Quieting wind noise

[htbetz]

What type of wind noise should I expect on an 911? It's hard to pinpoint the exact area but at 50+ mph and above it get's progressively louder. It seems to come from around the door seals although they apear to be in good shape. Also maybe the windshield wiper area. It would be nice to just hear the engine and not the wind.

[bigchillcar]

Hi,
I can't say in terms of decibels or anything, but there a number of aftermarket fixes that involve plugging leaks and holes in the door jams that contribute to wind noise. You may want to try a search on Pelican for these things.
Ryan

P.S. Good choice in model year!

[Jim T]

You don't say what body style you have - if its a Targa, the smart@ss answer would be to learn to live with it - but there is some truth to that answer.

If you have a coupe, it should be pretty quiet. There are one or two factory "door quiet kits" available, search PP. They are basically a couple of plugs and other pieces that go on the door.

You also of course need to have seals in good condition. Also, you can adjust the door frames - if they are not adjusted correctly, you will get wind noise.

[KTL]

A good way to check your windshield is to give it a slight push as you're rolling down the road. My car has a slight wind noise at the upper part of the windshield. If you push on it, it gets louder. Could be the seal trim or seal itself. My solution is to eliminate the aluminum trim altogether and replace the windshield seal and windshield with a 964 assembly.

[Jdub]

There is a factory hole on the underside of the door that was capped in later models if memory serves. You might work from there out. Door seals can be a problem: try slipping a small band of rubber under the seals (they fold over themselves) and see if this helps. Most folks use the rubber rim strips you see between the rim and the tire on a bicycle wheel for this purpose. Should be the 27"/700c items that are no more than 1/2" across.

I own the quietest Targa in the country (gauntlet = down) and so laugh, yes friends, LAUGH at the belief that these cars cannot be made quiet (unlike me...).

John

[KTL]

Originally posted by Jdub
I own the quietest Targa in the country (gauntlet = down) and so laugh, yes friends, LAUGH at the belief that these cars cannot be made quiet....

Nice touch with the gauntlet reference!

Not that I don't believe you John, but your Targa claim made me think of a short story on Rennlist about a guy who visited some Porsche guru fella. When the guru Porsche Bob saw the fella's Targa, he said, "Ah, a Targa. You know those are parts cars for Coupes?" The guy just smiled and grinned...(grrr)

Takes all sorts to make the world go round. To each his own.

[Dave Ploss]

Jdub,
I, too, am on the quest for quiet. I like the sound of the engine but I don't think you have to put up with excessive wind noise and road noise.

Last weekend I used Dynamat on the floor and the lower part of the doors and it made an incredible difference. As several have said, now you notice the wind noise. To me, it's just the next project. I'm going to Europe on business this week and, when I return I'm going to look into the windshield seals and the door seals. Someone mentioned a door kit to quiet the wind noise...anyone have the particulars?

Let the games begin...

Dave

[surflvr911sc]

Kevin Congrats on your 911 post!

I try to keep wind noise down by driving at 4000 rpm or above.

Oh Yeah, with the top off!

[Sunroof]

I bought the rubber door seal plugs, but they are a lousey fit beciause some of the framework keeps the plug from sealing well. I took a piece of duct tape instead and sealed the hole. Helped some (maybe 25% or so). Its obvious the wind rushes up from the from the front of the door up. If you took a small napkin and twisted it into a cone shape and jammed it in the space between the door and body you would be surprised how much that helps!!! It cuts the whistling down......

I think 911's were meant to be noisey, noisey, noisey. A good set of speakers and a normally quiet passenger are the best ingredients.

Regards
Bob
911T

[marc weintraub]

There are different corrections for different year cars, but the first thing I would do is spray your current rubber seals with a silicon spray. This will expand the rubber and help make a better seal. The kits that are available to stop the wind noise are not great, but they will cut back on the noise to a slight extent.

If the car is a targa, you can take care of some of the noise by replacing all of the seals every 6 months whether you drive the car or not because these seals are just not good. Just kidding on the time period. Coupes are a different story and sunroof coupes are a very different story. If a sunroof car, the two seals associated with the sunroof can be easily changed if that is where the leak is, but I doubt that is the primary problem.
While driving, push and prod the seals at the leading edge of the door and see if the pitch or sound changes. Chances are it will and you will get an idea of the problem spot. You can then lift the rubber out a little and place a rubber spacer (made out of old flat rubber gasket) at that specific place. Closing the door will compress this area and it will only show a slight bulge but the noise will diminish considerably. If it's the windshield, have it fixed immediately because it will inevitably leak if you are in the rain and you will never expect the water behind your dash (around the electrical wiring) or standing behind the board by your pedals. Most of the sounds will be coming from the leading edge of the door.

Hope this helps...

Marc

[randywebb]

Some details on a kit for sealing doors here:
windnoise kit automotion

[randywebb]

Another change - for early cars - that is claimed to reduce wind and other noises is:

- upgraded window channel -- 911.542.905.00 has locking edges that snap into the frame and provides better support of the glass, reducing window rattles, leaks and air noise

- from UpFixin' Vol. VI, p. 52