boon4376

Between ~2500-3500RPM's, not accelerating hard, just barely gaining speed & probably boosting a little... The engine has a distinct noise... I can only describe it as cards being shuffled, or like a money counting machine...
My friend thinks it sounds like kids who put cardboard on their bicycles so it flaps in the wheel spokes (but not that loud or intense)

anyone else know what im talking about?

I'm on my second engine already, I hope they've got it installed properly...


second question

When you are sitting still, and pull the car into drive, do you start to hear a very minor buzzing noise that only goes away when you put the car back into park? If im at a drive through and theres a brick wall next to me for the sound to echo, I can hear it well, putting the car in park definitely makes it go away...

This another normal Subaru noise or just me?

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2009 Forester XT Premium

 

pleiad7

They're both perfectly normal. The card shuffling noise you're hearing is wastegate flutter, and the buzzing is the transfer duty solenoid.

2009 Forester XT - Odd Sound
Buzzing noise from AT? - Subaru Forester Owners Forum

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-Silke
04 FXT PP PSM ~ "Subed"
98 Forester S ~ "Slynki"

Blue Fox

Does it have like a slight metallic tapping sound? I have a similar noise as to what you are describing in the EXACT same RPM range. I was paranoid at first (being I just rebuilt my engine), but I recall my old engine doing the exact same noise in the exact same RPM range, so I take it that it's normal for the most part. But when I first heard it, I can only describe it as valve-tapping or valve train noise.

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2004 XT | 4EAT | JOURNAL

btooz

I get that same buzzing noise. The only time I notice it is at a drive through with the car in gear or when standing outside the car while my wife pulls into the garage. I wasn't sure if this was "normal" or not. I've got an '09 XT.

Blue Fox

Turn the car off, but turn the key to accessory so you can shift into drive without the motor running. Will it still make the "buzzing" noise coming from underneath? If so, mine makes the same noise (possibly just normal 4EAT chatter like a pump or something). I've always wondered if others had this noise as well.

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2004 XT | 4EAT | JOURNAL

boon4376

nope no metallic noise

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2009 Forester XT Premium

TSi+WRX

I'm pretty much de-tuned to the noise of the wastegate flutter - that's what happens when you ride around in a "Stage II" LGT all the time. I honestly don't hear it in my wife's '09 FXT.

However, it's not at all unlikely that a newcomer to late-model FI Subarus would pick up on this distinct noise, and I can well remember when I was new to my LGT...I heard that noise and immediately jumped on the Forums to find out what it was, too.

I typically only hear flutter from *inside* the vehicle, but this is actually a pretty good representation of what I think it would sound like, from the outside:

2006 wrx flutter - Car Videos on StreetFire

Time-mark 0:02 to 0:04 and again at 0:15 to 0:18 - you can easily hear it, if you "tune out" the CBE rumble. Notice that the driver's easy on the throttle. Later, when he's on it, hard, that sound isn't present. That's a characteristic of "wastegate flutter," which occurs as the ECU strives for proper boost-control.

Also, a sound like this should *not* be heard during deceleration (when you lift off from boost) - although some aftermarket BOVs will return with a noise like it, typically, a noise akin to this, albeit a bit quicker in tempo and "sharper" sounding, upon decel/lift-throttle is attributable to "compressor surge," and that is an actual problem.

I like my cars to sound mechanical, and have considered "wastegate flutter" to be among the charms of owning an FI Subaru.

I'm gonna miss it, when I support a bigger turbo and go external.

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Me: '05 Legacy 2.5GT
Wifey: '09 Forester XT

Arthrogrian19

Like everyone else has mentioned, it sounds like wastegate flutter. Personally, the sound drives me batty, because I'd rather hear my exhaust. With an upgraded intake and exhaust, I hear many different noises at varying loads and RPMs; WG flutter is predominate around 2500 rpm, under moderate load. Wastegate flutter is a mechanical issue and - unfortunately - the only 100% fixes involve upgrading the wastegate actuator or installing an external wastegate. Some people have had success tightening the actuator arm to increase the pressure required to open the wastegate, but it doesn't sound like a recommended solution. An EWG on a TD04 would be pretty sweet for city driving.

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Forester Registry ● Registry Sign-Up ● Ian's '08 FSXT

mcliu

Does the Waste Gate flutter noise only occur in the Forester XT? Do non-turbo Foresters have this noise? Just curious. I have an '07 XT which I bought last month and like the OP mentioned, shuffling cards is exactly what it sounds like.

I've owned an '06 WRX wagon and an '05 LGT wagon and never noticed this Waste Gate flutter noise....at least it was not as noticeable compared to the Forester.

TSi+WRX

Non-turbo vehicles should not see this specific noise, as they do not utilize a turbo/wastegate.

I can't tell you of the '06 Rex wagon, but I know from my personal experience on my '05 LGT that this noise did not become apparent until after I'd switched the factory airbox for a Perrin Short Ram, and wasn't truly cabin-intrusive until I'd "gone 'Stage II.'" With the Legacy, there's a lot of sound-deadening, and that could well squelch this concern.

With my wife's '04 WRX (4EAT sedan), I honestly never heard this noise.

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Me: '05 Legacy 2.5GT
Wifey: '09 Forester XT

stinhambo

It would be quite impressive if you could see any noise...

onelostsoldier

IMO, i think it happens more so with aftermarket intake/exhaust parts. i had an 05 wrx and have an 05 xt now. happened on both and way more distinctive after new dp and intake parts and the snorkus delete.

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05 CR FXT LTD STG II
-Suck it Trebek-

TSi+WRX

^ Definitely.


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I can see sounds!!!!

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Me: '05 Legacy 2.5GT
Wifey: '09 Forester XT

wordsarize

yea i have this sound too... n noticed it after i installed my cobb dp... gets pretty loud only when under load n goin into boost.. i thought it was an exhaust leak.. but i guess its wg flutter...

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2005 Aspen White Forester XT 5MT - Stage 2

ckirkwood9

I took my 07 forester xt sport with manual trans (and 36k miles on it) to the dealer for this issue TODAY, they told me that it's the fork that pushes the throwout bearing away from the clutch. Apparently at around 2500 to 3500 rpms, the fork vibrates. depressing the clutch puts pressure on the fork (as it's moving the throwout bearing/clutch) and the noise stops.

He said it's just normal wear and nothing to worry about (though i find this hard to believe - I'd think that anything vibrating like that is going to cause premature wear)

anyway - there ya have it... the dealer's word on it.