Sound deadening advice required
 

Hi All,

I took my wife for her first long (2hrs) in our 1964 P1800S. I expected her to really enjoy it and alI I got were a lot of complaints about how noisy it was and that she could smell the engine. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised as she is used to our modern Audi.

So advice is needed.

As regards "smelling the engine, I've checked for exhaust and manifold for leaks and found none, the only part of the bulkhead that is open between the engine bay and the cabin is where the steering column goes through. It looks like there is a bracket to hold some material but this is missing. The insulation materal on the bulkhead has seen better days and is crumbly and a bit patchy.

As regards noise, the main sources seem to be whining from a noisy diff, the engine (which I don't really regard as noise), wind noise and the odd squeak from from suspension/silencer rubbers. I see these as part of the character of the car, but my wife doesn't see it that way.

I think I need to replace the sound deadening on the bulk head, fit under bonnet insulation, fit insulation in the boot floor to try and reduce the the diff noise and maybe consider putting material under the carpet.

Advice on sound deading products, effectivness of sound deadening work, dealing with a noisy diff etc. very welcome.

thanks Dave

Have not yet installed anything on mine yet. From my reading this appears to be one of the better discussions/products out there.

https://www.sounddeadenershowdown.com

[I]I took my wife for her first long (2hrs) in our 1964 P1800S. I expected her to really enjoy it and alI I got were a lot of complaints about how noisy it was and that she could smell the engine. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised as she is used to our modern Audi.
Mmnnn......matrimonial issues do have a habit of being a weak area when the other half commits to taking a ride in our pride and joy.
There are some good sound deadening kits out there but there are also some awsome sound systems too, all you need to know is her favourite music!!

Dave, this is a well timed post as I'm doing the same to my Amazon this winter. I'm using Dynomat Xtreme as have used in the past and it's very, very effective

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dynamat-Xt...wAAOxy79JSYbPx

I'll then cover with Dodo mat over this to act as soft underlay to the new carpet on the floor areas :. no moisture absorbing horse hair/hardura felt type materials.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6m-Roll-Ca...-/152364548635

It's never going to smell/sound/drive/look/depreciate like a modern Audi.
Not saying you shouldn't look to improve things, but there is a chance that your wife will never be that comfortable in the car, I know mine isn't in mine. I just don't take my wife on long trips in the Volvo. She'll never get it, and that's fair enough.

Whenever I'm driving around I wonder to myself why more people don't drive old cars..everyone is in a modern. They're odd, think I. Then I look again and realise that it's me that's odd. Maybe it's an illness.

I drove to Brooklands on Sunday with a good buddy in the passenger, seat we both had a great day. On M4, M3 and M25 I noticed many modern Volvo drivers slowing up behind and following us for a good while, then waving as they passed by...and of course the great looks that only happy children can give when they see something funky or unseen before...

...which beats the two arses in the BMW M3 and Mercedes AMG that 1. cut me up, twice! 2. forced their way in to a space that didn't exist.

Is the piece of foam missing on your steering column?

Get your head in your footwell and see if there’s daylight where the steering column goes through the body. A piece of any foam with a hole in the middle will go there and held in place with the 2 clips that exist there. Amazing the difference in noise that makes. Both Amazon and 1800 and they’re usually missing!

Before spending on money on extra sound deadening - not that that’s not a good thing - I would check all the rubber bungs are in place on the bulkhead. There are many of them. Also seal up any hole you can see down there. Makes a massive difference. As well, is the standard bulkhead mat there and is it fitting properly? Available new from Brookhouse.

Holes let noise and smell in!

With reference to the smell, have you cleaned out your crank breather recently? And have you taken apart your oil cap and cleaned and re-oiled the gauze in your oil cap too?

Small Sound deadening mats on the inside of the bonnet, boot and doors stop the panels resonating.

Oh! I just re-read your original post and you’ve said the steering column thing is missing!!

Mine is a piece cut out of a yoga mat

Guys; The Steering Column "seal" at firewall is made of low density/high compressability foam, held in place by that simple wire clip...nothing fancier then that...

Dave; Closing up that orifice to the engine compartment will go a long way toward keeping out fumes and quieting down the engine-noise level in the passenger compartment (I suppose one could employ similar foam "elsewhere" to decrease the wife-bitchin'-noise level, but you'll have to be the final judge of that...)...

Cheers

Hi,
I had a similar issue with my MGB GT - check the rear boot/tailgate seal as fumes can enter the car via this route!
My wife bailed completely, hitching a ride in an Austin Maxi on the same run!
I had to seal the rear with duck tape just to get home!

Andy.