Howling turbo

[LSchlekau]

I have about 12,000 miles on my 2004. 5 CTD 4x4. As the temps have dropped, I now get a "spooling up" noise or howling sound, presumably from the turbo. I rarely heard the turbo at all previously.



Is this normal or does it indicate a possible problem?

 

[Alan Reagan]

Mine does it now that it's cold. It's not the high pitch turbo sound but a much lower pitch sound. On warmer days, it doesn't make the noise.

 

[RChamberlain]

it's because it is cold the warmer mine gets the quiter it gets

 

[LightmanE300]

I have the sound also when it's cold, and it sounds like a slight boost leak to me. Like air is sneaking by one of the hoses or something, kind of a higher pitched whistling noise than the turbo.

 

[lil red cummins]

i had that on my 04. 0 during the cold weather last year. it would go away after 1 to 2 minutes. it was a drone more than a wine. it must be turbo related, because now that i have the Super B turbo on, i don't hear that noise anymore.



jim

 

[DWestfall]

I am getting the same noise also. I thought it was coming from transmission. It only does it when cold and between 1600- 1900 RPM. Its not a turbo wine but a deeper howl.

 

[DWestfall]

Go to post titled "jet landing in transmission" sounds similar.

 

[DIESELMAN]

I can hear that in my 04. 5 as well. It sounds like I'm getting a ticket, again ( like a siren).



It is a lower pitched whine than the Turbo whistle, and is definitely turbo related, it varies with fueling. When it fades out, the normal high pitched whistle comes on.



I have normal boost, can't find a leak, and I can hear it at idle faintly. I have yet to locate where the sound actually emanates from.



No, its not the hydroboost, power steering, certainly not the transmission, not the coolong fan (that I can tell yet), not the alternator.



The closest I have gotten is the sound comes from the air filter fender snorkel area, so I really think it is the turbo impeller, I just don't know what.

 

[WyattEarp]

15 below here yesterday morning and sure as heck feels like that again tonite with the wind howling and i was going to say ditto on the cold air, it makes my turbo sound much different when compared to warm temps outside...

My baby is all plugged up Oo.

 

[jwilliams3]

Its normal

 

[DIESELMAN]

I didn't think it wasn't necessarily normal, it's just different, and I am still curious as to why, besides, it sounds a bit wicked compared to the '03 if you ask me.

 

[lil red cummins]

well, ignore my first post in this thread. i did a lot of stop and go driving in town yesterday and noticed after a while the whine/drone at between 25 and 30 mph. it didn't seem load or even gear related. it would do it accelerating, decelerating and even coasting to a stop in neutral. i am hoping it is due to cold temps (16 deg) in relation to either: trans bearing, carrier bearing or differential. it did not go away as the truck warmed up.



other than being unusual, i am not really concerned. truck runs fine otherwise.



jim

 

[lschultz]

I would not worry about it. Mine does it sometimes when its cold and then stops.

 

[DJennings]

I am new to the CTD (2 months). I noticed this as well, but I turned my heater fan off and it went away. Then I could hear the turbo spooling up normally. This was especially noticeable as I turned the heater fan to the two highest settings.





Anyone else notice this? Any advice?



FYI -This site rocks. I have been reading pretty much non-stop for 2 weeks! This is my first diesel (I have actually owned 3 Ford gassers). I bought the CTD because of what I read in the various forums. So far I gotta say... Wow!!!

 

[RedRam401]

Cold Air Effect on Noise

I wonder if the noise heard when temps are very cold might not have a lot to do with the density of the air at cold temps compared to less dense air at higher temps?

After all it is a well known fact the colder air is "heavier" and should therefor make the intake side of the turbo work harder, as well as cause more noise through the air filter assembly.

And as all hunters know, sound travels much further on cold air.

 

[Jengle]

I'll throw out another guess. It is definitely temp related to the engine. When my engine warms up, it fades off to the normal turbo whistle. So, I think it's the cold oil braking the turbo blades air flowing past them. Once the oil warms up, it spins more freely than when its cold, causing the noise to disappear.