Guys,
I am hearing a higher pitch sound above idle speeds and would like to diagnose. (fluid level low?)
Many thanks
I need more info, does it change in pitch/tone as the RPM's increase, and does it go away at any particular RPM.
What does the belt look like, pay close attention to the ribbed side of the belt look for any missing ribs or frayed edges?
If I had to guess I would look at the idler pulley and the bypass hose located under the blower. The idler pulley will make noise before they go out and if it is vibrating it may show up as abnormal wear of the belt. The bypass hose if it has a hole in it could cause a whistle at a specific rpm range, loss of performance and hi or abnormal idle conditions.
Some CTSC tips:
If you do not know if it has been changed you should change the bypass hose with the updated rigid pipe available from CT Engineering, Keep a spare belt in your trunk for the blower as a spare in case the belt should break while you are on a trip. Anyone can change the belt but very few places will have one in stock. The idler pulleys really do not fail that much, but they do fail. Dave's tensioner looks to help with belt slip and that can mean longer belt life. Check your belt tension and blower oil level at every engine oil change. Depending on the year of your CTSC, the intakes are a little different and can have issues with the O-Ring seal on the bottom of the blower to the top of the intake; this is rare and would only be likely to show up if the unit was recently disassembled.
You can tell a lot about the condition of the blower by monitoring a boost gauge while you drive and noting peak boost pressure. If you see peaks in the 3-5psi range you have a leak or belt slip. If you see peaks in the 5.5-6.5 psi you are running normal boost levels for a 7lb CTSC, if you are making more than 7 psi then you have a CTSC Hi-Boost pulley and better make sure you have all the other supporting mods in place or you may be asking for problems.
Since the CTSC was on the car when you got it a dyno check of the boost levels and AFR may not be a bad idea and would make the diagnostic process a safe and easy process, much safer than having your friend ride in the engine compartment to listen for the sound or watch a boost gauge.
Dave
