to it. Josh
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I guess I'm not following you on the plugging the intercooler or whatever. Are you saying disconnect CAC tubes, deal off one end and push air through the other and feel around for leaks or what? And exhaust side, are you talking the like from the down pipe to the tailpipe?
As for exhaust, you would be checking the manifolds, y-pipe junction, flex joints, passenger up-pipe and connection to turbo.
Downpipe isn't really a concern.
Josh
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Alright I can try that. I just really figured the smoke machine would help pinpoint any leaks in the exhaust side, is it just not high pressure enough or what?
The more I think about it, the less I'm starting to think it's not actually related to the turbo. It's go to be a leak somewhere. It's been doing this since AT LEAST this time last year, so if it was something directly related to the turbo wouldn't something with it been really muffed up by now?
The more I think about it, the less I'm starting to think it's not actually related to the turbo. It's go to be a leak somewhere. It's been doing this since AT LEAST this time last year, so if it was something directly related to the turbo wouldn't something with it been really muffed up by now?
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Not really.
To do a smoke test on the up-pipes you would have to figure out how to force the smoke thru the EBP tube.
Usually easier to cold start and feel around, use a 3 or 4 foot piece of rubber hose and work it around the flex joints. Especially the corrugated joint on the y-pipe above the passenger up-pipe. It seems that one lets go the most, followed by the other y-pipe flex joint.
Look for heavy soot marks along the manifolds too.
Josh
To do a smoke test on the up-pipes you would have to figure out how to force the smoke thru the EBP tube.
Usually easier to cold start and feel around, use a 3 or 4 foot piece of rubber hose and work it around the flex joints. Especially the corrugated joint on the y-pipe above the passenger up-pipe. It seems that one lets go the most, followed by the other y-pipe flex joint.
Look for heavy soot marks along the manifolds too.
Josh
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Hmm okay. One of my instructors suggested that sometimes with turbos that when the bearings go bad it can create a high pitch whistleish kind of sound. Not word for word what he said but kind of, he made it make a lot more sense but I just figured if that was the case and it was the bearings causing it after a whole year of romping on it the turbo would be messed up in some way.
And alright, I'll do that. How come it has to be for on a cold start out of curiosity? It does it when it's warm, cold, any time really the psi is about 20.
And alright, I'll do that. How come it has to be for on a cold start out of curiosity? It does it when it's warm, cold, any time really the psi is about 20.
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Hmm okay. One of my instructors suggested that sometimes with turbos that when the bearings go bad it can create a high pitch whistleish kind of sound. Not word for word what he said but kind of, he made it make a lot more sense but I just figured if that was the case and it was the bearings causing it after a whole year of romping on it the turbo would be messed up in some way.
And alright, I'll do that. How come it has to be for on a cold start out of curiosity? It does it when it's warm, cold, any time really the psi is about 20.
And alright, I'll do that. How come it has to be for on a cold start out of curiosity? It does it when it's warm, cold, any time really the psi is about 20.
Josh