How To: Quiet down cabin noise and improve sound for cheap

[not yellow]

You're exactly right, I meant the exterior door moldings.

So now for an update. I took the car on the noisiest highway today, and I have to say that I don't have to turn up the radio volume as high to hear. There is also no road noise what-so-ever coming from the doors (that I can hear anyway). It sounds like most of the noise is coming from the wheel wells in the back, I plan on covering that area as well as the trunk floor soon.

cool... i want to do this for my doors. now if i can only figure out how to keep my glove box from rattling then i'll be set!

 

[Matt V]

cool... i want to do this for my doors. now if i can only figure out how to keep my glove box from rattling then i'll be set!

Mine does too. I think I'm gonna put foam on the edges that you see when it's opened, it worked well in my Civic.

 

[Focus]

See the stuff I have at work look's the same but has asphalt or tar on the other side it's used on roof's.Gotta get a pic of it.

For the Canadians, you can pick this up at any Rona or Home Depot, etc... :

http://www.resisto.ca/openfile.aspx?Id=162

 

[ScratchNSniff]

 

[slavrenz]

Haha, sure beats the hell outta that welcome fairy

 

[Kooldino]

Thats why you do not use them. lol

Oh, goddammit. I fail again.

 

[sethro_GT]

excellent write up. Some dude did this same thing to his mazda5, did the doors and the entire rear end, maybe under the carpet too. Anyway it was a good improvement for the price. I am going to get a roll for the doors with my christmas HD giftcard.

Found it:
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123737318

 

[slavrenz]

Well, I spent the better part of an afternoon doing this - cost me almost $40 for 2 rolls (they're $19 at Lowe's plus tax). I did all of my doors, covering nearly every square inch on the metal and plastic faces. I also did a few areas under my back seats and some front console trim pieces.

My initial reaction to this...disappointing. It may have kinda sorta reduced my road noise, but I'm sure it's more of a placebo effect if anything. I'm undecided if I want to start tearing up my carpet to this...

I gotta say tho, I like how that Frost King stuff applies and stays stuck. It is very easy to cut and mold, and sticks to a wide variety of surfaces.

 

[Matt V]

I would honestly say most of the cabin noise comes from the hatch area and the rear wheel wells. I'm sure if you did that you would get a much better result. I plan on doing this soon.

 

[sube]

I would honestly say most of the cabin noise comes from the hatch area and the rear wheel wells. I'm sure if you did that you would get a much better result. I plan on doing this soon.

I did all four doors, all floors including the trunk and wheel wells, I also did the underhood, I filled the rockers and quarter panels with Great stuff spray foam.
While the car is still no Lexus there is a night and day difference, I used B Quiet sound proofing in Total about 175 Square feet. It is a lot of work to completely gut the interior.
Oh and by the way if anybody has a mysterious wind noise from the rear, swap out the antenna for a stubby. I had a noise that drove me nuts, I even changed the rear wheel bearings, turned out to be the damned Antenna, I was at the point of trading the car the noise was so annoying.

Pat

 

[Wojtek]

I did use that resisto stuff, I put it in most of trunk and in all doors. I am happy with results, it's much quieter. ant that was all for $30. next when spring comes, I am going to put it under carpet.

 

[sube]

Incidently I found the biggest improvement after I soundproofed the hood, according to some of the info I read, most of the noise is transmitted into the car Via the hood and throught the windshield.

Pat.

 

[localkineguy]

Incidently I found the biggest improvement after I soundproofed the hood, according to some of the info I read, most of the noise is transmitted into the car Via the hood and throught the windshield.

Pat.

When sound-proofing the hood with this kind of stuff, I get concerned about potential fire hazards and even poor heat transfer out of the engine bay causing potential overheating on some components. Thoughts?

 

[not yellow]

^ ummm... the underside of the hood already has dampening/fire proofing from the factory.

 

[Matt V]

I <3 your car! I want those wheels!

 

[not yellow]

^ cheers! thanks, buddy...

 

[hornsfan10609]

I have been wanting those MX-5 wheels since I first got on the "post you best pics" thread and saw your car. I have never seen that combo on any other protege and I want them.

 

[Wagonbacker9]

go to edesignaudio and get purpose built car sound deadening for a similar price... they're running a special on their 80 mil product right now which would be FAR superior to this solution for the same cost... also, unlike dynamat they sell buy the foot, so only buy as much as you need.

another budget friendly alternative to dynamat is raammat.

 

[localkineguy]

^ ummm... the underside of the hood already has dampening/fire proofing from the factory.

So would the sound-proofing go between that and the metal (i.e. heat sees factory fire-proofing, resisto, then metal) or should it go on top of the fire-proofing (i.e. heat sees resisto, factory fire-proofing, then metal)? I ask because I've had engine bay fires before (shrug)

 

[pasadena_commut]

So would the sound-proofing go between that and the metal (i.e. heat sees factory fire-proofing, resisto, then metal) or should it go on top of the fire-proofing (i.e. heat sees resisto, factory fire-proofing, then metal)? I ask because I've had engine bay fires before (shrug)

If you want to avoid another one - neither. These products are not rated for service under temperature conditions like those found under a hood. You can expect either the adhesive or the material itself to fail if used that way, and having tarry sticky stuff falling onto the hot moving motor is not a good idea.