Turbo or motor problem???

[whistling 7.3]

Recently bought a 2000 SD with the 7.3 @ 100,000 miles. Towed our 5,000 lbs. trailer up a pass and the motor made some baffling air sound that came from the drivers side of the engine. The performance was impressive, held OD and at about 1,800 rpm (awesome)!! It really only made the sound when the turbo was really being pushed hard. The sound was like extra air trying to escape and it was real loud, I worried if people I was passing (lol) were wondering what the sound was... Not sure if they could hear it, but I guess so. Any way, I was wondering if it may have been an internal turbo or motor sound that I am hearing from the K&N FIPK? I have looked everywhere and the air filter seems to be the only thing in that area that could even make that sound.

This sound also exists sometimes during normal driving when the Trans/motor downshifts too. It seems like in that scenario its purging or something. I have googled blow off valves and or wastegates, but I don't even know what I have or if it's operating correctly.


HELP FOLKS

[85_305]

What were your gauges telling you? Sounds like some good old fashioned turbo surge to me.

[TheRobenator]

The turbo has a factory wastegate setup to it so when the turbo has excess air built up it doesn't need when you let off the gas, it let's it go. The sound is normal and if it wasn't making that sound, we'd have a problem. As long as you are boosting good and your turbo makes that sound, your turbo side of the engine is working flawlessly.

[whistling 7.3]

My gauges were normal. The sound wasn't normal though, there was something going wrong. I guess I should google turbo surge and possibly look for sound bites to see if that is what was going on. It may have been something inside the turbo and my air intake was its outlet, it's microphone. That makes sense because yesterday I was just looking at my engine bay, looking for possible areas and when I romped on the gas and then let off I heard the air intake suck hard and that was exactly where the sound came from this past weekend. What is turbo surge and how awful it is?

[whistling 7.3]

Originally Posted by TheRobenator

The turbo has a factory wastegate setup to it so when the turbo has excess air built up it doesn't need when you let off the gas, it let's it go. The sound is normal and if it wasn't making that sound, we'd have a problem. As long as you are boosting good and your turbo makes that sound, your turbo side of the engine is working flawlessly.

I get the wastegate purpose, but this sound was happening when I was pulling up the pass and the turbo was getting its legs stretched. I never let off the pedal because I had my cruise control on. I think that there may be something internal not operating smoothly or out of alignment because it almost sounded like bursts of air in a pattern of some type. It's very difficult to put into words. The only positive thing was the RPMs were very low for the pass/load and it screamed up the pass.

[85_305]

I think we need a video. Your descriptors aren't doing me a whole lot of justice here, bud.

Turbo surge will show the boost gauge going back and forth really quickly; it will snap the shaft in half if continued.

[whistling 7.3]

I don't have a boost gauge, so I have no idea what my boost is doing. I have 2 voice memos, want me to email them to you? That's the only option I have for the memo to be sent.

[85_305]

thats why I asked what your gauges were doing and you said they were normal.. I didn't mean your fuel gauge! lol.

If you had proper gauges on the truck this would be much easier. Sounds like turbo surge to me.

[whistling 7.3]

What is your email (if you don't mind) and I will forward the sound clip.

[85_305]

PM'd you
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