I just had the engine replaced on my 93 R1 and now I can hear an annoying high-pitched whistle whenever the turbo spools up, even at very low boost (still in the break in stage running <4K rpms). It sounds like a dental drill.

My previous engine did not make this sound. The shop -- a well respected Bay Area 3rd gen specialist -- rechecked everything and tells me that all is well and that "95% of 3rd gens make this noise". But it's driving me nuts...

Normal behavior? Shop BS? What's the truth?

 

Mine makes that sound.

 

my turbos were silent until i got rid of the stock downpipe. How can you say that's an annoying sound? I love hearing the turbos spool up.

 

I love that noise......I always tap the pedal so my victims can hear why they lost before the race starts :p !!

 

Well if you don't like the sound of the turbos then take them out.

This is amazing.

 

One of the coolest things about driving a turbo car is LISTENING TO THE NOISE THOSE BAD BOYS MAKE!!

 

Damn man!!!!!! That is music to my ears. Sometimes I turn everything off just so I can hear those babies sing there song.

 

whrrrrrrrrrzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz brupupupupraraaraaaaaaaaaaaaah psSSHT bupupupaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah


a combinatiion of all the above... music to my ears. How can you not love that sound? whirrrzzzzzzzzZZZZZZT Pshhhheewwww!!!!

 

Yeah! I love it too. Can only hear it after putting in a downpipe though! Thats why I also put the stock muffler back on. Now all you can hear is the WWWWWZZZZZZZZTHTHTTTHTHTHTHTH!!! PSHSHSHSHSHSSHSHSH!!! You see the look on peoples faces as they hear this high pitch spooling and nothing else as it runs towards them. Love scaring joggers and bikers!! HEHEHEHE!!!

 

not liking the "whistle" from a turbo spooling is like saying the rumble of a V8 sounds annoying... just doesn't make sense

 

Make sure your wastegate hose is put in your (stock) air box. When I got my new engine put in they did not do this and there was a loud whistling noise...music to my ears. I love that sound personally. hehehe

 

So your turbos were bad on your old engine huh?

 

Put header tape on your downpipe.

 

Actually, the sound was probably there on your first engine you just didn't notice it.

I did the same thing as you. Once I got my engine replaced, I heard every little sound the car made. Every little sound made me wonder if something else was going to go wrong.

That sound used to bother me as well, but you get used to it.

 

i dont know...but it SCARED me at first......i NEVER NOTICED it before until i got the BOV...now i ACTUALLY like the noise.........the bov MADE the whistle even LOUDER!

 

nathanso,
you must be talking about the infamous mooooing sound that is common on FDs. at least i hope your talking about that because a loud spooling turbo is music to my ears!

if it is the mooooing sound that comes on when accellerating, im not sure if anyone found a fix to that. try searching some old threads.

 

the sound he seems to be talking about is not the normal turbo scream....While I like the normal howl...I have the same problem he does.

I recently rebuilt my turbos...now they sound like a dental drill under any boost....the more boost the more drill sound....

the turbo shops Ive spoken with claim that it is most likely a balancing issue.

my noisy turbo zzzzziiiiiinnnnnnnnggg powers right through my blaring alpine stereo system.

the turbo shop that did my rebuild has agreed to warrantee the turbos themselves and rebuild them again.


jason

 

Jason is right - a LOUD metalic ZIIING from the turbos is NOT good - it is caused by the turbine &/or impeller striking the housings - this can be a result of bad balance or misaligned or worn bearings or bad turbine/shaft/impeller alignent the turbos may "Break In' (ie wear away the interfeering portion of the turbine/impeller) and quite down. or may need rebuild again.

 

if the impeller or tubine touched the housing, woundn't it destroy the blades? i thought maybe its just getting full boost for a change.

 

Thanks to Trexthe3rd, rx7eaven, Mahjik, and artguy for your thoughtful responses. I'm not yet sure what is causing this problem but I'm fairly certain it is not normal. I enjoy the RX-7's turbo woosh as much as the next enthusiast, but this sound is not a good sound.

As for the boy-racers who took time from their busy schedules to respond, I only hope I never have to share the road with any of you. And a parting word of advice: "To each his own".

 

I dont like either of them.. Quite is the way to go! i want an electric car!

 

you try to help someone out and this is the response? nice

 

I'm not sure he was refering to you. I think he may have been referring to those who bagged on his question without considering the possibility that there might actually be something wrong! And then they didn't bother to offer a solution. Or maybe I'm completely wrong.

I do however, think that is one phat sig yo! I give you mad props yo!

Seriously, that sig is funny as hell! I remember when those pics were circulating around the first time. Icy Hot Stuntaz....ha ha ha what a bunch of homos.

 

jason is right the turbos seem to be of balance if they are whisteling that loud that and turbo oil leaks are very common when people rebuilt there turbos I know that because I work on these cars all day long the turbos in jasons car were installed by me but were rebuilt some were else for more info call louie at rotary reliability & racing in SantaAna ,



att


" jason your car will be done soon dont worie"
louie