I just test-drove a 98 FD and it made a sort of quiet whistling sound during normal driving. Is this normal?

 

My intake sometimes make a whistling noise. I think you need to tell us more about the car.

 

I'm pretty sure it's a stock engine with a boost controller. AFAIK. It wasnt mind-blowingly fast or anything.

But it may have a BOV and it has a huge can muffler but it sounds pretty good.

The engine takes a good four or five revolutions to start though. Maybe that's just a rotary thing...

 

Also the transmission seemed a little stiff... Didn't have a chance to do a full-throttle shift to see if it was bad, but it makes me wonder how many miles it's got left.

How smooth is a normal (or rebuilt) FD transmission? And would a short shifter (very possible) make it any notchier?

 

Does it have a stock air filter or some kind of aftermarket drop-in replacement?

 

It had dual washable bolt-on filters. Which were actually pretty filthy... needed to be washed. But my FC has a KN and the noise it made was more of a loud growl or hiss. I would have thought a whistling noise when out of boost would have to do with a wastegate or something...

 

Out of curiosity, what experience do you have with sports cars / fast cars?
The reason I ask is a 98 FD is pretty quick really.

Unless you have experience in some serious machines i find it odd that you didnt feel the car was fast and leads me to believe it may have some problems. Perhaps the lack of power and "whistling" sound you describe are related.

A 98 FD should be able to get to 100kmph in under 5 seconds which is pretty quick! (well 4.8 secs or something according to official specs, not saying you would get that in real world conditions -but yea)

 

It was fast of course, about as fast as I would expect. But the speed limit here is 50 (although you can get away with 80), and I could only go full throttle for a second or so, I couldn't wind it out on account of being a technically illegal test drive (Japanese inspection laws)... and I think it was in second or third gear. Also considering the size of the muffler I didn't want to attract too much attention.

I used to have a CBR600, which is my definition of fast.

Strangely when I was in the passenger seat of a newer Corolla Levin (4AGE powered), it seemed faster, but we did go to 100...lol

I'm probably not going to buy this particular FD because I can't afford it (drive-home cost is almost $11,000) and it's not really all that clean, the steering wheel is too tight against my legs, it has a crash record, and was clearly owned by a drifter or something. And the giant wing and aero mirrors have a fake carbon pattern...uggh.

And it's got cheap tires (Nankang).

 

FWIW, this is the car.

http://www.goo-net.com/usedcar/sprea...110223001.html

I'm wondering if the seam on the bumper and hood is just a poorly fitting body kit or if it's due to damage of some sort (the car was hit on the left front corner).