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Old 12-25-2012, 02:52 PM   #1
emericareaper2
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Default 03 WRX weird sound from turbo?

So I picked up my 1st WRX a couple days ago. Keep in mind this is my 1st turbo. Newbie alert! There has been this weird sound that I think but really don't know, coming from what seems like the turbo. Is sort of a raspy dingyish sound...sorta. My mods are a Cobb downpipe, STi catback & Stage 2 93 tune. I have a couple videos displaying the sound & where it seems to be coming from. The previous owner said it might have something to do with the wastegate. I have no idea. Maybe it's just a downpipe leak? I know it's not coming from the rest of the exhaust. I have no CEL's. Although I do see a small lag of boost. That's it. I have no idea. Also, the car got a new OEM turbo at 175k (the car has 201k miles) Just see what you can diagnose from my vids. Thanks
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Old 12-25-2012, 03:06 PM   #2
Gigs90
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The sound did not work on the video.



But check around your gaskets and downpipe. If there is a leak there will be black residue around the area. We had an up pipe to turbo gasket go on my Sti and my fathers Wrx had a crack in the downpipe that caused the td04 to spool around 3800 rpm.
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Old 12-25-2012, 04:05 PM   #3
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Turbo is shot, no question. The turbine is hitting the housing. If you take off the intake from the turbo, you should see some gouges in the housing. This has the potential to ruin your engine, so replace it ASAP. However, I did drive my 02 like that for about a year, no terribly ill effects. (I'm sure I'll see some effect when I rebuild it...)

Just keep in mind that as it wears, the metal flakes are going into the engine since it's post air filter...

After you replace it, make sure the WG and BPV are working properly. Mine weren't, which I believe exacerbated the issue, by causing undue stress on the turbo.
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Old 12-25-2012, 04:06 PM   #4
emericareaper2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gigs90 View Post
The sound did not work on the video.
But check around your gaskets and downpipe. If there is a leak there will be black residue around the area. We had an up pipe to turbo gasket go on my Sti and my fathers Wrx had a crack in the downpipe that caused the td04 to spool around 3800 rpm.
Make sure the volume on the video itself is up. I went through the whole exhaust for leaks but couldn't find anything.
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Old 12-25-2012, 04:11 PM   #5
emericareaper2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bacon117 View Post
Turbo is shot, no question. The turbine is hitting the housing. If you take off the intake from the turbo, you should see some gouges in the housing. This has the potential to ruin your engine, so replace it ASAP. However, I did drive my 02 like that for about a year, no terribly ill effects. (I'm sure I'll see some effect when I rebuild it...)

Just keep in mind that as it wears, the metal flakes are going into the engine since it's post air filter...

After you replace it, make sure the WG and BPV are working properly. Mine weren't, which I believe exacerbated the issue, by causing undue stress on the turbo.
Are you sure? I feel like it doesn't seem shot. I might have it inspected by Subaru just to get an idea of what's going on.
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Old 12-25-2012, 09:50 PM   #6
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Brother that sound made my skin crawl. What kind of boost numbers are you hitting? It sounds like the turbos blown. You're getting a lot of water blow-by too, lots of white smoke.
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Old 12-25-2012, 10:07 PM   #7
emericareaper2
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Originally Posted by jimbosv650 View Post
Brother that sound made my skin crawl. What kind of boost numbers are you hitting? It sounds like the turbos blown. You're getting a lot of water blow-by too, lots of white smoke.
I have no clue what my numbers are. I just got the car a couple days ago & have been tinkering with it but haven't gotten to the turbo yet. If it's blow, how much does the same OEM one cost? New here btw. & could I install it myself?
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Old 12-25-2012, 10:20 PM   #8
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Sorry for the newbness but I feel like I get a good amount of boost. I have no CEL's either. I feel like it has to be the wastegate. When I have the car running, I can kinda move the wastegate a tad & the sound sorta goes away. The car honestly runs great other than a tiny bit of turbo lag. I'm a bit sick right now but tomorrow I will get some vids of inside the car & to where you can see a bit more.
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Old 12-26-2012, 01:38 AM   #9
end_of_silence
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You can get decent used turbos on here pretty cheap. Changing the turbo isn't too difficult at all. I did mine recently and only had an issue getting that frakin oil return line back on. Once I overcame my laziness and got the car up on stands, it was a piece of cake from underneath.
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Old 12-27-2012, 01:10 AM   #10
Zach Bitzer
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It literally takes 20 minutes to undo your downpipe. Take it off, and check for play in the turbo. It sounds like it's blown. Mine JUST did the same thing.
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Old 12-27-2012, 07:01 AM   #11
emericareaper2
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Alright. Damn. Well this gives me a better learning experience! Is it bad for me to drive like this? My car is a DD & I have nothing else.
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Old 12-27-2012, 09:00 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gigs90 View Post
my fathers Wrx had a crack in the downpipe that caused the td04 to spool around 3800 rpm.
A crack in the downpipe will not effect spool.
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Old 12-27-2012, 06:44 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vision.dynamix View Post

