Can diesels sound good?

[somynameiswhat]

BMW's I6 diesels sound nice idling IMO, but it depends on what you think. I personally really like the I6 diesel as they have a nice, grunting type noise at all RPM's. Audi's V6 TDI sounds very similar but hasn't got the deep throb that the BMW I6 has. Volvos D5 sound very good, they don't sound too good at idle but once they get moving they have a great noise.

Range rovers TDV8 sound very good and the same goes for Audi's equivalent.

VW's V10 TDI has a great sound, has a monstrous sound when it's picking up speed.

The Audi/BMW/Mercedes/VAG 4cyl diesels aren't too great sounding, I think most people agree with that, but VAG have really refined the 4cyl. I recently had the 2.0tdi engine in a hire car and it was smooth for a 4cyl. I believe the BMW one isn't as smooth out of them all.

Scania's V8 on the other hand: http://youtu.be/3CQ9_FlrvHs

[glasgowrob]

those vw/audi 3l tdi lumps sound decent when allowed to breath


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o6E9CPhZL4

[edo]

The Vambo said:

edo said:

My wife has a twin turbo V8 Diesel in the Cayenne. Sounds great - nice woofle esp. when it starts.. 850nm (more than a P1) and 385bhp. Goes ok too...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5gq_-ErTQA

Like it but 850NM is less than a P1.

I think they mean the P1 engine without the electric motor, not sure!

[e21Mark]

ZX10R NIN said:

V8 or V6 diesels can sound good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzU7HqhkyYs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WN0Zc2CaYYU

Must admit they sound way better than I was expecting.

[RemyMartin]

I think the Jag V6 diesel in my Cit sounds good but not the last word in aural perfection nor is it a clattery din.

[ORD]

e21Mark said:

Must admit they sound way better than I was expecting.

Same here. Meh rather than horrid. But meh isn't that a high a hurdle!

[TheInternet]

somynameiswhat said:

BMW's I6 diesels sound nice idling

And have always sounded remarkably similar to BR Class 165's aka Chiltern Turbos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2p25WBMeAA

[Gilhooligan]

You can just make out the fact that the engine in my father's VW Crafter van is a 5 pot. Not a particularly good noise though. Better than a 4 pot I guess.

[The original Nick the Greek]

No.

Listen to an Audi R18 TDI.

Whoever thought up a diesel Le Mans car needs shooting (in front of his family, best friends and dog).

[Lugy]

Yes, when they are in something like a Tatra/Kraz/Ural (though the decadent Western Scanias mentioned above sound great) or turned up a few notches in a racing truck!

[Lowtimer]

Liquid Tuna said:

I'm sorry, that's dreadful! Plus the particulate filter or something is blocked or needs cleaning! What an awful spectacle!

Hah, most amusing. In 1962, when it was built no-one cared about the smoke, given that it was 10x cleaner than what it was replacing...



.. the Gresley A4 Pacific.

For another take on emissions standards of the early 1960s, here's another highly successful and popular machine of the same era, also running on very similar fuel (jet fuel and diesel both being basically similar to paraffin with some tweaks)

[alec.e]

edo said:

My wife has a twin turbo V8 Diesel in the Cayenne. Sounds great - nice woofle esp. when it starts.. 850nm (more than a P1) and 385bhp. Goes ok too...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5gq_-ErTQA

That's the one I was thinking of when I saw this thread, someone on my industrial estate has one and it sounds great, even to me as a diesel hater.

[poing]

That Audi A5 3.0 sounds great, didn't realise they could sound that good with a few mods.

The V8 Merc doesn't do it for me.

As for you 3 below with your bloody trains, seek help! They all sound terrible and exactly like every other train.

VeeFource said:

If you like a bit of turbo whistle then the sound of the two Napier turbos on a class 56 are hard to beat. They deafened me as a child but it was totally worth it. Even if turbos aren't your thing the 250litre 3250bhp V16 has a nice warble to it.

