Sound deadening

Need technical Q/A then you're in the right place

Moderator: martauto

BristolE30
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 532
Joined: Thu May 16, 2019 7:43 pm
Location: Bristol

Post Mon Aug 31, 2020 11:31 pm

Hey zone

Has anyone done any sound deadening? If so any go to products? I’d like to pull up the carpets and put it on the floor and maybe rear seats. Road noise is quite loud , only noticed after just doing a 4hr trip
BMW E30 316 ‘87
BMW E30 325i ‘88 :bmw:
Bristol, UK
User avatar
Contours
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 245
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 11:00 pm
Location: Ireland-West

Post Wed Sep 02, 2020 12:20 am

I used Dodo mat on the floor, part of the firewall, rear arches and the boot when I had the car stripped out recently. I am not sure if it has made a significant difference. The sound deadening in the e30 is very good as it is but with the rumbling that goes on underneath and the engine being a bit noisy it does make a slight racket. Rust and deteriorating rubbers add to the problem. I noticed that my 316i is 5/6 decibels louder than my woman's A3 at 60 mph. Having said that I can have a normal conversation in the car without shouting.
BristolE30
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 532
Joined: Thu May 16, 2019 7:43 pm
Location: Bristol

Post Wed Sep 02, 2020 7:44 am

Contours wrote:
Wed Sep 02, 2020 12:20 am
I used Dodo mat on the floor, part of the firewall, rear arches and the boot when I had the car stripped out recently. I am not sure if it has made a significant difference. The sound deadening in the e30 is very good as it is but with the rumbling that goes on underneath and the engine being a bit noisy it does make a slight racket. Rust and deteriorating rubbers add to the problem. I noticed that my 316i is 5/6 decibels louder than my woman's A3 at 60 mph. Having said that I can have a normal conversation in the car without shouting.
Hmmm interesting to hear. I think the road noise for me is the loudest but the defo a lot of ticking and roaring coming from the engine at 70mph.

I might try bolt and under carpets. How did you get it around wheel arches?
BMW E30 316 ‘87
BMW E30 325i ‘88 :bmw:
Bristol, UK
DanThe
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 28647
Joined: Sat Sep 10, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Staffs

Post Wed Sep 02, 2020 8:07 am

If its engine noise the first thing to do is remove the steering wheel centre and push a big blob of blue tack onto the end of the steering column
User avatar
Contours
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 245
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 11:00 pm
Location: Ireland-West

Post Wed Sep 02, 2020 2:39 pm

You can access the rear inner arches by removing the boot lining at the sides and also the rear door cards. You can also coat under the back seat where the fuel pump is as this also makes a racket. Sunroof seal if torn can contribute to noise. The e30 was a quiet car in its time but a lot of them have had bodywork issues since where the sound deadening has been removed to access panels etc. Modern cars too are so well insulated that it highlights further how much noisier the e30 is.