I Found Out How To Make My Turbo Whistle Louder!
 

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! :eek:

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.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_Q...80300sd110.jpg
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_Q...80300sd111.jpg
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_Q...80300sd112.jpg

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.

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

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

Turbo`s make noise :confused: I have never heard mine make any noise. must be something wrong with it, :eek: I`ll have to take a BFH to it and straighten it out some :D.

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

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.

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".

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

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...

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.

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.

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 !

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.

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.

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. :D

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.

I recommend not putting holes in that flex pipe. Mine went last year on its own and it was LOUD. Your also correct in that the amount of dirt and soot in the engine bay is just not worth it.

Mine also did not have a pipe within the flex.

Wow, some of you are making it sound like my car is loud and obnoxious, when all I did was make it so that when I'm accelerating I can hear a slight whistle, just enough to let me know that the turbo is functioning--and I think it is a pleasant sound. It's not even audible when the radio is on.

Even when I had the exhaust removed completely it wasn't nearly as loud as those Cummins trucks or street racer cars. Some people on these forums are much too judgmental. Half the time I feel sorry that I ever post anything.

Have a ball and do whatever you like. Personally, I find any extra noise annoying, especially on long trips; I spent about 50k miles driving last year, quiet is good after the first few hours.

I've chopped the rear muffler can off of both of my W123's I've owned, and I plan to do it to every car I buy.

The PO of my '84 installed a new drop in style K&N air filter right before she wrecked it... :eek: I'm running around with that untill I buy a new filter. Holy turbo whistle bat man. :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zc3aNsfOkJ8

Great videos, Mike! I never really got to see your 240D 3.0. I didn't know you got a 300D to replace it with.

By the way, I picked up a first aid kit from a Euro 280E if either you or Sebastian want it. There are about 5 W123s here; I'm not sure if you need anything at the moment.

i only hear mine really when it's spooling between 2300 and 2500. then it gets quiet and GOES. :eek:
just kind of a shwoosh

I need a whole donor car thats a 240 manual.... :cool:

Also need a '82-'85 drivers door window regulator.

Removing that sleeve for more noise, well seems foolish since it is likely there for better airflow = better power.

If you want turbo noise, go to a cone air filter. There is PLENTY of turbo noise on the intake side of the turbo, I can hear mine when driving 75mph with stock exhaust, stock air filter system, just a pipe replacing the AFM in the intake plumbing. We put a pair of BMW/Yanmar turbodiesels in a mahogany boat (Hacker-Craft reproduction) we were building, when we did the sea-trials the Yanmar guy showed up with earplugs, ... the sound from those big turbos' intakes at full-chat was DEAFENING! (3L inline 6 running 250hp).

I agree with both camps really. I love the sound of the turbo, but in my car it seems to be its loudest around 8-10psi, which is right where it runs at 80mph. It gets annoying. On the other hand, I've always loved opening the window on our coach next to a concrete barrier to hear the turbo spool, ... 45feet behind me.

Did you happen to get the rear bumper? I snagged the front but didn't have time to get the rear and it was gone the next day. The rest of the 123s are pretty picked over but the 280 still has some nice interior; Door panels especially, blue visors with clips etc.

Dont you dare take that interior. I have to go back and pull the seats for ducatipaso's euro cloth 280TE...

The bumpers were gone when I saw it. I snagged the switch, check valve, and lines for the euro lamp leveling. My buddies took the new us tails, and black interior trim. I also grabbed the vaccum trunk and fuel cap pods... Oh and the washer bottle.... Oh and a buddy snagged the debadged euro boot lid.

if you are determined to hear more of the engine, take out some of the floor mats and whats inside the hood.

it gets old quick :/

I made a newer cold intake than what my photos show.Filter is at front in the cold air.Some kits they sell are really hot air intakes.
That and straight exhaust plus boost at 16psi,she really sounds good.

Turbo
 

If I listen closely with the radio off I hear what sounds like a muted siren off in the distance as my turbo spools up. It works quite well and seamlessly.
Also- it looks to me like that inner sleeve is there for heat-related reasons. My car still has it.

Chris

I wish I could hear the turbo spooling in my 240D, but it sounds like it's not there at all :)

The CDI's are so quiet, you can barely hear the engine, but the turbo sound seems to be quite noticeable, particularly on the Sprinters. I've never been able to hear the turbo whine on any of the IDI Mercedes turbodiesels except when the exhaust or intake have been modified (i.e. K&N filter and/or straight pipe exhaust). I've always wondered if that was an intentional design feature as the whine was an "undesirable" noise for most people.

I haven't noticed any power decrease from the pipe being removed. I might go with a custom air intake, but will do my research to make sure I get a good setup.

The only parts I removed from the 280E was the first aid kit, manual antenna, and tool kit. I'm glad to see others are making good use of the parts. I've seen too many Euro W123s with nice cloth interiors get crushed without anyone buying the parts. At least I got the 5 speed from one before it went away (it's sold).

I don't want to hear more of the engine, just the turbo. I'm not even wanting it to be screaming in my ears, just lightly audible. I have a turbo and want to hear it like the Cummins guys.

