Whining noise when accelerating past 3k rpm

[TriniFyah7]

I recently noticed that my car makes this whining type of noise when going past 3k rpm. It is basically stock and I have changed the tranny fluid to the Motorcraft stuff but that's bout it. I am not sure if it's due to the cold weather cause sometimes it goes away when the car is warmed up, other times I still hear it. I would only hear this sound as soon as I pass 3k and it would be audible until around the 4k mark. I believe the sound is louder or more noticeable if I gradually step on the gas rather than WOT.

I hope it's nothing too serious. I have searched but found nothing on this issue, closest thing being the LSD whine but I think the problems I described has nothing to do with that.

please share your thoughts

[gotak]

You realize you have a turbo?

if you go to 3K rpm in neutral do you hear it?

[Fobio]

in the cold weather, it's possible one of your hoses shrinked faster than the clamp...park it in a warm garage and check your clamps first...

[-cj-]

If you can get us a recording of the whine, it would help.

You replaced your tranny oil, right? I think I remember reading about oils that are meant for LSD transmissions (I know it sounds strange, but apparently you get some whining noise when you don't have this LSD-friendly oil...) It's something about the lubrication properties, but I honestly haven't experienced it myself. Just trying to give you a possible cause. Easiest way if you don't want to research, try swapping back to stock fluids (or check MSF for other recommended brands) and see if it goes away.

Edit: Actually, according to a thread on TM3, Motorcraft fluids help with LSD whine. Are you running the same fluid as everyone else? I still think it's LSD whine.... but that's just based on what you wrote (IE: Only mod is fluid swap), but I don't know what it actually sounds like...

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

This wouldn't be LSD whine from a fluid change and composition of friction modifiers in the fluid. LSD whine is usually only audible at low rpm and low speeds and happens at all temperatures. I also believe the Ford fluid, which the OP put in, doesn't exhibit the LSD whine like the MT-90 does.

Pretty sure this is related to his turbo. It could just be the sound of the turbo spooling and he hears it more during gradual acceleration vs. WOT when the engine noise will mostly drown it out. However, he may have a loose clamp or inlet hose as Fobio suggested. He should check it out just to make sure.

TriniFyah7,

Do you have a boost gauge installed? If so, any changes in reading at idle and under throttle? Notice any decrease in power?

[Fobio]

I hope you find the culprit soon...and I hope it's a clamp...otherwise, this is what I'm afraid of:

R.I.P. PTE 5557

Well, my PTE 5557 is officially toast. The bearings are shot and the turbo makes a nice whistling noise when it spools. To be honest I'm not surprised considering how hard i was pushing it and it was a journal bearing turbo. I spoke with import evolution and they have the PTE 5557 rated as a 475 (crank HP) /400 whp turbo. Hopefully, precision will honor their one year warranty and fix the turbo. I will be ordering a DBB 6262 with an e-cover/.82ar

[Fobio]

This is from a suggested thread on the bottom of this page:

Turbo Making a whining noise HELP!!!!!

[TriniFyah7]

This wouldn't be LSD whine from a fluid change and composition of friction modifiers in the fluid. LSD whine is usually only audible at low rpm and low speeds and happens at all temperatures. I also believe the Ford fluid, which the OP put in, doesn't exhibit the LSD whine like the MT-90 does.

Pretty sure this is related to his turbo. It could just be the sound of the turbo spooling and he hears it more during gradual acceleration vs. WOT when the engine noise will mostly drown it out. However, he may have a loose clamp or inlet hose as Fobio suggested. He should check it out just to make sure.

TriniFyah7,

Do you have a boost gauge installed? If so, any changes in reading at idle and under throttle? Notice any decrease in power?

So I checked the clamps and they are ok. I have a boost gauge and reading at idle seem fine. About 21 InMg vacuum. Did not notice any decrease in power.

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

So I checked the clamps and they are ok. I have a boost gauge and reading at idle seem fine. About 21 InMg vacuum. Did not notice any decrease in power.

Well, that is all good stuff...

If you had a boost leak in the line, you will notice that at idle you run lower vacuum values/pressure. When you go WOT and are on hard throttle, are you still hitting the peak boost values and are they holding like they did before? If they are, your turbo should be okay, but I would still have Jimmy take a look at it just to be sure.

[TriniFyah7]

I carried the car to Jimmy as well, said it wasn't the turbo bearing and that it could be the fuel pump. I'm thinking it's a combination of things. Cold weather + the type of engine oil I used. I noticed the sound is more noticeable when its really cold and I leave the car outside over night. I tried parking the car in the garage last night to see if it would make a difference. Today has been a bit warmer than the last couple days and I did notice that the sound was very faint, it was almost not there anymore.

I am going to closely monitor this as time goes on. I used Royal Purple 5W30, but I am going to switch next time to something else and see if the sound goes away.

Other than that noise, car still runs nice.

[starscream]

I recently noticed that my car makes this whining type of noise when going past 3k rpm. It is basically stock and I have changed the tranny fluid to the Motorcraft stuff but that's bout it. I am not sure if it's due to the cold weather cause sometimes it goes away when the car is warmed up, other times I still hear it. I would only hear this sound as soon as I pass 3k and it would be audible until around the 4k mark. I believe the sound is louder or more noticeable if I gradually step on the gas rather than WOT.

I hope it's nothing too serious. I have searched but found nothing on this issue, closest thing being the LSD whine but I think the problems I described has nothing to do with that.

please share your thoughts

I think its normal. My car whines too when its cold and once its warmed up it goes away. At times I *think* I hear it, but I think its me being sensitive to the noise and trying to hear something that may not really be there (once warmed up).

From what I can tell, its a few things or rather it could be a few things. Cold oil and what you hear is the 'friction' sorta speak in the sense that everything is not properly lubricated (but this is going off the extreme end), but more so I think its tranny whine when the fluid is cold. I stumbled on this when I was with a friend and he has a race prepped RX7. We had to move it and the tranny was making a god awful "whhhhahhahahaaaaaaaaaa" noise and he said hes gotten it checked and its because of the fluid not being warmed up (think of oil in a deep fryer, as you heat it up it gets thinner and more viscous). I figure since when its warm is goes away it can be attributed to that.

If your boosting fine, no abnormalities, its idling fine and all that I dont think its your turbo. The key thing is that its going away when its warmed up, if it wasnt then it would be more of an issue. I find any car (especially if its modified) reacts differently in cold weather. My brother bought a brandnew 2011 Ford Edge Sport, shit makes a few weird sounds when its cold out and its not warmed up (the car that is) and its normal as per Ford. Once its warmed up its fine and thats coming from a brandnew car with under 5K kms.

[TriniFyah7]

forgot to mention turbo has already been replaced before by the previous owner due to the smoking issue. I will take it for another drive later and see if I am still holding peak values