A crack in the downpipe will not effect spool.
A crack in the up-pipe however...
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Old 12-28-2012, 11:33 AM   #14
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I still made full boost with my 02 when it was like this. You will be able to feel shaft play on the turbo when you take it out. It's not going destroy your motor instantly, but you really shouldn't drive it like this. The turbine is scraping the housing, and the metal bits are going right into the motor (no filter), so best to get it replaced ASAP.

Regardless, the turbo is shot, there is ZERO question about that.

Last edited by Bacon117; 12-28-2012 at 11:42 AM.
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Old 12-28-2012, 11:35 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jimbosv650 View Post
A crack in the up-pipe however...
The up pipe and downpipe are not the same
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Old 12-28-2012, 11:51 AM   #16
emericareaper2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bacon117 View Post
I still made full boost with my 02 when it was like this. You will be able to feel shaft play on the turbo when you take it out. It's not going destroy your motor instantly, but you really shouldn't drive it like this. The turbine is scraping the housing, and the metal bits are going right into the motor (no filter), so best to get it replaced ASAP.

Regardless, the turbo is shot, there is ZERO question about that.
That's what I figured. I may have found one.
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Old 12-28-2012, 11:58 AM   #17
rdowner22
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Wish i took a video of mine.... Sounded EXACTLY like that.. like a loose metal grinding. Picked up a VF48 with STI topmount for a decent price
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Old 12-28-2012, 12:12 PM   #18
sethg1981
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could be a exhaust leak bearings or your just not used to the sound of the turbo
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Old 12-28-2012, 12:20 PM   #19
emericareaper2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rdowner22 View Post
Wish i took a video of mine.... Sounded EXACTLY like that.. like a loose metal grinding. Picked up a VF48 with STI topmount for a decent price
I'm just going to get the stock TD04. It's what I can afford & it'll be easier to install for me.
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Old 12-28-2012, 12:34 PM   #20
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As several have mentioned, pull the intake hose off the turbo and check for shaft play. If you see the blades hitting the housing that is your problem. The turbo can be rebuilt for a reasonable cost or put a kit in it yourself if funds are tight.

AG
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Old 12-28-2012, 12:55 PM   #21
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Was the "new OEM" turbo used? It shouldn't go in 26k miles. If that's the case, there are other issues causing the turbo to fail so quickly. If the stock up pipe is on, the cat could be coming apart and sending pieces into the turbo. Double check that and replace it, with a cat less u/p, while doing the turbo. You can find a used one for cheap in the classifieds here. It also makes a big diff in spool and you pick up ~10hp too.

Last edited by 575rider; 12-28-2012 at 01:01 PM.
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Old 12-28-2012, 01:00 PM   #22
emericareaper2
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I just got a nice one for $90. Barely any shaft play. That's exactly what I was going to do. When I get it off I'll clean everything out & see if I can find anything else wrong.
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Old 12-28-2012, 03:15 PM   #23
end_of_silence
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sethg1981 View Post
could be a exhaust leak bearings or your just not used to the sound of the turbo
Um, what?
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Old 12-28-2012, 07:33 PM   #24
jimbosv650
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vision.dynamix View Post

The up pipe and downpipe are not the same
Yeah thanks I know that, I replaced both of mine myself. I was just comparing the differences between a cracked up, and a cracked down pipe.
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Old 12-31-2012, 03:59 PM   #25
emericareaper2
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Just bought a TD04. Should be here in a couple of days. I'll see if I can mend it onto ma car.
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