Soundproofing

[llilibel03]

We're about to go on our maiden voyage in the "Whitehouse."

I've read a ton, like way too much, about soundproofing. I have a tiico conversion and it gets really loud at any speed over 60. I thought I was going to blow up the engine but was told tiicos actually have a higher redline than the wbx.

I was going to put fatmat over the engine compartment. Not ready yet to start pulling off body panels and what not. Not sure how much just covering the engine box will help?
Another question I have that I never saw answered on the other threads was- how would you remove the stuff if it turns out to be ineffective or deteriorates? I kind of like how pristine and original the van is, but think the sound issue trumps that.

[Howesight]

All inline 4 cylinder engines vibrate with second-order vibration. The longer the stroke, the greater the vibration. Perhaps you could try:

1. Softer motor mounts like the ones carried by FAS: http://www.foreignautosupply.com/about-us/

2. Better gearing to lower highway RPMs:

http://countryhomescampers.com/shop/super-flier-ring-pinion/

3. Makes sure that no part of your engine or exhaust system is touching any part of the vanes body. The engine and exhaust system need to be 100% insulated from the body. Some folks add a brace from the exhaust system to the body and doing that causes noise and vibration transmission to the body.
_________________
'86 Syncro Westy SVX

[llilibel03]

[dkoesyncro]

I'm not sure what year, make, model you have? Like Howesight said keeping your exhaust mounted independently from the van is first.

I made a floor covering from some ribbed vinyl flooring runners and horse stall mat material 3/8 thick to level the valley's of the metal floor. This added maybe 80 lbs. and a significant amount of noise reduction. The same 3/8 rubber over the engine lid and under the rear carpet helps too. My biggest mistake, my van is a do all machine. I pulled all carpet and foam cork deadining and monstalined the whole floor, I've since built/added the rubber flooring but it doesn't compare to the original for quitenes.

What kind of exhaust are you using? Im using magnaflo, awesome but they also roar as the RPMs increase. The dynomax has some of the quietest exhausts available.

[llilibel03]

[Steve M.]

[campism]

Flip it over and tape the seams on the backside so it can be removed as a unit. Helps immensely when cleaning the interior, and if you trim it so it fits snugly it does not move and does not need to be glued down. I used B-Quiet on the metal surfaces in my Westy and it helps, but that stuff does add weight. Unavoidable.
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'87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic

[Steve M.]

The Concorde flew faster then the speed of sound. So if the sound was behind it why was it so noisey inside the cabin?
The metal fuselage carried the vibration of the engines forward into the passenger cabin. Those 4 Olympus engines I'm pretty sure make less mechanical vibration then your diesel!
The engine noise from the diesel creates a noise that is reverberated into the metal around it and this also travels through the body.
So yes, FATMAT would help. I would also put it on the vertical wall of the storage under the rear seat because that is a big flat surface facing the engine and gearbox.
However, I prefer MLV,(mass loaded vinyl), but that is a thicker material.
_________________
This free advice is worth exactly what you paid for it.

There are seven days in a week. Someday is not one of them.

[Paulbeard]

[ThankYouJerry]

Is there a consensus for which soundproofing material is currently (2017) the best? FatMat, DynaMat, or ??? Or are they all pretty much the same? Maybe there is one product recommended specifically for the engine compartments vs. interior panels?
_________________
1990 Multivan - "Ohana"
1.8T, Auto w/3.27 R&P + Peloquin TBD

[dkoesyncro]

[Steve M.]

[buildyourown]

I posted this before but I am continuing to be impressed.
Not plugging this guys products but you can read his theories and buy the materials wherever you want. I bought the 100# of vinyl on Amazon Prime.
https://www.sounddeadenershowdown.com/

Just doing the area over the engine was a dramatic difference.

[Red Beard]

[kourt]

Soundproofing. I note that the interior of the van is full of "bright" surfaces--and surfaces that produce all the other sounds as well.

I see that this thread is fundamentally discussing the issue of engine noise. I hear that.

But the interior of your van is full of contributors to this noise.

Let's approach this problem from another angle--materials. Have a look at the interior of any modern car. What you see is a soft headliner, soft carpet, soft door cards, soft seats. Okay, not always, but mostly.

Look in your Vanagon. Lots of hard glass--more than most cars. Lots of exposed sheet metal, or large sheet metal surfaces--more than most cars. Lots of flooring (the main area where the slider opens). These spaces really make soundproofing hard.

Yes, you've got to find the intake and wrangle that into a reasonable decibel. Yes, you've got to do the same for the exhaust. But you cannot ingnore the inherent design qualities of the Vanagon. You must convert door cards to include soft coverings--velour or otherwise. You need to put a soft dashpad on the dashboard. A carpet in the main cargo space. A soft ceiling material. Want a really quiet Westy? Deploy your curtains.

Large spans of sheet metal (door panels, ceiling panels, side panels) must be deadened with an adhesive backed material. Not a lot is needed--about 20% of the surface area only needs to be covered. Westy owners look under your sink for an example--there is a butyl backed sound deadener adhesive panel on there. The same approach can be taken for the front door panels, the ceiling cavity, the slider panel, the tailgate panel, and the side body panel behind the galley. Deadening these will remove their tendency to sound like a timpani drum in the face of any energy.

The more hard surfaces are converted to soft, the more subdued your road noise will be.

kourt

[dkoesyncro]