engine whistles when i accelerate

[tony rodaway]

hello guys
My car has a whistle like i have a k,n filter fitted but i dont and seems to only do it when i drive and yesterday i started my car and seemed slower than normal to start.
Not sure if they are linked but has never started that way before.
Dont think its a battery fault because once started if i stop and start again its alot faster.
Do you think its my alternator that is whistleing or a hole or ripped pipe in my vacuum system and were is best to look.
I does seem to come from my drivers side but wont do it till i drive .
I'm aware it could be nothing but for my car to start slow thats as worry for me.
All help appreciated.

 

[Beau]

Check for any vacum or air leaks on the intake side (plastic bits). Theres a sensor thats in the middle of that black intake piece from filter to turbo inlet. Make sure that's popped in as it should be.

 

[Shayne]

And check the front end exhaust for holes .

 

[tony rodaway]

And check the front end exhaust for holes .

thanks shayne but dont think its an exhaust hole but more like a vacuum hole in a pipe.

 

[tony rodaway]

Check for any vacum or air leaks on the intake side (plastic bits). Theres a sensor thats in the middle of that black intake piece from filter to turbo inlet. Make sure that's popped in as it should be.

thanks beau and take u mean the one that looks like a maf sensor as did that yesterday but why the struggle to start wot wud cause that all of a sudden as well as a whistle .

 

[Shayne]

The turbo whistle usually goes unnoticed but can become very obvious when the exhaust is leaking . If you can get someone else to turn the key while you look under the car a leak will be very obvious with a cold engine , its something to rule out is all .

Struggle to start might mean lots of things , but your mention of the battery suggests the starter is on its way out . Tell us more does it turn over ok but not fire or struggle to turn over but fires when it does ?

 

[tony rodaway]

The turbo whistle usually goes unnoticed but can become very obvious when the exhaust is leaking . If you can get someone else to turn the key while you look under the car a leak will be very obvious with a cold engine , its something to rule out is all .

Struggle to start might mean lots of things , but your mention of the battery suggests the starter is on its way out . Tell us more does it turn over ok but not fire or struggle to turn over but fires when it does ?

just the turn over speed as fireing is normal and my alternator is only a yr old but the batteries are oem parts.Can only be be battery alternator or starter but can a vacuum leak cause this problem as bit of a coincidence they both arrive the same time..

 

[StarCruiser]

Depends on the whistle. I had a whine like a hydraulic machine, made by my Smart car which was the alternator that had split its casing and was rubbing internally. This caused the engine to be laboured at start up. It would be most unusual for a new alternator to give this trouble but worth checking anyway. You could isolate it by removing the belt and trying a start. Also check the alternator spins easily. I would be surprised if it was the starter motor but if it persists after the test start it may be worth removing it and giving it a good clean and inspecting/replacing the contacts but do put the solenoid cover screws back with low strength studlock wont you .

 

[Shayne]

Because its new doesn't necessarily mean a battery is good you may have a short somewhere pulling down the power overnight so it's worth checking with a multi meter first thing in the morning . Age has seen most of us replace or rebuild the starter i think but there's no real need to investigate , i think mine took 4 days to go from lazy to dead and the daily decline in start up made it obvious the starter was the problem .

Sounds like you have separate problems , a leak in the vacuum and an electrical fault .

With regards to the whistle i recall suggesting you check the pcv pipe in an another post ?

 

[tony rodaway]

Depends on the whistle. I had a whine like a hydraulic machine, made by my Smart car which was the alternator that had split its casing and was rubbing internally. This caused the engine to be laboured at start up. It would be most unusual for a new alternator to give this trouble but worth checking anyway. You could isolate it by removing the belt and trying a start. Also check the alternator spins easily. I would be surprised if it was the starter motor but if it persists after the test start it may be worth removing it and giving it a good clean and inspecting/replacing the contacts but do put the solenoid cover screws back with low strength studlock wont you .

thanks for the info and been over my car today and no whistle at high rev when stationery but seems to start when i drive.
my turbo got no symptoms as full power and no smoke but first start up i get white smoke but thats all.
car sounds cool but just wanna find the culprit.

 

[Beau]

The only vacuum stuff that relates to starting is at the back of the intake side. Now if this has failed then it'll leave both flaps closed which could in theory suffocate your engine from air and thus produce a hard start. You can simply test this theory by starting with no throttle applied and with full throttle and see if there is a difference. I kinda doubt this, but worth a try...

White smoke on start up can just be a bit of moisture in the exhaust system

 

[tony rodaway]

The only vacuum stuff that relates to starting is at the back of the intake side. Now if this has failed then it'll leave both flaps closed which could in theory suffocate your engine from air and thus produce a hard start. You can simply test this theory by starting with no throttle applied and with full throttle and see if there is a difference. I kinda doubt this, but worth a try...

White smoke on start up can just be a bit of moisture in the exhaust system

thanks beau.