Folks,

My W116 tends to emit more cabin noise then the average 90s car. :( Whats the best way to sound proof this classic beauty. By the way, the "noise" seems to make its way via the dashboard.

On a related note, wind noise is quite pronounced at >60mph. The 22-yr old rubber door seals are the obvious culprits. Where can I find the best deal for these seals?

Thanks for all feedback. :)




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Hisham
'78 W116 280SE Euro
'78 W123 300D (left in LA)
'95 BMW 325i
'84 Volvo 240GLM
'95 Proton Wira 1.6XLi

Well, with the advice and good people that come with this site, I think the best deal can be found at our Partsshop. Ask for free help, then IF PARTS ARE NEEDED, USE US. This will help keep our site running.
Thanks

Part of the personality of this car would die without some noise and smell of old.

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Benzmac:
Donnie Drummonds
1991 GMC Syclone
ASE CERTIFIED MASTER AUTO TECHNICIAN
SERVICE MANAGER FOR 14 BAY FACILITY
MERCEDES SPECIALIST 8 YRS
PARTNER IN MERCEDESSHOP.COM

A quick and simple job would be to check the insulation under the bonnet ( hood ? ) as this tends to get brittle and flake off over the years. It is easy to attach with impact adhesive and caused a dramatic drop off in noise on my 500SEL. Waffle side to face the engine, and dont forget to clean the driveway afterwards ! ;)

Thanks Andy.

I did replace the hood insulation a few months ago and it helped. Somehow the "main" noise seems to penetrate the firewall/underdash area.

Regards

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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by andy day:
A quick and simple job would be to check the insulation under the bonnet ( hood ? ) as this tends to get brittle and flake off over the years. It is easy to attach with impact adhesive and caused a dramatic drop off in noise on my 500SEL. Waffle side to face the engine, and dont forget to clean the driveway afterwards ! ;) <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>



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Hisham
'78 W116 280SE Euro
'78 W123 300D (left in LA)
'95 BMW 325i
'84 Volvo 240GLM
'95 Proton Wira 1.6XLi

You would add considerable weight, but lead foil sandwiched between very thin layers of foam rubber can't be beat for soaking up noise.

Good luck,


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Larry Bible
'84 Euro 240D, 523K miles
'88 300E 5 Speed
'81 300D Daughter's Car
Over 800,000 miles in
Mercedes automobiles

Thanks Larry,

I'll try your ingenious prescription. :)

All other recommendations from the forum welcomed.

Regards



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Hisham
'78 W116 280SE Euro (evenings)
'78 W123 300D (left in LA, for vacations)
'95 BMW 325i (weekends)
'84 Volvo 240GLM (cargo)
'95 Proton Wira 1.6XLi (daily driver)

Car audio retailers carry a soundproofing material called Dynamat. Try www.crutchfield.com if no local car stereo shops have it. I've seen it in their catalog.

I've used spray-on soundproofing in areas where moisture cannot get trapped between the sheet meatal and the spray product. Areas such as inner door panels, underneath floor carpeting, etc. seem to be good candidates.
Also, if you ever find yourself in the salvage yards, grab as much of that under-dash soundproofing as you can. An extra layer never hurts. This advice courtesy TCCBass here on mercedesshop...

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Matt
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Grey/black '84 300D, 194K

Robert and Matt, thanks for your feedback. :)

What about wind noise? Would new door seals really curtail the "whistles"?

Regards



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Hisham
'78 W116 280SE Euro (evenings)
'78 W123 300D (left in LA, for vacations)
'95 BMW 325i (weekends)
'84 Volvo 240GLM (cargo)
'95 Proton Wira 1.6XLi (daily driver)

I can across this site while searching for the Diesel Benz that made land speed record. Anyway, here's the site... http://www.advweb.com/psb/

Nolan

I changed the door seals on the left front side, but it did not affect the whistling so much.

Next, I will try the seals that hold the windows in the doors.

Auto dismantlers sometime have bent doors with reasonable quality seals left in them.

Michael

As for sound deadening material, DO NOT buy Dynamat. There are other materials out there that don't carry a brand name on them for tons less. Go to www.mcmaster.com and take a look at their Hi-Temp Mastic. It is the exact same product as Dynamat but only costs $13 for a 32"x54" sheet. The part number is 9709T18. This is the stuff that the car audio guys use to get those panel vibrations down. I have it all over my trunk. I won't tell you why. 2 or 3 layers of this stuff will help a lot.