High Pitched Whirring Noise from Engine

[shippo92]

I have a 2.0 TDI Sport Passat B6.

I have noticed that there is a high pitched engine noise (mainly in the first few gears) coming from the engine, it sounds very similar to a siren from a police car.
Need help as to what the problem is?

[shippo92]

Any help?

[philipharmes]

Most likely to be the turbo, with road noise drowning it out in higher gears.
Does the sound vary with throttle input rather than engine revs or road speed.

[shippo92]

Yeh it does, what would be the best thing to do to try and reduce the noise?

[Crasher]

The turbo needs a rebuild. If you ignore this problem it can fail catastrophically and mean the repairs cost much more.

[shippo92]

Any idea of how much it would cost to be rebuilt?

[vespa]

From what I gather £600-£1000 depending on where from. Please read the RAC website reconditioned-engines.co.uk aka brentsouth trading aka heathrow engines DO NOT USE (http://www.rac.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?11016-reconditioned-engines-co-uk-aka-brentsouth-trading-aka-heathrow-engines-DO-NOT-USE) and this 1st choice engines (http://www.rac.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?18742-1st-choice-engines) Just in case you live near there.

[Crasher]

With us the job typically comes out at around £850 including an oil and filter change as long as the turbo is repairable and there is no system debris contamination AND as long as the oil pipe does not stick and snap!

[shippo92]

Is there any idea as to how long I have until it goes?

[philipharmes]

Some last for years & another will fail the next time you start the engine. So best change it ASAP.
But as Crasher says, depending how it fails, it could kill your engine which will be much more costly.
There is a company on eBay that supplies new CHRA assemblies ( the part of the turbo that wears out ) at good prices.
passat chra from nerings | eBay (http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/m.html?_odkw=&item=321221944571&_osacat=0&ssPageName=STRK%3AMESINDXX%3AIT&_ssn=nerings&_trksid=p2046732.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xpassat+ch ra&_nkw=passat+chra&_sacat=0&_from=R40)
You would have to check the part No of your existing one carefully & find a local garage to fit it if you're not into DIY.

[vespa]

Personally, I would bite the bullet and let VW do the work (2 years warranty) unless you know of a very reliable indipendant.

[Crasher]

Turbo's fitted by us and rebuilt by Midland have a 2 year warranty for less than the cost of the unit alone from VW. If an independent fits a genuine unit, you still get the 2 year dealer backed parts and labour warranty without having to pay the main dealer labour rate.

[golfed]

The turbo on my 2.0 tdi (140K)has been whistling like a police car siren for years - I get serviced at a couple of good VAG indies and they basically said not to worry about it.

I'd always assumed that if it blew up then it wouldn't damage the rest of engine - as it not directly connected to major moving parts - so how would it cause major damage?

[Crasher]

If the turbo overspeeds due to lack of control or wear allows the compressor turbine to hit the casing, metal fragments can be passed through the system into the engine. Standard VW procedure with a blown turbo is to replace the intercooler and all piping and remove and clean out the inlet manifold, cylinder head and bores of any metal fragments. A while back I had a 150PD Golf 4 in with an utterly fragged turbo, the system was full of metal from end to end. It had many other issues which in the end meant I had to take the head off and I found a piece of compressor blade stuck in number 3 piston which hit the head at TDC and number 4 piston showed impact damage. His bill was over £6K.....

[golfed]

Crasher - thanks, I get the picture now. Problem I have is the car is only worth 3-4K at most and I don' really want to keep pumping money into it. I was thinking that there is a good chance I might have some advance warning of failure (noise getting significantly worse)? I guess the other obvious thing to do is check all the hoses carefully to make sure this isn't a leak I'm hearing!

[Crasher]

Once it goes from a hoot like a distant owl and changes to a siren noise that makes you think an ambulance desperate to get back for tea break is coming up behind you, then you need to get it overhauled. Typically the whole job should cost around £900 done including an oil/filter chnage. Maintain a car based on its market value has one sure outcome, the car falls to bits...

[stevegrass777]

Scania trucks used to put a metal mesh on the air intake after the turbo to collect any debris from a blow turbo.I have seen a turbo blow on a Cummins 10 liter truck engine and a washer come out of the oil return into the sump and through the pick up pipe that didn't have gauze on just slots ,and up into the oil pump,luckily the driver stopped before it wrecked the engine.

[yus786]

@golfed - did you get this fixed?

I'm experiencing the same. Had my MOT at the dealers and they said the turbo is whistling and quoted by £1400.

Going to find a VAG specialist in the Bolton area - any suggestions anyone?

[Crasher]

You should pay around £900 all done with an oil and filter change as long as the turbo is repairable.

[yus786]

You should pay around £900 all done with an oil and filter change as long as the turbo is repairable.

Thanks. How about for a replacement turbo?

[Crasher]

It depends on what that is, rebuilt, manufacturer exchnage, new, dealer exchnage, dealer new, very varied. For a 2007 2 litre Passat 3C with a BKP engine a genuine NEW turbo is £1495 but you would never buy that, you would buy the exchnage unit at £968.45 although the same GTA1749MV can be bought Garrett for much less new and outright. With a VW part you pay for the excellent two year parts and labour warranty. There is a huge and bewildering array of choices so we stick to using a local reconditioning company we have confidence in and who are close by should we have any problems, which are very very rare. The unit itself should be around £300 fully rebuilt with the rest of the costs made up by gaskets, fasteners, labour, oil and filter.

[yus786]

It depends on what that is, rebuilt, manufacturer exchnage, new, dealer exchnage, dealer new, very varied. For a 2007 2 litre Passat 3C with a BKP engine a genuine NEW turbo is £1495 but you would never buy that, you would buy the exchnage unit at £968.45 although the same GTA1749MV can be bought Garrett for much less new and outright. With a VW part you pay for the excellent two year parts and labour warranty. There is a huge and bewildering array of choices so we stick to using a local reconditioning company we have confidence in and who are close by should we have any problems, which are very very rare. The unit itself should be around £300 fully rebuilt with the rest of the costs made up by gaskets, fasteners, labour, oil and filter.

Thanks Crasher. I take it you are a vag specialist?

Where are you based? Thinking whether i should make the trip and get you to do the job. I'm in Bolton

[Crasher]

I take it you are a vag specialist? Where are you based? Thinking whether i should make the trip and get you to do the job. I'm in Bolton

Yes, 33 years....I would have got less for murder......:banghead:

In Nottingham, a bit far but people come further, much further such as Dublin and Norway.

VW Audi Seat Skoda Specialists | Parts Service Modifications (http://www.candrenterprises.co.uk)

[yus786]

Yes, 33 years....I would have got less for murder......:banghead:

In Nottingham, a bit far but people come further, much further such as Dublin and Norway.

VW Audi Seat Skoda Specialists | Parts Service Modifications (http://www.candrenterprises.co.uk)

Brill, can i have an email address please, so we can take this offline.

Make plans for the next week to come and see you

[Crasher]

At the moment I am laid up after spinal surgery and I will be off until next week if I can convince everyone I am good enough to at least observe, point and shout, which is what I do anyway! I will PM you my email.

[yus786]

At the moment I am laid up after spinal surgery and I will be off until next week if I can convince everyone I am good enough to at least observe, point and shout, which is what I do anyway! I will PM you my email.

Cheers Steve, I'm out of country myself this week . So will drop you an email when i'm back. Get well soon