Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Turbo Bark - can it occur during shifting?

[John Berger]

I am familiar with the phenom known as Turbo Bark. I run with the stock airbox, an Amsoil foam filter and no snorkel. Every time I shift during acceleration I hear a growl from the air box between shifts. Is this the same thing as the infamous bark that others experience during sudden lift of the throttle under heavy acceleration? It sounds kinda cool and I never noticed it before I took the snorkel off the airbox. I recently swiss cheesed the airbox for better flow, and there was no difference in the volume or frequency of the noise.

 

[TomGolden]

I personally do not think I have ever actually heard what I knew to be barking, but my understanding of it is that it can/does occur under any condition where there is a rather sudden drop in the load on the turbo. This happens generally when you have to suddenly lift your foot off the go pedal when some yahoo swerves in front of you, or if you lift off the pedal too quickly when shifting gears in a manual transmission truck under load.



Tom

 

[Big White Beast]

Heavy truck.........

I can actually bark it under load when the auto shifts. Usually going up a hill and I'm into it but not all the way. 2-3 shift with a tighter converter seems to be the culprit.



The noise is a kind of whuff whuff whuff hence the barking name. Try not to do it as some have said it is harmful to the turbo. Under extreme load with a higher HP engine I'm sure the chances are much higher of doing damage.



Garrett

 

[Udaloy]

I don't think it does any damage though. If you go to the tractor pulls, you hear this every time they come to the end of their pull. I was in a lot of mud with my stock tires and the turbo barked each time I had to let off because I couldn't go any farther. I don't think it's a big deal. I could be wrong...

 

[illflem]

Don't let the tractor pulls fool you, going from 100,000 rpm to zero in a fraction of a second will cause fatigue failures in either the turbo impeller blades or shaft. The pullers probably spend more time repairing their rigs than they do running them.

 

[John Berger]

Doesn't sound like the same thing that I'm hearing. That airbox sounds really cool since the snorkel went to rest in the garage. The sound I'm hearing could best be described as a steady receding growl. I guess it's turbo growl. Try it, you'll like it.

 

[JCockrell]

Its growling at you because it wants to sing. Take out the silencer ring. Sorry could not help myself, can't answer your question either. I'd better go now.....

 

[TomGolden]

If you: replace air box and filter with BHAF/K&N/AFE/Amsoil, upgrade turbo to at least HX40 variant, upgrade injectors/add fueling box then hammer the peddle, your truck will be whistling Dixie all the time



Heck, mine whistles even at idle, and sounds like a 747 on takeoff when pushing it hard going up a hill. At least that's what my carpool buddy says :-laf Oo.



Tom