Whining noise (like supercharger sound)

[SkylineDriven]

I have a Redtop and lately I have been getting a whining noise when the turbo starts to spool. It USED to only do it at 10 psi. Then a week later, it started at 7 psi. Earlier this week it started at 4 psi and now it starts making the whining noise when the the vacuum gets right before zero, and it starts to boost.

It is not my blow-off valve, hot pipe, boost controller, boost gauge, or vacuum hoses. I have checked all those already.

Please help.

My car is running on stock SMIC and has an HKS wastegate actuator. I also do not have A/C connected and do not have a P/S pulley connected yet.

[Nismo_Freak]

Sounds like the turbo is about to go out.

Check it for shaft play.

[SkylineDriven]

I don't think there is shaft play. When I put the turbo on less than a month ago, there was no shaft play. That does not mean that something could not have suddenly broke though.

I got the turbo from a guy on this board.. I think his name is [GoaTSLong] . If his turbo went bad I will be severely pissed since he promised it was working well when he sold it to me and when I got it, there wasn't any shaft play so I just took it like that and used it.

If the turbo DOES go out. Can I just still drive my car? Right now I'm driving it and not letting it boost at all. Is it possible to drive with a blown/broken turbo until I can afford to replace it?

Also, what other suggestions could a supercharger sound come from besides a turbo going out?

[Dori Dori]

Take the turbo out and bring it to a local turbo repair/rebuilding shop and have them tell you what's exactly wrong with it.

[SkylineDriven]

So you guys think it is the turbo and not anything else?

Also I noticed today that whenever I start to boost (I've been trying not to, but occasionally, I will accidently hit 1 psi), I start smelling a strong smell of fuel. Maybe that will help diagnose better.

[SkylineDriven]

Bump for more suggestions. It really is highly unlikely a turbo would just all of a sudden die, especially since it ran perfectly when I first put it on not too long ago.

[dj_lennon_franz]

get a really LONG screw driver...butt it up on the turbo...put yer ear to the screw driver...u should be able to hear whats goin on in the turbo...i dont recommend doing this with a small screw driver unless u wanna cook one side of yer face...but it sounds like a turbo issue...it is ALWAYS recommended that you rebuild a turbo before you put it on yer car if its used...the only way a turbo can be check for problems correctly is to take it to a turbo shop...it doesnt matter if there is shaft play or not...theres no way u can actually check the insides...something internall could be shot which could be causing the wheel to not spin correctly...your best bet is to have a turbo shop look at it