Yes, it vibrates. And can be loud. You can put you hand on the end of the sound generator, unclip the end near the cowl and see if you can feel any vacuum under boost. Its just vibrates and creates noise as normal when you throttle up the boost, so you should feel it vibrate but not such much air, just like a speaker. I am trying the narrow down where the leaks are.

 

ECS tuning:
The noise is like the cabin heater blower has gone to full speed if that helps. It starts as boost builds to approx. 2 psi, then suddenly goes away and boost goes no higher than 2 psi.
Knowing where the leaks typically are would be a great help, thanks.
By the cowl, do you mean the part off to the top right of your photo. If so, what you are saying is, if the diaphragm is leaking, then if I put my hand over the sound generator opening and can feel suction when revving the engine, then that is the problem.

 

ok, i would go through the whole turbo pipe system and listen for sucking noises. Loose clamp, damaged intercooler, then check out the diaphragm on that sound tube. Yes its near the cowl and its a sound producer, not a vacuum.

 

ECS tuning:
I have spoken with a work colleague who also has a cooper s (2009), and he does not get this wind noise on hard accel under load.
As the noise is coming from the bulkhead area, that is where I shall start. As I understand this noise generator, one end tees into the tube entering the inlet manifold. (left side per the photo). So the generator sees both vacuum and boost pressure. The other end, right side , attaches to another tube that goes to the cowl.
With the engine running, (idling) if I squirt WD40 around the generator connections and other hose connections, I should get a temporary rise in engine evs as there will be vacuum, right?, or is this a no no.
You mention previous to remove the right side connection to the cowl and feel for vacuum under boost. Surely, under no load, there is no boost pressure, just vacuum?. Please forgive my ignorance on this sound generator, but based on what you are saying, this unit has a diaphragm that vibrates. I am assuming one side of the diaphragm sees inlet manifold pressure, the other side sees atmosphere. There is no opening in this diaphragm. It vibrates and the noise goes up the cowl. Am I right so far?. Is this acting as a white noise generator to cover the turbo noise?. So if as you mentioned previously that this diaphragm has a split, that could explain why I get the noise and loss of boost.

 

Yes, you have it, watch when you test for leaks, be very light with the spray.

The diaphragm is just a feeback noise as without it and a closed factory intake, no modes , there is not much whooshing noise.

 

"no modes"?

 

I think he means mods, ie turbo to intercooler delete livens up turbo noise, open cone filter, etc.

Have you checked to make sure the turbo inlet pipe isn't broke? Mine split right at the connection to the turbo, made one hell of a improvement in the turbo whoosh department, but allowed unmetered air to get sucked in. Never threw a code, drove it for about a week before I decided to check it out

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...rbo-broke.html

 

No mods. This is a stock S with 74000 miles on it. Will check out the turbo inlet tube you mention.

 

WE HAVE JOY!
My first post mentioned that when replacing the crappy stock turbo oil supply line I had put the vehicle into radiator service mode. In the Bentley manual, it said to disconnect both of the inter cooler hoses, something I later found to not be necessary. It turns out the hot side had pulled away from the inter cooler. I have pushed back on and tightened with everything snug. Cold side is good. Test drove and I had boost up to 13 psi.
I have learnt the following:
I know how to install the diverter valve. Took about 30 mins....yes you will need a 5mm extended Allen key on a socket. I now have a spare valve.
The scangauge was a good purchase as I now have what this vehicle should have as standard as gauges, i.e., water coolant temp, battery voltage, boost is nice. Will get around to oil pressure at some point.
This noise maker/generator is just another possible leak path for air.I now see why people remove and plug the connection.
Thanks to all who contributed. You were a great help!

 

Great! I'm surprised it didn't throw a boost implausibility code. When I blew an intercooler tube off I got a code within seconds.

 

Cap it off close to the induction tube. Did you remove the turbo muffler? Did you check the in/out connections on your intetcooler. Is your recirc valve working? The air mass metet cantbbe cleaned to my knowledge. They csn be found online for cheaper than the dealer. Replace with oem only. Its stamped on the unit. Replace your plugs.

 

danraabe.
Problem was as a result of the hot side connection to the intercooler coming loose. This has been corrected. Problem solved.
Thank you.

 

Good detective work. Good job!