Wind/road noise reduction in the 02

[Guest Anonymous]

i actually kinda like it. i have been called weird once or twice though. i do have to do someting with the passenger side window. the handle cranks twice around before moving the window and when it is fully up there is still a 1/4" gap at the top. so yeah mine is pretty loud at the moment.

see, i like the smell when you sit inside too. err wait that was an old mcdonalds bag the PO left under the passenger side seat.

[Guest Anonymous]

Not gonna happen. I agree with you, a quiet 2002 would be REALLY nice. You can reduce the vibration the engine and drivetrain creates, which adds to the noise, but the wind noise is a tough one.

[Guest Anonymous]

Has anyone successfully quieted down thier car enough to be able to listen to the radio at a normal volume or have a conversation withouit shouting while on the highway? I like driving an old car but I can't stand the noise. I have a 4sp with 14" wheels, I know a 5sp would make things a little quieter but most of the obnoxious noise seems to be wind noise. This is probably the most annoying part of my car. Is it just a case of incurably poor aerodynamics? Can anyone report on the usefulness or soundproofing under the carpets, in the headliner etc? How much help is new door weatherstriping?

[Guest Anonymous]

Chris Blumenthal's 02 is NICE and quiet. He replaced EVERY rubber seal on the car and then lined the thing with Accumat-type stuff. HIS 02 IS SO NICE TO RIDE IN!!!!

-Rob

[Guest Anonymous]

Your windows may not be properly adjusted. You can tip them in/out to make them face up to the gasket better. Check the FAQ on window regulator adjustment procedure. Do all you can and then enjoy the sound (of the car that is).

[Guest Anonymous]

If you track down and plug all the little places where air comes in through the body, around windows, firewall, etc. it will make a big difference. You can also add soundproofing which will help. I've been in a few 02s that were pretty quiet - you could have a reasonable conversion and listen to the radio. Keep in mind that you are trying to undo 30+ years of general deterioration of rubber seals and such. Or you can just buy some earplugs, ignore your passengers and rev the heck out of the engine.

YMMV,

Karl

'73 tii no radio, few passengers

[Guest Anonymous]

I recently replaced my rear diff, and now my car is unbelievably quiet. All I hear is wind! Trust me, spend some time with a "whining" & "whirring" differential, and you, like I have, will come to love the sound above the speed limit in this little glass house

Eric

73tii

Smiling with the wind all day!

[Guest Anonymous]

My '02 has a stock exhaust and a 5-speed, and it seems pretty quiet at freeway speed. You can carry on a normal conversation and the stereo sounds fine. It's not as quiet as a newer car, but it's never gonna be. It's definitely not tiring or anything, tho. (But then this is coming from a guy who used to drive a TR-6 all over the country during college)

Colin

[Guest Anonymous]

I've bought two sets from them and they always get them in quickly.

[Guest Anonymous]

Noise comes from four basic sources, absent any noisy mechanical maladies: induction, exhaust, wind, and road contact. Addressed in order:

Induction: Sidedrafts are loud. Open filter elements are not helpful either. Maximum quiet will be achieved with the stock air filter housing in place.

Exhaust: Stock, stock, stock. End of story. Everything else is louder. Headers are louder than cast iron manifolds.

Wind: As has been discussed below, old seals leak. A lot. Failing total replacement, here's a trick that may help a bit: on the upper part of the door seals, where the top and rear edges of the window contact the gasket, there is a lip that is supposed to be pressed back into the body of the seal by the window. If the seal is old this lip will have deformed and will likely be permanently pressed back. Take a piece of very thin rubber hose and some black RTV, and position the hose between the body of the seal and the lip (the channel behind the lip - the hose will not be visible once installed) and secure with a few dabs of RTV. This has the effect of forcing the lip out and back into contact with the window. If your seals are old, this will likely have a noticeable effect.

Road noise: Tires make a big difference. Generally speaking, wider and/or softer are louder, BUT this is not always the case. If you can, drive cars with a few different tires and see what you think. Sound insulation is an option - don't worry too much about the hoizontal floor surfaces and focus on the areas around the wheel wells and transmission tunnel.

FWIW, my car is not exactly the quietest thing on the road (40DCOEs, stock exhaust, 4-spd, 195-50/15, some older seals) but it is not at all unpleasant at 75-80mph on the highway.

Hope this helps.

[Guest Anonymous]

all new rubber, 5 speed help.

[Guest Anonymous]

hehe man all I can say is it is NICE. I am going to do the same thing to my car. I dont give a shit if it DOES make it heavier. Its worth it! I also plan on building or buying a much stiffer/lighter/louder/meaner weekend/track car next... which is to say after my current car is DONE! (on jackstands for 2 years now... god i suck.)

-Rob

[Guest Anonymous]

Like someone else said, "its relative". You can do a decent job of reducing the noise of door seals, etc, but you can't reduce the noise that the air makes pounding against the brick-like aerodynamics.

Sounds like Chris's car is as quiet as they get, which sounds plenty good. I haven't tried as hard to make my cars quiet.

[Guest Anonymous]

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[Guest Anonymous]

1. nice heavy carpet padding under the carpet--and run it up the firewall.

2. fill the space under the back seat with foam rubber (I used old computer packing)--really masks diff noise. Just make sure you don't have any leaks into that area or you'll have just created a giant sponge.

With carefully adjusted windows and doors, and good door/window gaskets, it'll be pretty quiet.

Have fun trying...

Mike

'69 Nevada -all new seals...pretty quiet

'73 Sahara--still quiet with 10 year old seals.