My 04 r53 now has almost 70k miles on it, and I haven't had any problems. IN the past 2k miles Ive installed a custom exhaust, DDM intake, a new ignition coil, and a DDM intercooler air diverter. But recently under hard acceleration at around 4k RPM a very strange metallic whine sounds from the passenger side of the engine compartment. I just received my 17% pulley and new serpentine belt. Before I install them could this sound be the supercharger going out? Should I take it out and service it? Help!

 

Aftermarket intakes tend to amplify that supercharger whine which would also amplify any noises indicating a problem. Metallic sounds are definitely a symptom of a dying supercharger but it could just be that your ears are adjusting to the louder and more detailed sound you get with the aftermarket intake. Being heard on the the passenger side though indicates your hearing signs of a dying supercharger which is a little early for a stock pulley 70k mile car. You could try an engine stethoscope on the nose of the supercharger and see if you here any grinding or abnormal sounds at idle.

Good luck

 

If you don't have a stethoscope you can stick the metal end of a big screwdriver onto the supercharger (not near the belt/moving parts) and put your ear to the handle to listen for grinding sounds. Then you can have a buddy punch the gas in neutral and listen again. I tend to agree that you might just be getting used to hearing the supercharger better. I can't imagine what a metal whine sounds like though. Difficult to diagnose without hearing for myself.

 

Thanks guys. Its definately different from the SC whine, after installing the intake I drove around all day with the windows down just drinking in the sound lol. This is similar but a lot harsher. Its hard to describe. I just went and checked it out, and it doesn't sound like its grinding in the SC, but I did notice my upper engine mount (the little rubber one, not the fluid filled) was reallly cracked and the rubber boots on my IC horns are very cracked on the passenger side. Ill hopefully get a better look at the SC when I install the new pulley. Is there a how-to on here for servicing the SC? Even if its not going bad it might not be a bad idea for me to change out the gaskets and oil and not have to spend 1500 bucks on a new one in the future! From what I can see of the SC now though there are no oil stains on the outside of it, and it seems to be running smooth. It is normal for the SC to get very hot at idle though correct?

 

The how too: it seems fairly involved.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ge-how-to.html

 

The whole front end needs to come off if you service your S/C and replace the oil.

 

+1 on the involved part

It is not really hard to do as much as it is time consuming. It takes a lot of time and patience and a lot can go wrong in a supercharger service in the procees of disassembly and assembly. The supercharger does get fairly hot and the supercharger horns definitely get hot. You said your intercooler boots were cracked...this can produce a hell of a noise and boost loss if not taken care of. When a boot is leaking on the passenger side you basically have an open hole between the supercharger and intercooler which can produce a horrible sound. I had a boot let go on the track creating a huge crack once and it soundded like someone dropped a bolt in my supercharger.

 

Thanks for all the advice guys! Yeah looking at the how too it looks a bit over my pay grade. I ordered some new IC boots from WMW so hopefully that will fix the problem. Ill just take it easy till then. So glad this forum exists!