Why is the PSDs turbo louder than the IDI?

[nicksorenson]

I always hear PowerStrokes whining pretty darn loud. I can't hardly hear my IDIs turbo at all. Just wondering?

 

[6 Nebraska IDIs]

They are significantly bigger, thats why.

 

[Rob94F250]

Higher boost pressure as well? (20-25 PSI vs. 10 PSI)

 

[FordGuy100]

Is your trucks exhaust stock? If it is get under it and take out that muffler, the turbo does a good enough job reducing the exhaust noise. You will get better turbo whistle that way.

 

[BROWNIEBOY525]

the stock down pipe and turbo housing really chokes these truck too. you may want to look into the updated housing and down pipe + a good free flowing exhaust that will make it whine

 

[Michael Fowler]

Actually, I think the increased noise of a PSD has more to do with DI vs IDI. In our IDI engines, the initial combustion ( explosion) begins in the pre-combustion chambers which muffle the sound quite a bit. In the PSD, the entire combustion process takes place right in the cylinder.

 

[Agnem]

Having both, I think I can fairly say that "it doesn't have to be louder". As was already mentioned, there are certainly design differences that will amount to some difference in noise. In my case, both my turbo IDI's are manuals, and do not have to turn near the R's to get moving as opposed to the PSD that will move like a slug up a hill turning 2K with the trans slipping away because you can't make 35MPH to get it to lock up. Most of the noise from a stock PSD comes from under the hood. You don't get any turbo whistle out of the exhaust, and what you do hear either comes from the turbo itself, or out of the air intake. With both IDI's running no muffler, I can hear the turbo way better than on the PSD. Granted, apples to apples and stock to stock, the PSD is louder, but the other possible explaination is turbo blade design. The noise a turbo makes is actually a result of its inefficiency. The rougher the edge of the blades the more noise its going to make. Since the PSD turbo does produce more boost, I suspect it is spinning a bit faster most of the time by comparison also.

 

[tonkadoctor]

Having both, I think I can fairly say that "it doesn't have to be louder". As was already mentioned, there are certainly design differences that will amount to some difference in noise. In my case, both my turbo IDI's are manuals, and do not have to turn near the R's to get moving as opposed to the PSD that will move like a slug up a hill turning 2K with the trans slipping away because you can't make 35MPH to get it to lock up. Most of the noise from a stock PSD comes from under the hood. You don't get any turbo whistle out of the exhaust, and what you do hear either comes from the turbo itself, or out of the air intake. With both IDI's running no muffler, I can hear the turbo way better than on the PSD. Granted, apples to apples and stock to stock, the PSD is louder, but the other possible explaination is turbo blade design. The noise a turbo makes is actually a result of its inefficiency. The rougher the edge of the blades the more noise its going to make. Since the PSD turbo does produce more boost, I suspect it is spinning a bit faster most of the time by comparison also.

Either you're towing loaded semi trailers at 40,000 lbs or something ain't right with your PSD if you can't get above 35 uphill with a load on. My 2000 7.3 NEVER dropped below 60 going uphill even when I scaled out at 20k lbs going through the Ozarks on I-44 and at 16,000 lbs running I-77 from NC to Ohio. And would accelerate uphill from 0 to at least 60 pulling the same loads uphill. The 6.0 does even better.

You are right though. Noise really doesn't mean anything and does nothing for power.

 

[Agnem]

I don't think I explained it very well. The speed limit is 30. It's a steep hill. With my IDI's I can all but idle up that hill, while the Excursion sounds like it's trying to make a mountain out of a molehill. That's the problem with a transmission that shifts based more on speed then load.

 

[haywire]

i dunno what mine sounds like from outside the cab, but inside the cab it makes a helluva lot more noise than my 96 psd ever did.

 

[tonkadoctor]

I don't think I explained it very well. The speed limit is 30. It's a steep hill. With my IDI's I can all but idle up that hill, while the Excursion sounds like it's trying to make a mountain out of a molehill. That's the problem with a transmission that shifts based more on speed then load.

That makes sense.

Had me scratching my head trying to figure out what was wrong because with both the former 7.3 and now the 6.0 towing my 8k TT I just set the cruise at 63 and ride never dropping below 60 even on the big long grades.

 

[icanfixall]

Tonka... Don't you just love those cruise controls.... Like Ron Popiel says.... Set it and forget it.....

 

[Dsl_Dog_Treat]

Put a RDT venturi in the exhaust stream and see what the ole IDI sounds like.

 

[tonkadoctor]

Tonka... Don't you just love those cruise controls.... Like Ron Popiel says.... Set it and forget it.....

I can't live without it and refuse to drive my wifes Taco, except for emergency, because it doesn't have it.

Set it, Forget it and watch the same cars pass me over and over on long trips.

Back on topic. If you want to hear the turbo scream you have to let it breath. Open Tymar type intake and exhaust. Sounds cool but it does get old after a while, especially on long trips.

Doesn't help fuel economy either because you like smashing the gas to hear it.... Don't ask me how I know.

FWI, the PSD is a completely different animal and if you are trying to compare an IDI to the PSD you are comparing apples to oranges, they are 2 completely different engines and almost nothing swaps between the two. You are much better off making the best of what you have and not worry about what somebody else has or you may be disappointed.