Hi All,

 

I recently purchased a S-MAX 1.8 TDCI 2007 with 96k on the clock. I noticed on the way home the car is making a sound which I can only describe as sounding like an ‘owl’. It does this when the turbo kicks in, but stops it when you get in the higher revs. Also, the car kicks out a small amount of black smoke.

 

As it was late, I had a quick look once home. I couldn’t see anything obvious other than oil which looks to be coming out of the intercooler. When revving with my hand at the front bumper I couldn’t feel anything escaping from the intercooler though? but it doesn’t do the noise when stationery only in drive.

 

Anyone else got any thoughts on this please? Anything particular common? It is my first experience of the 1.8 engine, all my other Ford Diesels have been the 2.0.  If it turns out to be the intercooler, are they the same on the Focus/Mondeo/Galaxy 1.8s?

 

Picture of the intercooler, it has a little puddle oil under it and you can see where it has leaked from under tray.

 

 

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1 hour ago, Cyber_killer said:

I noticed on the way home the car is making a sound which I can only describe as sounding like an ‘owl’. It does this when the turbo kicks in, but stops it when you get in the higher revs. Also, the car kicks out a small amount of black smoke.

 

As it was late, I had a quick look once home. I couldn’t see anything obvious other than oil which looks to be coming out of the intercooler. When revving with my hand at the front bumper I couldn’t feel anything escaping from the intercooler though? but it doesn’t do the noise when stationery only in drive.

A very common cause of hissing or similar noises when the turbo pressure builds up is a split hose. When these do split, there will always be a small amount of oil that gets forced out, and can run down the outside of the hose, and onto the intercooler. Most of the oil comes from the crankcase breather system.

If the leak is significant, it can lead to too rich a fuel / air ratio, and hence to smoke.

I don't think the turbo builds up much pressure when revving out of gear, there is no need as the fuel consumption is tiny.

These splits are usually round the back of the hose, out of sight! You have to feel for them.

5 hours ago, Tdci-Peter said:

A very common cause of hissing or similar noises when the turbo pressure builds up is a split hose. When these do split, there will always be a small amount of oil that gets forced out, and can run down the outside of the hose, and onto the intercooler. Most of the oil comes from the crankcase breather system.

If the leak is significant, it can lead to too rich a fuel / air ratio, and hence to smoke.

I don't think the turbo builds up much pressure when revving out of gear, there is no need as the fuel consumption is tiny.

These splits are usually round the back of the hose, out of sight! You have to feel for them.

Spot On advice there from  Tdci-Peter 

Often described as a "whoosh", "Loud Hissing" or a "Roar" when the engine is under load and can be VERY hard to find the actual split as the hose closes up when not under pressure - takes a little patience and attention to detail to locate but it will be there.

Thaanks people, i am hoping soon to get a time to have a proper look at this. I will update you when I find it... Hopefully it is not to difficult, from what i have read if it is the inercooler it is a front end off job ;( 

Update i have taken the main boost pipe off the car today and cannot find any signs that this has any damage. I have also taken a video the car doing the noise ( Link below). The exhaust looks quite new cannot see any obvious damage. The oil on the inter-cooler is all around the boost pipe, this is why I originally suspected it. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSCp...ature=youtu.be 

Thanks


You can here the noise at about 2100 - 2300 revs but in the higher revs it goes away. It is really annoying when on a motorway as this is the kinda rev range it sits at,so does it a lot on the motorway.

12 hours ago, Cyber_killer said:

You can here the noise at about 2100 - 2300 revs but in the higher revs it goes away.

It sounds a little like an air leak from a split hose, but this sound does not normally go away until the boost pressure drops.

I would remove the pipes on the outlet of the turbo compressor, there is usually some sort of resonator or silencing device (just bulges or ridges) in this pipe, to remove turbo whine. Have a look for damage, partial blockage or leaks there. It is the odd shaped molding below.

Exhaust leaks around the DPF, cat or flexible coupling could also allow turbo whine to escape. Those spinning blades will really scream inside the pipework.

Also check oil consumption carefully. Worn turbo bearings would increase consumption, and could, just possibly, make a noise like that. As I said above, some oil in the intercooler pipe is normal, so this can not be relied on as a symptom of turbo failure.