I had a small crack in that flex pipe on my 300sdl. Performance was sub par below 3500 rpm and it would smoke badly between 2000 and 3500 rpm. Soot was also a problem and the only reason I found the crack

Hey! You can just drill a hole in the air intake box and jamb a whistle into the hole.

This way, even a normally aspirated diesel can sound like a big-boy with a turbo.... fool them all. At least until it comes time to move the car quickly.

... Or just make zoom-zoom noises while driving.

http://www.joewrite.com/wp-content/u...gonna-hate.gif

This thread is too funny - a bunch of folks comparing turbo whistle to rice burners, harleys with no mufflers, etc. Its turbo whine..

It's just silly.

Turbo noise is annoying, especially on trucks. My ideal vehicle would be silent.

I really wish that people would keep their negative comments to themselves, though. There are lots of things I don't care for, yet I don't go around saying "that's stupid" to everything I don't like. I guess some of you shouldn't be driving diesels if you don't appreciate the sounds that the engines make.

Most of these Benz forums are made up of Aryan worshippers of cars.
They think its unholy to custom a Benz.They don't understand it will rust and decay like all cars one day.
But remember they are alot of customizer and engine builders that can make these cars even better.I'm with you.

It's quite interesting because I tend to be a purist overall but sometimes I like to customize here and there. In fact, most people who know me say I am too much of a purist. But then I find that in the rare instance that I change something from stock (even going to Euro lights) I get slammed all over these forums. It's a bit odd.

I found it quite entertaining to see some folks grasping at the most insignificant excuses as to why they wouldn't like it. The "thats the way it was designed and its for a reason" argument holds water for me, but the members implying they're going to be woken up in the middle of the night by a slight turbo whine is just hilarious! Dem turbodiesels, they got dat WHOOO WHOOOO!

I like the noise too, I remember I had it a bit before I swapped the engine over to my other SD but I found that the intake U-duct wasn't installed right. Now that its on there i can't hear it one bit, installed a boost gauge to make sure its still kicking in right. I'd imagine that intake modification would result in more audible whistle than the exhaust though.

Some modifications are useful; they improve performance, improve reliability, improve appearance, improve comfort, improve usability, etc. Some modifications are just silly; which type is this?

I would guess this falls under the heading of 'aesthetic', done for the pleasure of the owner.

depends on who you ask. How would this be any different than one made to "improve aesthetics"?

I'll bet he even tampered with the brilliant, rock solid MB engineered air cleaner on his W116 300SD...

Now, how could you POSSIBLY improve on THAT?

I don't know, mine work perfectly. They will eventually break if your engine is trying to shake itself to death.

If someone finds noise aesthetically pleasing, they should have a ball. :confused:

Ditto! I call these cars "mild customs." I am all about taking a car - any car - and doing things to the appearance or inner workings that are subtle, so that the discriminating person looks at it or sees it and realizes that there is something no-so-obviously, yet tastefully, different about it. If Mercedes had not done this very thing with the W126 SD by extending the rear door and roof line slightly, and making it an SDL, I would have. Its the subtle changes that can really set a car off in looks, sound, or mild performance and make others fall curiously in love with it.

When I do modify my vehicles I like them to look factory. For example, there weren't any 300SDs made with manual windows, manual heat, or manual sunroofs, Euro lights, etc., but other models came with these options and someone who wasn't an expert on the model would never know I had customized it.

That works, I have euro lights on the 240D and they look correct. Personally, I wouldn't downgrade to manual features because the original automatic stuff is pretty cheap and easy to maintain; but to each his own.

I'm ambivalent about power windows. The crank kind are lighter and hardly ever break, but it's nice when someone walks up to the passenger front window and you can actually roll it down to converse without having to set the parking brake and crawl over to roll the window down.

Manual climate control>ATC.

Manual vs electric sunroof: No real preference. I'd actually prefer no sunroof at all.

Power locks are great when they work right, but I really don't see a need for the weight penalty. At the moment mine don't work right. If it ever stops being winter here I'm going to fix that.

And of course manual transmission>>automatic.

It depends on the type of car; in a sedan I'll keep the auto transmission all the power features, especially the climate control (I have one of each and I hate having to screw around with the manual controls in the 240D). In a sports car, I'll take a manual transmission and no features at all.

The automatic stuff in my W123s is very simple to work on and very cheap to repair/replace, there is no reason to downgrade it.

The power features are very, very nice when they are working. It's nice to be able to roll down all windows with the push of a switch and to set the climate control and have it maintain the desired temperature.

However, when the car is 30 years old and all of the power components are broken, it becomes a nightmare and very expensive to fix all of the ailments. That's when the manual components are very nice.

But if one has the money and knowledge to repair and maintain the power components then they are nice to have. I tend to get overwhelmed with cars that have so many power accessories and I'd rather have manual options, but I can understand enjoying the power options.

I used to have a Getrag 5 speed and I had every intention of installing it. However, I hate having to shift gears and I feel that the automatic adds greatly to the driving comfort of the vehicle. So, in this case I opted to stay with the automatic transmission, even though it was bad and I had to replace it!

I had thought about getting rid of the power locking system but it is very convenient and is simpler and easier to repair than one thinks. If the expensive vacuum pods are dry-rotted one can repair them with bicycle inner tubes and hose clamps.