(Skip to 35 secs and big up the volume) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SIF3hMviHw&in...

Lowtimer said:

The best sounding diesel is a Deltic, 18 cylinder, supercharged, 1650 bhp at about 1500 RPM.
It is assembled out of multiple banks of opposing cylinders arranged in a triangular configuration.

And it sounds like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdQ1_fhBmak

(you don't get the full effect until near the end so skip past the first 30 secs)

TheInternet said:

And have always sounded remarkably similar to BR Class 165's aka Chiltern Turbos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2p25WBMeAA

[RemyMartin]

poing said:

That Audi A5 3.0 sounds great, didn't realise they could sound that good with a few mods.

The V8 Merc doesn't do it for me.

As for you 3 below with your bloody trains, seek help! They all sound terrible and exactly like every other train.

VeeFource said:

If you like a bit of turbo whistle then the sound of the two Napier turbos on a class 56 are hard to beat. They deafened me as a child but it was totally worth it. Even if turbos aren't your thing the 250litre 3250bhp V16 has a nice warble to it.

(Skip to 35 secs and big up the volume) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SIF3hMviHw&in...

Lowtimer said:

The best sounding diesel is a Deltic, 18 cylinder, supercharged, 1650 bhp at about 1500 RPM.
It is assembled out of multiple banks of opposing cylinders arranged in a triangular configuration.

And it sounds like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdQ1_fhBmak

(you don't get the full effect until near the end so skip past the first 30 secs)

TheInternet said:

And have always sounded remarkably similar to BR Class 165's aka Chiltern Turbos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2p25WBMeAA

Ppfftt for a proper diesel engine on a train you can't beat the old engined HSTs the Paxman Valenta on full scream!

[edo]

alec.e said:

edo said:

My wife has a twin turbo V8 Diesel in the Cayenne. Sounds great - nice woofle esp. when it starts.. 850nm (more than a P1) and 385bhp. Goes ok too...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5gq_-ErTQA

That's the one I was thinking of when I saw this thread, someone on my industrial estate has one and it sounds great, even to me as a diesel hater.

[Gandahar]

No

[Meridius]

I think a lot of reason is just the rev range and slow nature of diesel engines. Even some petrol engines can sound quite rubbish at low and slow revs, the RS3 for example, difference being the RS3 sounds fantastic once it gets going where the diesel is an empty fart.

[Pan Pan Pan]

Not sure if anyone would have the sound a car makes, high up on the list if buying a diesel. Generally the quieter the better, would be the best sound for a diesel?

[VeeFource]

RemyMartin said:

Ppfftt for a proper diesel engine on a train you can't beat the old engined HSTs the Paxman Valenta on full scream!

Errr actually the 56 I posted about has the same turbo, but two of them. So yes you can.

[VeeFource]

poing said:

That Audi A5 3.0 sounds great, didn't realise they could sound that good with a few mods.

The V8 Merc doesn't do it for me.

As for you 3 below with your bloody trains, seek help! They all sound terrible and exactly like every other train.

VeeFource said:

If you like a bit of turbo whistle then the sound of the two Napier turbos on a class 56 are hard to beat. They deafened me as a child but it was totally worth it. Even if turbos aren't your thing the 250litre 3250bhp V16 has a nice warble to it.

(Skip to 35 secs and big up the volume) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SIF3hMviHw&in...

Lowtimer said:

The best sounding diesel is a Deltic, 18 cylinder, supercharged, 1650 bhp at about 1500 RPM.
It is assembled out of multiple banks of opposing cylinders arranged in a triangular configuration.

And it sounds like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdQ1_fhBmak

(you don't get the full effect until near the end so skip past the first 30 secs)

TheInternet said:

And have always sounded remarkably similar to BR Class 165's aka Chiltern Turbos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2p25WBMeAA

If you think they sound the same as your average railbus then you're in no position to be giving advice on engine sounds. Simples