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Agarbers · 08-31-2021, 03:03 PM

We just bought a new to us 2013 Winnebago Vista 27N with a Ford V10 Triton engine. On long grades going up hill the engine makes a while/howl/whistle at roughly 4000 rpms. To me, it sounds like an air noise. As soon as the transmission shifts up and the engine rpms drop it stops. It only seems to happen when the engine is warm and working hard to get up a long hill, such as going from Ash Ford to Williams, AZ or going from Pine to the top of the rim. I have looked under the hood and I see an open hole on the air filter housing which seems like should be going to something else or capped. If I was going out soon I would put some duct tape over it and see if the noise stops.
I do not feel a loss of power and nothing is getting hot on the gages.
Anyone have this problem before?

scbwr · 08-31-2021, 07:57 PM

If you can't diagnose what the problem is, then take it to a repair shop that works on trucks and have it checked out. Better to do that than risk causing damage. And the hole you are referring to looks like the air intake on the air filter housing. I wouldn't block it with tape...it will cause the engine to shut down!

CC38EL · 08-31-2021, 08:18 PM

That hole you're referencing feeds about 1/3 of your air filter. It might be the source of the whine/howl, but you do not want to cap that off. You would be restricting the air flow on your engine and the V10 loves air!

This engine is loud and noisy everywhere. I may never understand why but I found I can live with it.

Falconeer189 · 08-31-2021, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Agarbers

We just bought a new to us 2013 Winnebago Vista 27N with a Ford V10 Triton engine. On long grades going up hill the engine makes a while/howl/whistle at roughly 4000 rpms. To me, it sounds like an air noise. As soon as the transmission shifts up and the engine rpms drop it stops. It only seems to happen when the engine is warm and working hard to get up a long hill, such as going from Ash Ford to Williams, AZ or going from Pine to the top of the rim. I have looked under the hood and I see an open hole on the air filter housing which seems like should be going to something else or capped. If I was going out soon I would put some duct tape over it and see if the noise stops.
I do not feel a loss of power and nothing is getting hot on the gages.
Anyone have this problem before?

The noise you hear is a characteristic of a V-10 fan clutch engaging during hard pulls. First time I heard it on an earlier coach I bought new, it was very concerning. A trip to the nearest Ford truck garage rid me of my concern. Enjoy your new purchase and get used to the fan clutch noise.

Hikerdogs · 09-01-2021, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CC38EL

That hole you're referencing feeds about 1/3 of your air filter. It might be the source of the whine/howl, but you do not want to cap that off. You would be restricting the air flow on your engine and the V10 loves air!

This engine is loud and noisy everywhere. I may never understand why but I found I can live with it.

If your engine is noisy to the point you can't carry on a conversation in a normal tone of voice it may be time to add some insulation to the dog house. We have a 2013 Winnebago Adventurer with the same engine and don't have a noise problem. The dog house has thick foil faced insulation from the factory.

Some manufacturers use little or no insulation under the fiberglass housing resulting in a noisy and hot cabin area. Over the years there have been several threads where people have added insulation and minimized the noise and heat.

sbleiweiss · 09-01-2021, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Falconeer189

The noise you hear is a characteristic of a V-10 fan clutch engaging during hard pulls. First time I heard it on an earlier coach I bought new, it was very concerning. A trip to the nearest Ford truck garage rid me of my concern. Enjoy your new purchase and get used to the fan clutch noise.

This is my understanding too. Ours has the same whistle at high rpms climbing a grade. If I back off the throttle it stops.

donr103 · 09-01-2021, 08:53 AM

Knowing ford like I do.. bet there was a hose with short elbow on it.. that dampened the noise.. I most likely did not attach to anything just bent down.. po. Just forgot to put back or pitched.. but as too insulation.. yes add.. about 20 boxes.. go with as thick as you can with aluminum foil face.. just don't do the hatch.. use your cell phone with camera and flash and record up under dog house and eng bay.. do same under dash.. do same under hood.. you will find none.. why.. because you would add 200,000.00 to the sticker price.. so add it yourself or pay a good stereo shop to add it.. but if you do it all.. following instructions.. big difference.. good luck and keep us posted

donr103 · 09-01-2021, 08:55 AM

Oh.. just look up automotive sound deadner.. on Amazon.. so many choices

twinboat · 09-01-2021, 09:13 AM

If you have a OBD II reader ( ScanGauge II ), you can watch the engine coolant temp climb. Just before it gets its highest, the fan clutch locks in and the howl like a jet starts.

TeJay · 09-01-2021, 09:53 AM

Several have mentioned the fan clutch. Yes it might be your cause of noise but when they engage one can definitely hear added noise as well as air rushing in. Not only have I driven RVs but also school buses and one can absolutely know when a fan clutch engages. The RV we currently have has only engaged the fan clutch 2 times in 45,000+ miles. No the engine does not run hot if my SCAN Gauge is correct which I believe it is.

As far as the noise. First of all know you now know that 2" hole is an air inlet for 25% of your air filter. I know not why but when you change your air filter you'll see a wall of plastic separating the left 75% of your air filter and the other 25% is being fed air from that 2" hole. While you're looking at the air filter notice the difference in how dirty the 75% side is as opposed to the drivers 25%. The difference is night and day. That tells me very little air is being ingested into that 25% side of the air filter. Nobody has yet been able to explain to me why For did this. I'm sure there's a good reason from their perspective at least.

Often times changing the length of a tube creating noise, can be adjusted or eliminated by changing the length or size of the tube. We all know this because that's exactly how wind instruments, flutes, whistles etc work.

There's a thread devoted to how the V-10 air box air flow can be improved. That might change the noise level enough to make it worth some time.

I added some PVC tubing and have funnels now forcing air into both sides of the air filter. It also stopped any chance of water getting into the intake as was happening before the air box was improved. My noise level is very tolerable when we climb hills.

The Air box was modified probably 20,000 miles ago and so far nothing has changed. At least I know I'm using 100% of my air filter.