Loud Droaning noise under load at low RPM

Very loud Droaning noise when accelerating between 2000-2700 RPMs.
Once I hit the powerband at 2800rpm and upward it sounds normal.
I use a dash command app to keep an eye on my engine Load%.
Anything over 80% load in low RPMs results in loud booming droan.
My 04 T1N has about 110,000mi. And is running strong as my daily driver.
New inter cooler hose was just installed last week but the sound has been getting progressively louder over the last few months.

Any ideas??
 

stevenking

New member
Check the intake hose at intake manifold see if there is any oil at connection if there is possible o-ring or most likely the hose.
 

stevenking

New member
Turbo resonator can check with a soapy solution in spray bottle.spray around the seam of resonator while engine on if you see bubbles it has separated .
 
It was determined by my Sprinter mechanic to be my Turbo. After 115,000mi it has a bit of axial play on the shaft.
I can wiggle it with my finger.
Considering how hard I push it daily on the highways, I'm not in the least bit surprised.
New Turbo here we go!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

220629

Well-known member
Not that you asked...

Replacing your turbo based upon finger wiggles is less than optimal.

Is there any evidence of the fan hitting the scroll?

Have your mechanic explain how the turbo turning up at tens of thousand rpm can "drone" without failure?

Do what you wish, but many turbos are replaced only to find that it doesn't cure the problem(s).

Ciprian has 674,000 miles on his OEM turbo. My turbo is still original at 278,000 miles.

Good luck.

vic
 

sailquik

Well-known member
SoCalSprinter,
You describe your noise issue as "droning".
A turbo noise is at very high frequency and would commonly be called "whistling" or if there are mechanical issues "screeching".
Since you have the Dash App, why not take a look at the turbocharger
output pressure?
Watching the engine load is good, but if your App has a PID (Paramater Identification Code) for "MAP" (Manifold Absolute Pressure in PSIA) or "Bst" (Boost=Turbo output pressure in PSIG) you can see how well your turbocharger is working.
If, when you are accelerating you see the MAP go to > 34 PSIA or the Boost go to > 21 PSIG there can
be very little wrong with your turbocharger.
I took a quick look at the Parameters available on the Palmer Performance Dash Command site and it looks like Intake Manifold
Absolute Pressure is available, so simply set the Intake Manifold Absolute Pressure as one of the PIDs your Dash Command is monitoring and you should be able to see very quickly what your turbocharger output is under full acceleration.
If it's > 34 PSIA your turbo is working normally.
If it's in the 20-30 PSIA range (at full throttle) you may have some issues.
If it's < 20 PSIA @ full throttle, your ECM may have put you in Limp Home Mode (LHM) for either a too high
or too low MAP pressure which could be the turbo, but more likely a MAP pressure leak somewhere in one of
the hoses, the intercooler/Charge Air Cooler (CAC) , or one of the hose joints.
If anyone near you has a DAD unit, they could very quickly run a quick interrogation of the ECM to see if there
are high/low MAP pressure events stored.
That will give you the solid information you need to trouble shoot what's causing your noise.
Be aware that too much MAP is just as likely to cause LHM as not enough MAP.
The computer "expects" a certain boost pressure at a certain RPM/% engine Load level and if the
turbo is not being controlled (by your electronic turbo actuator) correctly, the sensors will signal the
ECM that there's an issue and may set LHM.
Sounds like your problem is just the noise, so that's a good thing.
Also, some people really don't like the increased sound levels that you get with the Riordan Turbo
Resonator Eliminator.
Might want to change it out for a cheap Dorman aftermarket resonator to see if it's the un-damped
sound of the turbo (or one of it's harmonics) that you are able to hear as the "droning" sound.
Roger
 
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Hey Vic & Roger,
Thanks for your input!

I couldn't find any leaks in intercooler hoses, airbox hose or at Riordan Resonator eliminator as of yet, but I won't rule it out. I will continue to look.
I want to know more about how to use Dash Command to monitor turbo pressure and translate that data into a practical understanding and troubleshooting.
Let me get some coffee and wrap my head around this app a little better and I'm sure I'll come up with more specific questions.

As always your comments and input are welcome.
Thanks again,
 
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sailquik

Well-known member
SoCalSprinter,
Please re-read my last post as I added quite a bit that may be beneficial in your situation.
Roger
 

T1nFan

New member
Fuel pressure regulator causing the fuel line to hum under the floor boards ? Just a thought - I read about it when my charge air hose went bad.
 

220629

Well-known member
...Sounds like your problem is just the noise, so that's a good thing.
Also, some people really don't like the increased sound levels that you get with the Riordan Turbo
Resonator Eliminator.
Might want to change it out for a cheap Dorman aftermarket resonator to see if it's the un-damped
sound of the turbo (or one of it's harmonics) that you are able to hear as the "droning" sound.
Roger
Good pick up. :thumbup:

I must have missed where he mentioned a turbo resonator.

The fuel lines or other fuel related noise as T1nFan mentioned is a good suggestion.

Driveshaft bearings have been known to make a droning noise. I suppose early stages of transmission shudder from old or incorrect transmission fluid is another possibility to consider.

All the above might be the usual suspects before I would replace an expensive turbo charger.

vic
 

Teutonic9

Member
This is an older thread but I'm dying to know if this droaning noise ever got figured out? I'm painfully familiar with all the routine driveshaft/turbo resonator/trans shudder/etc/etc. I'm wondering if this was really a turbo problem ? Or some sort of air intake resonating/droaning?
I pm'd the thread starter, no response. Free beer at the brewery of choice in Bellingham WA for the person that has the magic answer. ???
 

cahaak

New member
What I found is that a droaning / howling noise in my van was simply due to the transmission. When I ran it under load at a certain power band it would howl something terrible. It was actually hard to pin down the source of the noise. I had this when I first bought it. I did a complete transmission service, fluid and filters - it was much better. After my second service 60K miles later it was essentially gone. In my case, I knew that it was some type of drive train noise - not from under the hood. If you are sure that yours is from under the hood, then you have something different. One thing to think about is does it only occur under load, or can you get it to occur just parked by reving the engine up to a certain speed. You can separate engine and drivetrain issues this way.

Chris
 

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