Howling sound at 2000 rpm

D_o_S · 05-26-2013, 04:46 AM

Hiya,

I'm stock. I started noticing a weird howling sound around 2000 rpm yesterday, in fact, I noticed it twice - once with 1/4 tank, so then I filled up, and it was still present. Never heard it before at these rpms. Car has 25k miles on the clock.

Basically, it sounds like what the engine sounds like normally when you rev to say 6000 and then let off the gas, it sounds like a wolf howling. Another analogy is it sounds like a drone.

It is only present at 1800 rpm +/- 100 rpm. Anything below, the car sounds normal, anything above, the car also sounds normal. At these RPM's, its problematic, cause it's my cruising speed around town in 4th gear...

Any ideas?

Thanks

D_o_S · 05-30-2013, 11:29 AM

Ok, so I'm back...

I didn't notice the sound again till today. Car was cold (temps outside are low, 10C), and as soon as I got going in 2nd gear to 2000 rpm, I could hear the howl. This was only with the car cold. Revving the car like 2km down the road at some lights, I could not replicate the sound = its definitely present under load, not so much (if at all) under no load.

As soon as the car warmed up, the howl was no longer present.

I heard it at a different place (driving) than previously, so it cannot be some external factor (reverberation off a wall for example)

Unfortunately, it sounds a little bit like this:

Except its not as high pitched.

It also sounds a bit like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=GFSiMIYATjA
Except nowhere near as loud, i.e. its like 10% of the loudness of this video

Sooo... are my turbos on their way out?

(((

Dmacc · 05-30-2013, 12:54 PM

I've had that howling noise for the last 20k miles on my turbos, and they are still making 21 psi to date with no problems matching boost target, the noise isn't really normal, but your turbos will be good for a while, nothing to worry about just yet. Once they start to smoke and you start to smell burnt oil, that's when I would start thinking of new turbos

D_o_S · 05-30-2013, 01:17 PM

Thanks,

well, car is still in guarantee so I'm just wondering how much pressure I should put on the dealer to replace them both...

I have a year of guarantee left. Should I try get them done now, or wait a year?

05-26-2013, 04:46 AM	#1
D_o_S LCI'd 259 Rep 819 Posts Drives: 335i LCI Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Home iTrader: (1)	Howling sound at 2000 rpm Hiya, I'm stock. I started noticing a weird howling sound around 2000 rpm yesterday, in fact, I noticed it twice - once with 1/4 tank, so then I filled up, and it was still present. Never heard it before at these rpms. Car has 25k miles on the clock. Basically, it sounds like what the engine sounds like normally when you rev to say 6000 and then let off the gas, it sounds like a wolf howling. Another analogy is it sounds like a drone. It is only present at 1800 rpm +/- 100 rpm. Anything below, the car sounds normal, anything above, the car also sounds normal. At these RPM's, its problematic, cause it's my cruising speed around town in 4th gear... Any ideas? Thanks
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05-30-2013, 11:29 AM	#2
D_o_S LCI'd 259 Rep 819 Posts Drives: 335i LCI Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Home iTrader: (1)	Ok, so I'm back... I didn't notice the sound again till today. Car was cold (temps outside are low, 10C), and as soon as I got going in 2nd gear to 2000 rpm, I could hear the howl. This was only with the car cold. Revving the car like 2km down the road at some lights, I could not replicate the sound = its definitely present under load, not so much (if at all) under no load. As soon as the car warmed up, the howl was no longer present. I heard it at a different place (driving) than previously, so it cannot be some external factor (reverberation off a wall for example) Unfortunately, it sounds a little bit like this: Except its not as high pitched. It also sounds a bit like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=GFSiMIYATjA Except nowhere near as loud, i.e. its like 10% of the loudness of this video Sooo... are my turbos on their way out? (((
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05-30-2013, 12:54 PM	#3
Dmacc Colonel 200 Rep 2,799 Posts Drives: 2011 BMW 1M Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: So Cal iTrader: (1)	I've had that howling noise for the last 20k miles on my turbos, and they are still making 21 psi to date with no problems matching boost target, the noise isn't really normal, but your turbos will be good for a while, nothing to worry about just yet. Once they start to smoke and you start to smell burnt oil, that's when I would start thinking of new turbos __________________ thanks to MGallop
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05-30-2013, 01:17 PM	#4
D_o_S LCI'd 259 Rep 819 Posts Drives: 335i LCI Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Home iTrader: (1)	Thanks, well, car is still in guarantee so I'm just wondering how much pressure I should put on the dealer to replace them both... I have a year of guarantee left. Should I try get them done now, or wait a year?
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