M220WRX

I have a 95/wrx wagon. When rev's reach about 3k, I get a weird highish pitched metally resinating noise which goes when you get past 3k, comes back when rev's drop to 3k and goes and goes again below 3k. Sorry for poor description but hard to describe noise.

Sound familiar to anyone??

Richard Askew

whistle or a tinkle sound?

M220WRX

definatly not whistle.. what do you mean tinkle??

marty_t3

If it's a whistle then i had the same thing on my 94WRX a few months ago. The pitch goes up with the revs until a point that it's hard to hear (engine noise as the revs climb doesn't help). Sounds like the fins on the compressor wheel might be cracked or the tips may be bent. New turbo i'm afraid.

Worthwhile checking the pipes between the turbo and the intercooler for splits (the hard plastic is known to split), the dump valve, and the intercooler before you fork out for a new turbo. Also check your boost level cuz mine was a good few psi down on where it should have been.

King RA

The, what I refer to as the 'grasshopper' noise is probably your heatshield rattling. Have exactly the same thing on mine, 3k revs.

M220WRX

I'm hoping it's not the turbo just yet as would seem a waste of money cause car isn't down on power at all (I don't think).

Just been outside for another listen... thinking on the lines of the fines of the turbo, if they are bent/ damaged, could they be catching when they start to spin up??

M220WRX

Thanks King RA!! Grasshopper noise is an exact description!! I'll go have a play. Fingers crossed.

Cheers.

caz1562

I had this in Oct 2002. I ended up changing my turbo and the noise dissappeared.

When I removed the inlet air pipework I found by looking down the 90 deg elbow some of the inlet compressor fin's were kinked (possibly some dirt deposits causing damage). These whistled like a whirring noise from mid range boost until you lifted off the throttle. No power was lost during this time but full boost was still achieved. If you were to continue running the car like this the turbo's bearings will eventually let go and collapse the shaft. Then you run the risk of parts of fin's in the intercooler or even the inlet manifold. Well worth getting it checked. The other thing could be the heat shields, I'd remove then 1st before trying anything else. Will try & locate the various threads I had on this.

Fingers crossed for you.

caz1562

You'll find 3 threads linked here

M220WRX

Not sure if it's a good idea but have removed 'loose' heat shield as wouldn't tighten and has cured 'grasshopper' noise! thanks again King RA. Never thought of that as noise seemed to be coming from top of engine...

One thing I didn't mention before is that when cold, turbo sounds like faint police siren when spining up...

Could this be an air leak due to a cracked pipe??

I have no loss in power, car runs as lovely as ever, has done 45,000 miles.

Sheepsplitter

M220WRX: No need to get a new turbo.
Have it reconditioned. Much cheaper and there will be no need to resetup the car. Try Power Engineering for this service.