The stock asphalt sound deadening material works fine for deadening sound, the problem is if your car ever gets wet inside it traps water against the floor panels and rusts them out. The floor panels have ribs stamped into them for strength which the asphalt material lays flat over these ribs creating pockets for water to collect in. If your car has ever had an interior water leak you should strongly consider removing the asphalt from the floors.

The asphalt can be removed using a heat gun and metal putty knife. My floors had rusted so badly that I had to cut out and replace a 1’ square panel on each side of the rear floors (in an otherwise rust free car). After the asphalt is removed you can use POR-15’s Marine Clean to remove the asphalt residue, then wire wheel the rusty areas and rust-proof the floors with POR 15.

I plan to try driving the car with no sound deadening material for awhile, but if it is too loud I will put a modern sound deadening material down on the floors. The new sound deadening material should be able to be pressed down into the ribs to prevent any water pockets in case of future interior water leaks.

Edit: Pictures added.

Picture 1: Removal of old Asphalt Mat
Picture 2: Asphalt Residue
Picture 3: After cleaning with Marine Clean
Picture 4: After painting with POR-15

Attached Thumbnails

       

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

I recommend cement if you really want quiet.

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http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

You can also remove the ribs, euro cars dont have them.

I prefer to use dry ice to freeze the asphalt off. Its a bit more expensive, but there's a lot less goo and hot asphalt smell.
Dry ice and wide chisel should be able to pop them off fairly quickly. A dry ice gun would be even better, but that's a lot more money than I have.

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1971 280 SEL
1981 Volvo 242Tic | 1980 Bertone Coupe

LN2 would be even better/easier

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For Sale: 1982 MB 300TD
1995 Chevrolet Suburban 6.5TD

Sold: 1980 IH Scout Traveler- Nissan SD33T Diesel

They are stamped into the floor panels. The only way to get rid of them would be to cut out the floor and weld in flat sheet metal, and then the floor would be too flexible. We must be talking about different things.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

The heat gun did not really make a goo or smell, I just got it hot enough to slide the putty knife between the asphalt and the floor, then pried it up in chunks.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

I removed a good portion of it from my rear passenger area just from crunching on it when doing the interior swap..

should I go for another complete interior removal.. number 10?

You should only need to pull the front seats and carpet mats.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

I believe you reversed pics two and three...
cool DIY and such on this subject...
http://www.sounddeadenershowdown.com/

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

pictures fixed. Thanks for the link.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

I've got a GREAT looking BLUE interior for you to use (and buy).

It got completely power washed this past weekend. I swept up a half of dustpan of dirt, sand, grit, etc. off of the driveway once the water dried. The carpet is definitely lighter now.

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daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
Cluster Needles Paint
New Old Stock (NOS) parts

Past:
3/2008 1986 300SDL "Coda"
04/2010 1965 190D(c) "Ben"
& many more

I imagine you get a lot more road noise now though.

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DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

If you don't want your car to rust again after removing the asphalt slather it with some Miracle Paint. The stuff is amazing.

Try Miracle Paint Here: http://www.**************.com/node/1131

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1991 350SD (updated rods)
Biodiesel B100 when I can find it.
Dino when really cold outside

POR-15 does the same thing for 1/3 the price, and you should be able to find it locally.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine