I have an issue with my ford flex, I just had the turbo replaced at the dealer and now there is an issue with it making a sound as the turbo starts. Dealer said it has nothing to do with the turbo. Is there any turbo experts out here?

 

First we need to define EXPERT !

An expert is one who knows practically everything about almost nothing at all.


I might come close, but , what kind of sound do you hear, can you kinda provide some description because different problems yield different sounds

Did the dealer offer what he thought was causing the new sound?

 

In June, I was driving home about 1.5 hours from my house and I had smoke coming out from the backside of my car. I seen there was a little oil drip so I took it to the nearest, best reviews, shop by and left my car there. They called me on the following Monday and said I had a rear seal leak, needed a rear crankshaft seal replacement. They replaced it two weeks later, they had to take the car apart to get to it. I picked up the car, drove it 1 mile to turn around and drop it back off. It was smoking even worse, x 10 times. They checked out the car weeks later to say they had a faulty seal. Then their mechanic was in an accident so another had to work on my car. Replaced the seal, suggested as long as they are in there to do a water pump replacement. So I agreed and had that done also. Week later I picked up my car, I drove it home the 1.5 hours, for my car to explode in smoke at a stop light 1 mile from my home. I pulled over, leaks everywhere. I drove it home, parked and called them and left a message. The following Monday they told me to take to a local ford dealer, by now it is July. I had it towed to the ford dealer in Hastings, told them this story gave them the paper work. They checked out my car and said the fins in my turbo had been torn apart, out of coolant. Question 1. Do they need to remove the turbo or the coolant for the turbo to get to the rear main seal or the water pump? Hastings ford replaced my turbo, looked over my car. Week later I picked it up, to drive it the next day to have the turbo not working and making noise. I took it back to the Hastings Ford, week later they called me and said it was a bad Turbo. Yes, we are in Oct now. I picked my car up yesterday, yes 3-31 -2023. My turbo has been replaced, but now there is a noise from the front right when the turbo kicks in. The Hasting Ford told me that is a new issue, not an issue to do with the turbo replacement. Question 2. If I had an issue with the turbo replacement would it make a swishing noise on the drivers side front end?? I am reaching out to the first shop to ask if they can help me with these issues. I have put on maybe 250 miles since July. The miles only had been to take it home. Ugg... I need help in understanding if the Turbo Issues could be related to the first shops faulty work? They said no, not possible. Hastings Ford does not want to get involved but said there was no coolant for the turbo causing the fins to look like they did. My car is still smoking and making noises now and Hastings Ford washed their hands of me. ANY one.. please help. I really want to know what happened.

 

What color is the smoke coming out of the exhaust?
White, blue or black. Each color can point to the system with the problem.
Have you looked under the hood to see if anything doesn't look right? Did the coolant or engine oil level go down any?
These are the things we would check if we were there.
Can you create the noise you hear if someone raises the engine speed ,parked, and you have the hood open ?
Where would you say the noise is loudest? Just don't be standing in front of the vehicle when you do this.

 

the smoke color is a blue. They stated under the hood it fine, they would have to take my car apart again to figure out what is wrong. This time around no, the coolant and/or engine oil levels are not down. They checked all that. The noise only happens when I am driving, and when I believe the turbo kicks in. It is almost like a hose hissing sound for a moment than stops. It comes and goes as I change speed.

 

If you are getting blue smoke, that is oil. Many times places will change a turbo , but fail to insure the drain from the turbo is not obstructed. If the oil can't drain it floods the intake with oil..

The other thing that should be checked is the turbo output air tubing and clamps securing the hoses. If one is loose it will allow the air under pressure to go out through the loose connection and can produce unusual noises..

There is an intercooler , between the turbo output and intake manifold that should be checked, it could be full with oil from the faulty turbo that was removed and will need to be cleaned/drained if necessary.