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Turbo Howl - fixed
- Thread starter ChefDJ
- Start date
ChefDJ
///Member
Right then.
Car is not boosting until over 2000rpm. Lots of white smoke on idle, but black smoke on startup. Confuses me, but anyways.
AA are on their way to pick up the car and take it for turbo replacement.
I guess it's my own fault for leaving it this long, but on the other hand everyone believed it was the alternator and so did I, which I replaced. It has been fine up until yesterday when suddenly the howl wouldn't go away as it had for the last year and a half. It only went away later when the car was up to full operating temperature. That's when I replaced the oil breather. Now, today, it just doesn't stop howling at all. Even at operating temp. Plus it's not boosting properly, and it even howls on idle now. And then, the addition of white smoke.
I think it was a matter of time. This turbo has roughly 173 000km on it as it was replaced in the last year of motorplan. This makes me think the previous owner didn't really treat the turbo as he should have, if the first was replaced under motorplan.
This howl started before any mods were done to the car and so I believe it could only have been agitated by the mods.
Car is not boosting until over 2000rpm. Lots of white smoke on idle, but black smoke on startup. Confuses me, but anyways.
AA are on their way to pick up the car and take it for turbo replacement.
I guess it's my own fault for leaving it this long, but on the other hand everyone believed it was the alternator and so did I, which I replaced. It has been fine up until yesterday when suddenly the howl wouldn't go away as it had for the last year and a half. It only went away later when the car was up to full operating temperature. That's when I replaced the oil breather. Now, today, it just doesn't stop howling at all. Even at operating temp. Plus it's not boosting properly, and it even howls on idle now. And then, the addition of white smoke.
I think it was a matter of time. This turbo has roughly 173 000km on it as it was replaced in the last year of motorplan. This makes me think the previous owner didn't really treat the turbo as he should have, if the first was replaced under motorplan.
This howl started before any mods were done to the car and so I believe it could only have been agitated by the mods.
DJ you have learned a valuable lesson.......namely that in modifying cars one has to do so with due consideration to the overall condition of the car and in causing extra stress on an old part its service life is shortened
At least you will now be able to make full use of the software on the car.....
At least you will now be able to make full use of the software on the car.....
Solo Man
Well-known member
Just my 2c's. When I replaced the turbo on my 2003 E39 530d about 3 years ago I had to provide Turbo Direct with my turbo's serial number as they said they needed it to be able to supply me with the correct turbo. Mine was making a howling noise when driving slowly and at speed it was difficult to determine if there was any difference in noise due to tire roar, wind noise, etc. Mine had a very small piece of exhaust vane that had broken off but I could feel no vibrations. The car certainly did not have any less power that I could determine. I opened the turbo after I had removed it and the bearing was perfect with no discernable movement or wear that I could see.
ChefDJ
///Member
a1exander said:
I agree fully. But also, I am almost positive that this car had a remap before I even got it. And my diesel mech explained today that he can see this engine had run a hard life before I got it. It hurts me to hear that but all I can do now is treat her and look after her as best I can.
I don't race this car. Yes I'll put my foot down occasionally and yes I'll cruise an empty highway at 150+km/h but I'll never abuse her. I'll be keeping the software on especially for the fuel consumption. What I want to do is have diagnostics done because this car should have gone into limp mode and it didn't. I want to see if limp mode capability was disabled.
Solo Man said:Just my 2c's. When I replaced the turbo on my 2003 E39 530d about 3 years ago I had to provide Turbo Direct with my turbo's serial number as they said they needed it to be able to supply me with the correct turbo. Mine was making a howling noise when driving slowly and at speed it was difficult to determine if there was any difference in noise due to tire roar, wind noise, etc. Mine had a very small piece of exhaust vane that had broken off but I could feel no vibrations. The car certainly did not have any less power that I could determine. I opened the turbo after I had removed it and the bearing was perfect with no discernable movement or wear that I could see.
[/quote]
If only you had answered to my threads sooner, I would have known exactly what had happened and what I needed to do. Almost 2 years ago.
Anyways. I have a new turbo now which will be fitted on Monday. It's an original Garrett GT2556V which I picked up for 8900.00 brand new with warranty.
Andy1GP
///Member
Sorry to hear Dyllan, but I think you knew from the start that the turbo was suspect, and that trying every other avenue to fix it was cheaper than getting a new turbo (which is a fair argument)
The famous "FULL SERVICE HISTORY" is largely to blame here. Since they only change the oil every 15k km under plan and I suspect the same intervals were followed by the previous owner. It's just too long (for achieving 300k km without failure)
For reaching 170k + kms with those intervals is pretty good going if you ask me so don't feel bad. The diesel haters hate them for that reason as well
I'm curious to see how easy it was to change the breather on your car, as on the E46 it's quite a mission to remove all the covers. Even more so on the E90 as the strut braces have to be removed as well (even for an air filter change)
After this fix you can keep the car for a long time still, so be patient and reap the fruits
The famous "FULL SERVICE HISTORY" is largely to blame here. Since they only change the oil every 15k km under plan and I suspect the same intervals were followed by the previous owner. It's just too long (for achieving 300k km without failure)
For reaching 170k + kms with those intervals is pretty good going if you ask me so don't feel bad. The diesel haters hate them for that reason as well
I'm curious to see how easy it was to change the breather on your car, as on the E46 it's quite a mission to remove all the covers. Even more so on the E90 as the strut braces have to be removed as well (even for an air filter change)
After this fix you can keep the car for a long time still, so be patient and reap the fruits
ChefDJ
///Member
Thanks Andy. True, I did always suspect the turbo. But at least it's getting done. I'll recon my failed one and keep it aside for emergencies or something.
The oil breather was easy. The only slightly tricky bit was that there's a wire harness that sits halfway over it and so I had to unplug two of the six sensors (injector sensors?) after loosening the rest of the harness to get the breather out and back in. It sits just above the air filter, underneath some padding. To get there you simply remove the engine covers and driver side cabin filter.
The oil breather was easy. The only slightly tricky bit was that there's a wire harness that sits halfway over it and so I had to unplug two of the six sensors (injector sensors?) after loosening the rest of the harness to get the breather out and back in. It sits just above the air filter, underneath some padding. To get there you simply remove the engine covers and driver side cabin filter.
ET was here
New member
ChefDJ said:
OOhhh...so not a same day service
sorry
ChefDJ
///Member
D-day :joy:
Nope. I got the car to the workshop later Friday afternoon as it was towed. After the car was dropped off, I went through to Pretoria to buy the new turbo and hand it to my mechanic. He will have taken the turbo this morning to his workshop and so they should be busy on it as we speak.
:tiptoe:
ET was here said:
Nope. I got the car to the workshop later Friday afternoon as it was towed. After the car was dropped off, I went through to Pretoria to buy the new turbo and hand it to my mechanic. He will have taken the turbo this morning to his workshop and so they should be busy on it as we speak.
:tiptoe:
ChefDJ
///Member
I haven't seen the old turbo yet. My mechanic stripped it and said that the compressor wheel was moertoe. He says it looks like something entered the turbo and caused major damage to the compressor wheel.
Car is performing well now. It's very quiet and no longer sounds like a fighter jet either :rollsmile:
Car is performing well now. It's very quiet and no longer sounds like a fighter jet either :rollsmile:
