I Found Out How To Make My Turbo Whistle Louder! - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Squiggle Dog · #1 05-19-2011, 10:23 PM

My last 300SD gave a turbo whistle upon accelerating, which I thought was normal. It was a fast car, too. My current 300SD was sluggish when I purchased it and I immediately noticed that I couldn't hear the turbo. This lead me to believe that the turbo was dead. After doing routine filter and fluid changes, adjusting valves, and backing the ALDA off completely I got a lot more power out of the vehicle.

I was still unhappy with the fact that I couldn't hear the turbo and I wanted to know if it was working. Today I removed the exhaust and drove the car. Wow, my turbo works for sure! I could hear it spool up and hear the waste gate open. I was turning heads and got a smile from a guy with a Ford Powerstroke. The engine was louder, but it wasn't annoying at all, it actually sounded good, like a big truck.

When I removed the exhaust I had to remove the flex pipe that goes between the turbo and the exhaust. There was a pipe inside of the flex pipe. Out of curiosity I did not put this pipe back in when I installed the flex pipe.

I drove the car again, and though the engine was back to being quiet as before I removed the exhaust, I could now hear the turbo with the exhaust attached! It's not as loud as without exhaust, but the engine is quiet and the turbo is audible over the engine when accelerating, just like my last 300SD. It sounds like a jet and I love it!

Now that I think of it, my last 300SD had no exhaust when I purchased it. Someone local gave me a used exhaust system but it did not have that pipe that fits inside the flex pipe. So, there you go. If you want to hear your turbo, remove the pipe inside the flex pipe.

I was tempted to make some holes in the flex pipe to allow more sound to come out, but I don't want the engine compartment filling up with smoke and soot. Though, I wonder if I could sleeve one so that it's open and allows the sound to escape while routing the exhaust down the pipe. In any case my exhaust is sealed.

I am considering having a custom exhaust downpipe made out of thinner metal that will transfer sound so that the turbo noise can come through it. I may remove the muffler while retaining the resonator if that will help make the turbo louder. The engine is loud enough for me; I just want turbo noise.

This was totally worth the hour spent removing the inner pipe. Imma firin' mah turbo! WOOO WOOO!

Below are some pictures of the pipe on a spare engine I have. I was tempted to use the damaged flex pipe in the last picture to get more sound out, but then I don't want the exhaust escaping, either.

Diesel911 · #2 05-20-2011, 02:01 AM

I do not see the Point. Either the Turbo puts out the amount of Boost you want or not. The noise has no effect on performance.

Turbos with Wheels rubbing on the Housings also make noise.

JohnM. · #3 05-20-2011, 03:05 AM

The whistles go Wooo Woooo!! (Sorry I couldn't resist)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_JtoW7GrdY

charmalu · #4 05-20-2011, 03:33 AM

Turbo`s make noise

I have never heard mine make any noise. must be something wrong with it,

I`ll have to take a BFH to it and straighten it out some

.

There was that kid a year or so back that had a stack sticking out of the hood of his SD. now you could do that and really hear things winding up.

then you could remove all that pipe and restrictive mufflers and lighten up the car some.

That little pipe section in the flex pipe is probably to keep the exhaust flowing smoothly and or take the stress off it some. it is there for a reason.

I remember seeing a device that fits on the end of the tail pipe to give the sound of a turbo whistling. think it was on E-bay.

Charlie

mach0415 · #5 05-20-2011, 03:34 AM

Yeah I straight-piped mine all the way back and to me it is not loud or "droney." Dodge guys love it because they say it sounds like a small Cummins. I take that as a compliment.

scottmcphee · #6 05-20-2011, 09:15 AM

Trying to squeeze noise out an exhaust system is wrong.

If what you're doing is for performance and has the side effect is more noise, like remove a cat, ok, but to make noise just to make noise is a deficit.

I am so sick of weekend warrior dudes on their Harley's ripping around shaking the neighborhood with their various muffler problems, all self inflicted I'm sure... I see a guy like that on a loud bike and think "short penis".

C Sean Watts · #7 05-20-2011, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mach0415

Yeah I straight-piped mine all the way back and to me it is not loud or "droney." Dodge guys love it because they say it sounds like a small Cummins. I take that as a compliment.

You should tell them "No, Cummins sounds like a Mercedes..." then remind them who was first.

snookwhaler · #8 05-20-2011, 10:08 AM

I like the sound he is after. But, it is only fun for a while. It does get old after a while (just like anything else).

I am by no means an expert on any of this, BUT.... It looks like that piece is in there to smooth the air flow through the flex pipe. It seems that removing it would increase turbulence and reduce power. Perhaps the increase in noise is due to the increase in turbulence?

I had a 2002 Dodge Dually with the Cummins Diesel and a 6 speed years ago. I bought it new to pull a large 5th wheel camper around. On that truck there was actually a "silencer ring" on the intake side of the turbo that could be removed. Removing this ring increased the turbulence on the intake side of the turbo and dramatically increased the turbo whine. I removed it for about a month. I got sick of the noise so I put it back.

To each, his own...

Squiggle Dog · #9 05-20-2011, 10:20 AM

The point of this is not to gain extra performance! It's just to hear the turbo. Healthy turbos make a whistling noise. Most turbos have silencers of some sort so that they can not be heard. I like to be able to hear my turbo, so that is why I did this modification. It does not get old. I drove my last 300SD for two years and enjoyed every minute of it. It's not deafeningly loud, just a pleasant background noise.

Junkman · #10 05-20-2011, 11:34 AM

Noise without performance = all show & no go. I hate loud assed cars, trucks & motorcycles that are loud & polluting my space simply for the sake of noise. The same goes for loud thumping base especially when left on at a gas station. Totally ghetto like the baggy pants down below the butt.

Renntag · #11 05-20-2011, 11:54 AM

you guys are a rough crowd !

I dont agree with the open exhaust or considering removal of the pipe in the flex. I believe it is there for a flow benefit. Thin metal isnt going to make you hear the turbo more either, it is going to make you fix your exhaust more often.

After repeated repairs to the air cleaner assembly on my OM617, and it continuing to rattle itself to death, I pulled it all off and put it on the shelf. I have EGR eliminated, and a filter directly in front of my turbo. I havnt rerouted the blow by/ crank case breather tube yet, but no more self destructing air cleaner assembly.

The side benefit to not fixing the damn thing every few months? I can hear the turbo clear as day, and it is awesome. My silverado sounds similar, as did my Cummins and as does my 6.5 burb. I also love the sound of the turbo spooling up and down. I get looks from people that seem shocked that such a sound is coming from an old non descript 'vatcha-ma-call-it'.

I have not yet modified the ALDA but would like to do so. My exhaust down pipe has a few pin holes from rust, so its time for a new one. I am considering going straight pipe and selling my fairly new exhaust system. (all was new minus the down pipe) (83 300TD if anyone close by is interested).

I dont like super loud stuff either, unless its a V8 powered hot rod or something. All noise and no 'bye bye', like a 'fart can adorned' honda is some what pathetic.

Let the OP enjoy his Turbo sound and give him a break. Some of you guys are just way to serious !

The Gears · #12 05-20-2011, 12:07 PM

On my 84 300D I hear the turbo when the engine is cold, thick oil I guess.
On the 300SD there is never a sound. The turbo blades are of set like the fan blade and can't generate the wining sound. Quite luxury.

#13 05-20-2011, 12:49 PM

I can sometimes hear my turbo, I would rather not hear it at all. I also do not put baseball cards in the spokes of my bicycle wheels.

Orv · #14 05-20-2011, 01:29 PM

Yeah, I'd rather hear the turbo less on my '81 300TD. It gets annoying after a while when climbing hills, and there are a lot of hills around here. I suspect I have an exhaust or intake leak, because on my '83 300D it was inaudible.

If I want to know what the turbo's up to, I'll install a boost gauge. In fact, I've got one in a box waiting to install. I do love gauges, maybe to a fault.

mach0415 · #15 05-20-2011, 02:15 PM

To each his own. Part for part and money for money, if I wanted cheap performance, it would probably burn gasoline and be of the bowtie or blue oval small block type. But I tend to be like the "unique from anyone else" type. Sure, my car does not have rubber peeling performance, but it sounds cool and catches the discerners off guard when cruising around. I have fun with it and thats all that matters to me - even if these old Mercedes do nickel and dime us to death, you've gotta love the engineering and longevity that comes with them. I have received more compliments than head shakings.