turbo whistle

ohms69 · Post by **ohms69** » 29 Feb 2004, 02:46

My new BX TD pulls fine, although not quite as quick as my previous one. It emits no smoke whatsoever and the engine and turbo seem to be in excelent shape.
However, I am a little concerned with the excessive noise emitted from the turbocharger. It whistles away but is very loud and makes a sort of whinning noise, much louder than my previous TD. As I say, it pulls fine but I am a little bit worried about how loud this unit is by comparison.
Am I looking at imminent turbo failure or do all TD's sound different?[:)]

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 29 Feb 2004, 03:27

I think you're looking at an air leak from the intercooler [:)]
Definately no disaster - but a bit fiddly to correct.
From memory in other postings - I seem to remember that there is a seal on the engine intake side that's prone to fail.

ohms69 · Post by **ohms69** » 29 Feb 2004, 13:30

So if a replacement IC was sourced then presumably this should sort it?[:)]

ScottFromNZ · Post by **ScottFromNZ** » 29 Feb 2004, 14:24

My BX TZD has no turbo whistle at all. I have had my intercooler off - very easy to remove and refit. I wanted to look at an oil leak from the cam cover. This turned out to be the breather hose clip loose and leaking oil mist and not a cam cover leak.
Where the IC mates up to the manifold is a small rectangular seal. Maybe yours is broken? I would think that it would be unlikely for the IC to split or leak?

oilyspanner · Post by **oilyspanner** » 29 Feb 2004, 16:02

My old TD qhisled when cold but otherwise doesnt really make a noise much, sounds like a leak somewhere.
Stewart

tonyb1 · Post by **tonyb1** » 29 Feb 2004, 22:51

I can hear a very quiet whistle when I accelerate in my Xantia TD LX (1994), I hope this doesn't mean I'm developing a leak too?

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 29 Feb 2004, 23:31

The turbo sound is always there to some extent. A quiet turbo whistle is perfectly normal - by some even considered an extra quality [8D]

Post by **RichardW** » 01 Mar 2004, 12:53

Yep, that little seal between the intercooler and inlet manifold is hoplessly under spec! It's only abot £1.50 from the stealer, and if it's failed makes a pretty impressive whistle. Turbo whine is also a sign that the oil needs changing!

Roscoe · Post by **Roscoe** » 01 Mar 2004, 14:35

My '90 TZD makes a bit of a turbo whine when it is cold but only for the first few minutes of driving. After that it is quiet. Doesn't make any difference with clean oil or not, does it all the time. A local Citroen dealer said it was on it's way out...that was a few years ago and it pulls as hard as ever, so I don't worry about it. One problem I did have a year or so back was a collapsed air intake hose leading to the turbo..the inside of the hose was collapsing under suction and I had no power at all..took me a long time to find that beggar! Changed it out and works like new again.
Scott from NZ...I have the only TZD in Australia I think as I brought it over from the UK with me...do you have any problem getting parts for yours in NZ? I may need an ignition switch soon and won't be able to get one here - needs the glow plug position on it.

Guru Meditation · Post by **Guru Meditation** » 01 Mar 2004, 20:10

My ZX whistles big time. I bought a new inlet/exhaust manifold gasket but never got round to fitting (don't even know if that's the cause or not. I don't know whether my power is down or not as I have driven no other ZX TDs to compare. Most of the time it seems fairly swift.
BTW how can I visually tell which turbo I have on my ZX, thinking about tuning it. I think it's something to do with integrated/separate wastegate? My car is an early 1993 (RP5497) ZX TD Aura with a Bosch injection pump. I suppose that means bugger all in relation to what turbo it has!
Guru Meditation

Post by **philhoward** » 01 Mar 2004, 20:41

Have a look here http://homepage.ntlworld.com/ken.waters1/306_tuning.htm to see which turbo is fitted.
As an aside, has anyone found a KKK better or worse than the Garrett? The new Xantia VSX doesn't go quite as well as the old LX; never got round to telling which turbo the old LX had!

Guru Meditation · Post by **Guru Meditation** » 01 Mar 2004, 21:40

Apparently the Garrett is better than the KKK, I have heard Jon describe the ZX's with Garretts as 'pulling like trains'.

Guru Meditation · Post by **Guru Meditation** » 01 Mar 2004, 21:55

Seems I have the Garrett-I looked at the pictures on that site, I recognise the wastegate arm.

ScottFromNZ · Post by **ScottFromNZ** » 01 Mar 2004, 21:56

Roscoe,
I have not had my BX TZD long so have not had to get many parts yet - only 1 "octopus". Anything at the Citroen dealer is EXPENSIVE I think.
Eg. A water pump at Cit dealer NZ$210. At independant Cit parts place it is $80. There is a fairly active Citroen club in N.Z. so I am hoping if parts are needed I can get them.