keita

Hey all, I've got a quick question.

I have a 2004 WRX--completely stock.

Turbo spooling sound has been pretty subtle, but recently,
I can hear it significantly more especially when the motor is cold.
When it warms up, it seems to be pretty subtle again. Has anyone
noticed that with your WRX??

keita

anyone, anything??

moger21

well you really shouldnt be driveing the car if the motor is cold, you sould always let it warm up for like 5 or 10 min. i know with my 04 if im running late for work and i have to drive it when the motor is cold, it doesnt like it, it runs rough :-( and about the spooling im not too sure about that, but just let your car warm up if its colder

freakray

Well, that's a common falacy, otherwise known as an 'old wive's tale'.

Driving the car hard when the engine is cold is a no-no, but it's also not good to let the car sit and idle while you wait for the engine to come up to temperature.
It's better for the engine to be driven easily till warm, it will warm up quicker and will also be better for the car.
In other words, start your car and drive it easily until the engine is warm, the engine will warm up quicker and you won't be hurting it.

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keita

I agree with ya, Ray. Idling the car to "warm" up is a silly idea when driving it is going to warm it up just fine. FYI, I live in Las Vegas, so when I say "cold", it's not Minnesota cold--I'm just saying relatively cold after a start-up. Also, it's like I'm driving it really hard after a start-up either, but I am seeing a trend that when it's relatively cold, turbo spool up is definitely lounder, and then it quiets down.
No ideas from anyone, eh??

keita

I meant to write: I'm NOT driving it hard after a start-up.

Jay!

I didn't know you were in Vegas. You should PM me (since I can't PM you...)

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SabreKhan

Well, this is just theory, but:

Since the turbo was designed to run at temperature, I would assume that it would be engineered to run at its most efficient when it was all the way warmed up. Since sound is caused by vibration, which is in turn caused by friction between the parts of the turbo, one would surmise that the most efficient running of the turbo would cause the least amount of noise. So, when your turbo is cold and running less efficiently, it is creating more friction, thus more noise. When it warms up, it's less loud because it's running more efficiently.

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2004 Impreza WRX (SCCA DS 519)
2000 Saturn SL

scottb2004

well i live in IL and right now, since it's getting to be winter time you can definately hear the turbo when i start driving if the engine isn't warm. but as you said it gets less prevelent when the engine warms up.

keita

OK...so I'm not alone. Khan, I think your explanation is reasonable. I was just wondering since I don't remember hearing the spool so much last winter, but since it's not loud when it gets up to temperature, I was hoping that it's probably fine.

Right_LiRrr

I say, if you've got the money get it checked, if there is something wrong, the more you drive it the more harm it's doing.

scottb2004

or if you have a warranty, you could just beat on it til it broke and get a new whatever that is bad lol. now that's smart lol

Right_LiRrr

hahahahahhaha that's the most stupid logical think i've ever heard of. The downside is, what if you beat on it and it never broke till the warranty was over? hahaha, you'd be so screwed. Even if it didn't break, you'd still have a car that is heavily hooned.