Help!! Turbo whining/howl and power loss!! - BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum

KASPA · 12-30-2012, 01:46 PM

Hi guys. In need of some help before the car goes into the garage. I have a 57 reg 520d lci that has just developed a problem. Cars been fine until now. Has done 80,000 miles and looked after pretty well. Came off the motorway earlier and heard a really loud whining noise followed by a loss in power. The whine sounds really high pitch and not whistle like, more like a cat stuck under the bonnet. It makes the noise when revved standing still and when driven too, the noise gets louder higher up the rev range. No smoking at all and no oil burning either.

Any idea what it is?? I can only think of boost pipes or turbo.

briers · 12-30-2012, 02:03 PM

It sounds like turbo failure to me

I would get it recovered to your garage to prevent further damage

If a pipe was loose you would get no boost or air flow through the turbo and no noise.

Red_Bean_Bun · 12-30-2012, 02:27 PM

If there is a turbo being its a 520d......possible differential issues ?

briers · 12-30-2012, 02:32 PM

If it didn't have a turbo it would struggle to haul its heavy ass over the simplest of inclines

KASPA · 12-30-2012, 03:16 PM

It could very well be the turbo.

Just the fact that there is no oil burning or smoking that makes me think it may be a split pipe or something.

briers · 12-30-2012, 07:17 PM

Does it sound similar to this?

If so the impeller assembly is moving inside the casing, sooner or later the blades will touch the metal casing and possibly shatter, maybe even breaking the seals in which case they could make it into the engine causing further damage and you would see smoke and oil makes it where it shouldn't be.

You may find a little black smoke if you have continued to drive it.

Alternatively if it is a split hose you may hear a high pitched whistling possibly

mtr123 · 01-03-2013, 09:26 PM

this has happened to mine at the end of a couple of hundred mile journey tonight

sounds like a new turbo is needed so going to get it to a garage int he morning as the aa towed me back to my house.

hoping its not buggered anything else

KASPA · 01-04-2013, 02:01 PM

Had it checked out and yes it was bad news, needs a new turbo!!
Bit of a shock seeing as it showed no symptoms at all.

12-30-2012, 01:46 PM	#1
KASPA Second Lieutenant Drives: BMW 320D MSPORT Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Birmingham Posts: 217 iTrader: (0)	Help!! Turbo whining/howl and power loss!! Hi guys. In need of some help before the car goes into the garage. I have a 57 reg 520d lci that has just developed a problem. Cars been fine until now. Has done 80,000 miles and looked after pretty well. Came off the motorway earlier and heard a really loud whining noise followed by a loss in power. The whine sounds really high pitch and not whistle like, more like a cat stuck under the bonnet. It makes the noise when revved standing still and when driven too, the noise gets louder higher up the rev range. No smoking at all and no oil burning either. Any idea what it is?? I can only think of boost pipes or turbo.
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12-30-2012, 02:03 PM	#2
briers Ben Drives: XFR Join Date: May 2010 Location: Midlands,UK Posts: 1,878 iTrader: (0)	It sounds like turbo failure to me I would get it recovered to your garage to prevent further damage If a pipe was loose you would get no boost or air flow through the turbo and no noise.

12-30-2012, 02:27 PM	#3
Red_Bean_Bun Second Lieutenant Drives: E92 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Wilmington, DE Posts: 272 iTrader: (2)	If there is a turbo being its a 520d......possible differential issues ?

12-30-2012, 02:32 PM	#4
briers Ben Drives: XFR Join Date: May 2010 Location: Midlands,UK Posts: 1,878 iTrader: (0)	If it didn't have a turbo it would struggle to haul its heavy ass over the simplest of inclines

12-30-2012, 03:16 PM	#5
KASPA Second Lieutenant Drives: BMW 320D MSPORT Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Birmingham Posts: 217 iTrader: (0)	It could very well be the turbo. Just the fact that there is no oil burning or smoking that makes me think it may be a split pipe or something.

12-30-2012, 07:17 PM	#6
briers Ben Drives: XFR Join Date: May 2010 Location: Midlands,UK Posts: 1,878 iTrader: (0)	Does it sound similar to this? If so the impeller assembly is moving inside the casing, sooner or later the blades will touch the metal casing and possibly shatter, maybe even breaking the seals in which case they could make it into the engine causing further damage and you would see smoke and oil makes it where it shouldn't be. You may find a little black smoke if you have continued to drive it. Alternatively if it is a split hose you may hear a high pitched whistling possibly

01-03-2013, 09:26 PM	#7
mtr123 Private Drives: e90 320d le-mans blue Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: cheshire Posts: 89 iTrader: (1)	this has happened to mine at the end of a couple of hundred mile journey tonight sounds like a new turbo is needed so going to get it to a garage int he morning as the aa towed me back to my house. hoping its not buggered anything else

01-04-2013, 02:01 PM	#8
KASPA Second Lieutenant Drives: BMW 320D MSPORT Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Birmingham Posts: 217 iTrader: (0)	Had it checked out and yes it was bad news, needs a new turbo!! Bit of a shock seeing as it showed no symptoms at all.