I know my turbo oil seals have been shot for a while but I have been driving it on the weekends anyways. So now it would be after 15-25 minutes of hard driving their would be a high pitch howl...like a siren or a train getting on its brakes. It;s coming from the turbo area and you can hear it at idle (my idle flucuates from 800 to 1200)

The sound can be heard accelerating in 2nd 3rd and 4th but mostly it is the loudest when I take my foot off the accelerator.

What would cause my turbo to scream??

btw stock S4 turbo 12lbs of boost 105k miles 3.5" dp and exhaust.

 

Bearings are dead.

If you knew the seals were shot why did you continue to drive it?

 

Sounds like failed bearings allowing a wheel to touch a housing. Remove the TID and turn the shaft by hand. It should spin freely with no contact, but I don't think it will...

 

is your turbo getting oil?

 

yes it gets oil. I drive it 15 miles a week and I knew I was getting a new turbo so I didnt really care...but I will park it so I dont blow up the motor.

 

That is exactly the noise mine made for about a month prior to the turbo letting go. It is a bearing noise and it will only get worse. Mine broke the shaft one night while on the I-495 beltway around DC. It left a smoke trail for about 3/4 of a mile until I could get off the road. The engine was ok, but it ran through a lot of oil in a short time due to dumping it directly into the hot side of the turbo.

 

Yes, don't drive it until you fix this.

 

thanks guys I am trying to pick up a used s4 turbo for now to hold me over until I get a big upgraded one.

 

The classic "siren of death".

If you catch it early, a bearing kit will fix it.

 

not worth it for a stock turbo.