So who knows about superchargers?? Ever since having my exige S I have not been happy with noises from the engine.
I have pretty much accepted its tappety but I am convinced the supercharger does not sound right, I will try to explain what I mean.
Basically most of the time I get a nice superchager whine but at certain revs usually higher up the rev range it becomes a very nasty sound, almost like a loose heat shield resonating at certain frequencys, it also makes the noise when lifting off the power. The lotus engineer said it was called harmonicer…ing and was quite normal, however he said a few things I have found not to be true on the day so I am not buying it until I have proof its fine.
I am an engineer myself but dont know anything about cars, however I know what sounds normal and what dosnt and this to me just sounds wrong.
They had to replace the charger belt at 2.5k due to it whineing like an alternator on tickover, however the new belt started whineing within a week (on tickover I better add) and now I have a loud ticking all the time I am driving it (its booked in again for this).
So does this sound normal? I know quite a few guys have superchargers and exige S’s on here so what are yours like?
I cant seem to be able to get a go in another exige S but listening to them on video’s non of them sound like mine does.
Also I keep getting a noise like there is no oil in the car on initial cold startup, like a knocking then quickly settling down, could it be fooked bearings on my supercharger due to a badly tesnsioned belt from new?
Bolton, I meet up with quite a few guys off here regular, however I am afraid they all have ghay S1’s
Seriously though we dont have any S owners I know off locally they are all S1’s or NA S2’s.
Does your car make noises similar to those I am describing?
Boothy,
My S has had a few faults - gearbox etc, but the start from cold sounds fine, you could be mistaken in thinking that it did not have a SC until you get the revs up. The only worrying sound is when burbling down to about 2000rpm I get a resonating sound - undertray or exhaust.
I live south of Solihull, if you don’t get any closer offers, happy to meet up somewhere south of Stoke.
Boothy,
My S has had a few faults - gearbox etc, but the start from cold sounds fine, you could be mistaken in thinking that it did not have a SC until you get the revs up. The only worrying sound is when burbling down to about 2000rpm I get a resonating sound - undertray or exhaust.
I live south of Solihull, if you don’t get any closer offers, happy to meet up somewhere south of Stoke.
Cheers HT, its interesting what you say about not knowing about having a charger until higher up as like I said in my first post I have always had the whine like your alternator is on its way out at around 1k revs, this was cured for a matter of a few days after fitting a new belt but now its back again.
I am guessing your resonance is just a loose undertray bolt? my old 111s used to slacken its own bolts and I had to tighten them every couple of months or so (usually the two bigger ones in the centre).
First off if your new belt is squealing replace it with one size smaller and if that doesn’t fix it have the tensioner replaced, I did on my car… Double check to see if the vacuum hose to the bypass valve is connected to the intake manifold…if It whines with no load the bypass valve is not working, keeping the engine under boost at all times…
Hard to hear it while typing but check that your shifter cables and parking brake cable is not bouncing off the engine undertray…again double check the bypass valve on the blower…
Also do you have a soports exhaust? if yes they are known to crack giving all sorts of funny buzzing tizzing noises.
Yes I have a sports exhaust but it was only just fitted and the noise has been happening since new so not related.
So it does seem what I am saying is not normal, I am hoping someone locally can meet up or I will need to go see a specialist for advice I think…
My car (S) sounds like a paint tin full of washers all the time!
My supercharger “whine” isn’t apparent at all until above about 5k rpm, but I also get the “loose heat shield” type noises when lifting off and sometimes when trolling around town etc. Another thing I have noticed is when charging between corners at high revs, when I lift off to apply the brakes, the engine gives a momentary “shove and a lurch” as if it is still driving on itself?
I had put all these things down to the engineering of the car being a bit kit car-ish (IMHO all the clever stuff on this car has gone into the chassis/steering etc - the rest is pants).
Oh and before I get slated for “dissing” the car, I am just off into the garage to try and resolve my leaking roof and bootspace
I am with Exigeboy - I will ignore it all, keep a check on oil/coolant levels, rag the ar5e off it and if it goes bang - revert to the warranty?