Turbo no longer whistles, not as responsive, Cat-EGR-Waste Gate or Turbo?

February 6, 2016

hi,
Recently got a 2003 rav4 xt4 2.0 diesel in the uk.
my neighbour has an identical car but different colour and I have noticed a difference between the 2 vehicles when driving them both.
Our rav4 does not create a whistle under acceleration from the turbo, even with windows open i cannot hear it, my neighbours does even with windows shut?
Also the acceleration is much more impressive from the neighbours rav4, ours is not bad but certainly not as so responsive.
Any ideas why so different and could there be a problem or perhaps theirs is chipped/remapped?
I have had many petrol cars over the years with turbo's so familiar with the common noise turbos normally make.

Today i also removed MAF sensor and EGR valve and cleaned them both. They both were not to bad since the Rav has only done 55,000 miles.
I also inspected the turbo and found a smear of oil sitting in the body inlet and very slight movement up and down with the turbo shaft, not sure if to much or not.
I also plugged in my diagnostics reader and no faults recorded anywhere in the ECU.
Beginning to think it may be a turbo problem, wastegate or perhaps even blocked cat on the exhaust causing restriction.

Has anyone had a turbo that has lost it's whistle/woosh noise.......
Please help, don't want to spend loads of money to find out may be something else....
thanks
Andy

February 8, 2016

I thought a turbo that whistled was not a good sign.

February 19, 2016

I've never heard of cars loosing their whistle!

Perhaps your neighbours car has a different intake set up which allows more of the sound to escape?

If you've got oil in your intake there's a chance that it's support tarting to fail. It'll also mean that you're burning a little bit; you'll get blue smoke behind you. (Do you)

All cars with turbos make some whistling sound!

A note on the turbo.. there will be slightly movement on the turbine itself. It rides on a film of oil (when the engine is running of course) to reduce friction. When the car is off there's no oil preasure to support the turbine.