Technical Airbox Query

[widemouthfrog]

I'm trying to trace a weird whistling (something like the noise you get when you blow a blade of grass held between your thumbs, if you can remember what that's like!) from my engine bay that's got worse since I fitted the new air con compressor & drier.

I think I may have disturbed something in the airbox. Is the piece that's got the inlet pipe in it (in the side of the airbox) supposed to rattle around? It does on mine.....

 

[BikeDoc]

They all do that Sir . . .

Easily sorted with some Silicone Sealant.

As for the whistling, probably an air leak downstream of the Turbo, did you disturb any of the pressure tubes?

 

[widemouthfrog]

It's always whistled, from the day I bought it. Doom mongers told me it's the turbo on its way out, but 5 1/2 years seems a bloody long time to way for it to go pop. The inlet pipes hold pressure (i.e. I can't squeeze them when the engine's revved) so it's definitely boosting. I can tell that much just from driving it. Perhaps I've got a small leak somewhere in one of the pipes, or blow-by past a clip.

The new 'buzzing' whistle is more of an annoyance though, especially as I'll have to listen to it all the way to Limoges if I don't fix it before the weekend....

I was surprised just how easy it was to change the air con compressor, drier and get the main feed/return pipe run out and back in. The return pipe had a hole worn in it by the clutch cable. Welded up beautifully though (so my welder mate told me, anyway). No jammed or sheared bolts and I didn't have to remove too much to get at it all. Lucky me.

 

[Jon mabbitt]

Does it happen when u accelerate I have the same noise I think it to do with a hose having a hole in on the inlet side had this on my old sedona to.

 

[widemouthfrog]

Yes, and it rises with engine revs. The best way I can describe the sound is a combination of a very distant ambulance siren and Darth Vaders Tie Fighter made when it got spun into the darkness

 

[slobo]

Mine used to make that noise, it doesn't do it since the new alternator was fitted.

 

[widemouthfrog]

It was the turbo . Spindle bearing went on the way to catch the tunnel train. Will post post picks and a write up later.....

 

[widemouthfrog]

With the car full of family and holiday gear, the turbo spindle seals gave up the ghost on the M26, channel tunnel bound. It then took nearly 8 hours to get us and the car trailered home (thanks, Green Flag )

Got back at about 6pm. Had a quick cuppa, then started the strip down.

Hmmm, this isn't supposed to happen:



Fortunately, I had one of these sat on my garage shelf:




So it was game on to try to get back up and running for the tunnel train the following morning.

Lots of spanner and socket twirling then followed, long into the evening. I had to call on the assistance of a good mate as I could see I wasn't going to get finished that evening. Eventually got the turbo free, complete with exhaust manifold and catalytic convertor. Top tip: remove the radiator fan assembly - it's only held in place with 4 bolts and makes access to the turbo a whole lot easier.

Also fitted this while I was in there (bought ages ago and never got around to fitting it):



Got it all refitted and back up and running at about 2am. Than had a long shower about 3 hours sleep before taking the Multi out early hours to burn off the oil still trapped in the exhaust. Shmokin'!

The old turbo spindle really is shot:



http://vid606.photobucket.com/albums/tt144/whataphotograph/multipla/KnackeredGT1749V_zps38b1cb21.mp4

Caught the train 24 hours after the one we should have got. Arrived in Haute Vienne ready for several large glasses of red, which I duly sank, then fell asleep for a looooooong time

 

[BikeDoc]

Bummer!

Top job getting it sorted so quickly though, good luck with the rest of the trip

 

[widemouthfrog]

Holiday's been and gone - I'm back home now. 2k miles in a week without a problem (other than the, ahem, turbo).

I count myself as very lucky that one of the turbine blades didn't let go, and that the shaft seal on the inlet side somehow held intact, so the engine didn't start running on its own oil. It was just pumping it straight into the exhaust side, so all I got was loads of smoke and an exhaust full of oil.

 

[BikeDoc]

. . . very lucky that one of the turbine blades didn't let go . . .

I reckon that's what finished my original one

 

[boilermansab]

Where did you get that spanky new turbo!

 

[widemouthfrog]

ebay, of course

The list of new kit I've got piled up waiting to be fitted to the Multi is embarrassing (and, I hate to admit, expensive):

New cylinder head (c/w brand new valves, springs, buckets, guides + seals, head bolts, gaskets etc)
New turbo & actuator solenoid (both now fitted)
New EGR
New (Bosch) MAF
New radiator
New aircon compressor & drier (now fitted)
New wishbones (also trying to get hold of Superflex bushes for them on the cheap - still working on that)
New drop links (hopefully better quality than the **** that are currently fitted)
New aux belt kit, inc. crank pulley
New rear bearings (fitted about 4 months ago)
New front bearings & hubs
Full bearing kit for gearbox rebuild
New gear cables
New (Punto) 5th gear set to raise ratio
New clutch fork, top & bottom pivot bearings
New clutch master cylinder
New OS headlight
New glow plugs
New earth straps
New CV joints & inner 'crois sermaise' (or however it's spelt - the funny three-legged sliding bearing)
New engine & gearbox resilient mounts (yes, ALL of them!)
New top & bottom rubber spring seats (for front & rear axles)
New bonnet catch assembly
New radiator bottom rail
New airbox bracket
New handbrake cables
Sundry new interior plastic mouldings to replace the ones that are starting to UV degrade
Sound deadening mat for the front bulkhead
Plus new filters, oil, brake fluid etc
There may be a few other bits & pieces I've forgotten about. I've been gathering stuff together since the last big rebuild, which was about 2 years ago. All of the above is brand new, mostly genuine Fiat or a better quality part. Some of the bits were tricky to find and are not from the usual manufacturer/suppliers, so I hope to give some feedback on what I think of them in the coming months. I'm getting fed up with being palmed off with cheap, cr*p quality parts for the Multipla.

Finding the time to strip the car down and fit everything is proving the toughest challenge.....

 

[BikeDoc]

So that's where all the spares in the UK have gone . . .

 

[boilermansab]

You hoarder!