Wierd noises from the turbo-charger department...

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simonineaston
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Wierd noises from the turbo-charger department...

Post by simonineaston »

This Saturday, I changed the cam-belt, changed the oil/filter, drained the coolant, and refilled with new. I did my best to bleed the cooling system but could only find one bleed point (on the thermostat side of the engine, that is - there are 2 more on the rad.) I ran the car at tick-over and was reassured to note that it seemed smooth and smoke-free. The 2 fans came on due course, there was no sign of leaks and everything seemed normal - so far so good...
When I took the car for a higher speed try, I was alarmed to hear the following noises that hadn't been there before:

Faint "dentist drill" whistle @ 1600rpm
hissing as of steam as revs rise from tickover
a sort of low pitched descending "swanny-whistle" oooh on switch off
and finally, when I opend the bonnet to get a better look at it all, I see steam venting from the neat round hole in the neck of my header tank... :shock:
Reassure me, Folks, that there is absolutley nothing wrong with my turbo-charger!!!
Simon, Bristol UK
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Stewart (oily!)
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Post by Stewart (oily!) »

Have a good look around under there for loose turbo trunking if you could not hear the whistling before, also check the gasket between the intercooler and inlet manifold and the pipe running from the front of the intercooler to the fuel pump, its not unknown for pipes to blow off under the pressure, hence being able to hear the turbo, hows the preformance? if boost is leaking it will not all be getting to the engine, if you have added excess coolant it will bubble out where you describe under the radiator/coolant cap.
Stewart
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simonineaston
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Post by simonineaston »

Cheers for tips - yes it is entirely possible I have left a clip or 2 loose as I cleared a lot of components from the "top" to make life easier for me to do the cam-belt. Items removed included the intercooler and air tubes... !
As for the venting, it was steam.
Simon, Bristol UK
('91 TZD 1.7)
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docchevron
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Post by docchevron »

Yep, checl all the turbo trunking very carefully, it's easy to knock them about a bit doing a cambelt...

Almost without doubt mate, you have air in the cooling system.
TD's can be a bit, er, troublesome to bleed properly. The best way is to get a cooling system pressure pump and pressurise the system with that with the bleed screws open,

Alternatively the method I use when required is to stick my thumb over the overflow hole in the filler neck, wrap my lips around the neck and blow like theres no tomorrow!

Er, sounds gross, but it does work!
Smokes lots, because enough's enough already!

Far too many BX's, a bus, an ambulance a few trucks, not enough time and never enough cash...
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simonineaston
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Post by simonineaston »

docchevron1472 wrote:The best way is to get a cooling system pressure pump and pressurise the system with that with the bleed screws open,
Sounds good - I've got a couple of old filler caps, so I'll pop a schrader valve in one of them. As far as I can tell, I've only got one bleed point, which is behind and above the thermostat. Isn't that going to make the job rather hit or miss, or should I keep looking for more bleed points - are they hidden away somewhere??
Simon, Bristol UK
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adamskibx
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Post by adamskibx »

Doc, you want to be carefull blowing down a filler tube as ive heard the slightest trace of antifreez in your system is very bad for you indeed. Id put something independant of it on there first.
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Oscar
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Post by Oscar »

Or make a header tank with a 2-litre soft drinks bottle and an old filler cap. Drill or cut the centre of the filler cap out, screw in the drinks bottle neck, cut off the bottom and Robert is your father's sibling.
(Red BX 1.7TZD ("Well, it is a style icon" - Tom Sheppard)) "Was", Tom, "was"
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simonineaston
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Post by simonineaston »

adamskibx wrote:the slightest trace of antifreez in your system is very bad for you indeed...
That's why I'm going to use the tyre valve - I remember some scandal years ago, when it was discovered that some elements of the continental wine industry had been adding glycol to the cheaper white wines, which sounds faintly amusing, but AFAIR had lead to a number of deaths :(
Simon, Bristol UK
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docchevron
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Post by docchevron »

simonineaston wrote: I've only got one bleed point, which is behind and above the thermostat. Isn't that going to make the job rather hit or miss, or should I keep looking for more bleed points - are they hidden away somewhere??
Well, mine has a bleed on the rad, a bleed on the stat housing and a bleed in the little hose that runs from the stat housing to the top right hand side of the rad... but I've seen a fair few with only the bleeds on the stat housing and rad.

Just keep bleeding til you get no air bubbles at all, then run it up from cold and let it build up to operating temp, when the fans come in the coolant level should drop a bit, you shouldn't get any bubbles in the header tank.
adamskibx wrote: ive heard the slightest trace of antifreez in your system is very bad for you indeed
yeah, anti-freeze is VERY bad for you, but I've been contaminating myself with ethanol glycol for years and it aint done me any harm!!

Although yeah, anyone else doing it may wish to use suitable protection!
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docchevron
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Post by docchevron »

simonineaston wrote: I've only got one bleed point, which is behind and above the thermostat. Isn't that going to make the job rather hit or miss, or should I keep looking for more bleed points - are they hidden away somewhere??
Well, mine has a bleed on the rad, a bleed on the stat housing and a bleed in the little hose that runs from the stat housing to the top right hand side of the rad... but I've seen a fair few with only the bleeds on the stat housing and rad.

Just keep bleeding til you get no air bubbles at all, then run it up from cold and let it build up to operating temp, when the fans come in the coolant level should drop a bit, you shouldn't get any bubbles in the header tank.
adamskibx wrote: ive heard the slightest trace of antifreez in your system is very bad for you indeed
yeah, anti-freeze is VERY bad for you, but I've been contaminating myself with ethanol glycol for years and it aint done me any harm!!

Although yeah, anyone else doing it may wish to use suitable protection!
Smokes lots, because enough's enough already!

Far too many BX's, a bus, an ambulance a few trucks, not enough time and never enough cash...
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stuart_hedges
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Post by stuart_hedges »

doc wrote:yeah, anti-freeze is VERY bad for you, but I've been contaminating myself with ethanol glycol for years and it aint done me any harm!!
...except for making you repeat yourself ;)
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docchevron
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Post by docchevron »

Good Lord, IT BEGINS! HICCUP!
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Post by tom »

confusion here. Dunno about the ethylene glycol but the ethanol is another matter entirely!

As for bleeding the turbodiesel, it goes like this: fill it up. Remove the radiator bleed plug and replace it loosely. Turn the heater on fully and run the engine until the stat opens. Now bleed at the radiator, adding liquid as required to the header tank. Switch off and let cool. Adjust level.
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simonineaston
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Post by simonineaston »

Blimey - sounds like this coolant bleeding business is a bit of an acquired skill - lets hope I've caught it all before the heat has done for my head/gasket...
Thanks as usual for all the great info. Folks - it all makes sense in a weird sort of way!
Simon, Bristol UK
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