Sound Deadening Model 3

[fly2damoon]

Here are some pictures of the sound deadening work I've done.

covered floors, 4 doors, and trunk and trunk lift-gate.

When I first got in my car after the work, I could tell the difference. Did it make the car completely quiet? No. But I think it got rid of most of high frequency, easier on the ears.

I've captured the DB from phone app, but I don't think the app is accurate. Not much differwnce in Db before/after. Also my prius gave similar DB as the model 3, but my ears say prius is definitely louder.

My model 3 had bad wind noise from the beginning, and this work is making wind noise even louder...driving me nuts..

Probably spent close to 50 hours... As this was my first time.

Note: Do NOT remove the inner plastic panel on the doors.

 

[cab]

In my limited experience, it's the mass loaded vinyl that makes more difference than the constrained rubber sticky stuff, but man you need a lot, have to cover every opening and it is heavy. Even then, I've fond it all to just be "OK". There's just no free lunch.

 

[fly2damoon]

Yes I've used noico dampening mats, closed cell foams then mass loaded vinyl. Did a lot of reading www.sounddeadenershowdown.com, but man....it was still very difficult.

Below is link to all the materials Ive used if anyone is interested. Make sure you read the above website ten times before making purchases

Sound Dampening Mats
Closed cell foams
Mass Loaded Vinyl
Sealing Tapes
Vinyl Cement
Velcros

 

[scrapps]

Were you able to put it back together again?!

 

[FinallyGotMyM3]

I had a lot of wind noise on my model3 and I did two things which made a significant difference, but still not perfect.

I started off with a lot of wind noise at > 55MPH

1. I took it to the dealership and they agreed it wasn’t right. I had a lot of noise on the drivers side They made some changes in the A pillar. After this the total noise was down and both my left side and right side was now equal. The noise also wasn’t bad until > 65 MPH

2. I installed the RPM wind noise kit. I was doubtful this would do anything but it did ! The noise is now pretty quite until about 75MPH and then it gets a bit noisy.

So net net. Tesla did gave me 10 more MPH before it was objectionable. RPM kit gave me another 10MPH.

Hope that helps !

 

[fly2damoon]

@FinallyGotMyM3 at first, I had wind noise all over the window from 40mph.
Tesla service replaced the gaskets, and wind noise started around 65mph.

It seems like the noise is coming near the side Mirrors.

I was skeptical of RPM kit but I might actually give it a try!
Thanks!!

 

[EV-lutioin]

RPM k

I had a lot of wind noise on my model3 and I did two things which made a significant difference, but still not perfect.

I started off with a lot of wind noise at > 55MPH

1. I took it to the dealership and they agreed it wasn’t right. I had a lot of noise on the drivers side They made some changes in the A pillar. After this the total noise was down and both my left side and right side was now equal. The noise also wasn’t bad until > 65 MPH

2. I installed the RPM wind noise kit. I was doubtful this would do anything but it did ! The noise is now pretty quite until about 75MPH and then it gets a bit noisy.

So net net. Tesla did gave me 10 more MPH before it was objectionable. RPM kit gave me another 10MPH.

Hope that helps !

RPM WN kit was garbage for me, it would not fit under the glass and then it just snapped in two with no effort at all. To their credit, they gave me a full refund.

 

[EV-lutioin]

Here are some pictures of the sound deadening work I've done.

covered floors, 4 doors, and trunk and trunk lift-gate.

When I first got in my car after the work, I could tell the difference. Did it make the car completely quiet? No. But I think it got rid of most of high frequency, easier on the ears.

I've captured the DB from phone app, but I don't think the app is accurate. Not much differwnce in Db before/after. Also my prius gave similar DB as the model 3, but my ears say prius is definitely louder.

My model 3 had bad wind noise from the beginning, and this work is making wind noise even louder...driving me nuts..

Probably spent close to 50 hours... As this was my first time.

Note: Do NOT remove the inner plastic panel on the doors.

I've covered the trunk area and one door with Noico and have three doors to go. I don't think I'm going to do the floor because I can't imagine any noise getting through a 5" thick battery pack. Maybe I'll cover the "fire wall" area though. Interestingly, I've found that there is much less road noise sitting in the passenger seat vs. the driver's seat. I'm not sure why that would be.

 

[ngogas]

Dang, your brave to rip a new car apart and then put it back together.

That is how life is, you fix one thing, another crap comes in it's place (wind noise). haha

 

[ebmcs03]

Holy crap. What did you do to your car!???

 

[b0n3z]

How much weight would you estimate all of this is in total?

 

[wagonwheel]

Why do you advise against removing the inner plastic panel on the doors?
I would think that you would want access in order to apply CLD Tiles to the outer door panel.

 

[FinallyGotMyM3]

@FinallyGotMyM3 at first, I had wind noise all over the window from 40mph.
Tesla service replaced the gaskets, and wind noise started around 65mph.

It seems like the noise is coming near the side Mirrors.

I was skeptical of RPM kit but I might actually give it a try!
Thanks!!

I was totally scheptical too, but it was cheap so I tried it. Definitely not perfect but it moved the problem for me to a high enough speed that it’s not bad anymore.

But if the noise is coming from your front mirrors I don’t fhink it will help. Mine was coming from the roof area.

 

[FinallyGotMyM3]

I was totally scheptical too, but it was cheap so I tried it. Definitely not perfect but it moved the problem for me to a high enough speed that it’s not bad anymore.

But if the noise is coming from your front mirrors I don’t fhink it will help. Mine was coming from the roof area.

Sorry I should also point out that my vin # is 49xxx

 

[mswlogo]

It certainly sounds like there are some QA issues around wind noise (pillars, mirrors and glass). I don’t notice any excessive wind noise up to 65mph.

My issue is tire/road noise (running 18’s with covers at 42lbs). I know it is road noise. Because some roads it’s perfectly fine.

I’m curious if the 19’s might be quieter than 18’s because the 19’s use a sound insulating foam in them.

I’d pay the price of 19s for a say a 2dB drop alone, regardless of the esthetics or affect on range.

However the road noise was not terrible. I just wish it was better.

I recorded my 2017 Jeep Summit for reference. With very high quality recorder and measured SPL with professional meter. I did 2 identical loops. At 45,55 and 65mph. Huge dB difference between 55 and 65 mph on both cars.

Even thought M3 sounds much louder, both the recording and SPL say they are not much different (2dB). Maybe 2dB worse is enough to be objectionable. I even ran frequency analysis to see if the strongest peak was at different frequency.

 

[dhrivnak]

I too think my main source of noise is the front tires. One day I hope to remove the tires and liners to add some Dynamat to the area.

 

[cab]

It certainly sounds like there are some QA issues around wind noise (pillars, mirrors and glass). I don’t notice any excessive wind noise up to 65mph.

My issue is tire/road noise (running 18’s with covers at 42lbs). I know it is road noise. Because some roads it’s perfectly fine.

I’m curious if the 19’s might be quieter than 18’s because the 19’s use a sound insulating foam in them.

I’d pay the price of 19s for a say a 2dB drop alone, regardless of the esthetics or affect on range.

However the road noise was not terrible. I just wish it was better.

I recorded my 2017 Jeep Summit for reference. With very high quality recorder and measured SPL with professional meter. I did 2 identical loops. At 45,55 and 65mph. Huge dB difference between 55 and 65 mph on both cars.

Even thought M3 sounds much louder, both the recording and SPL say they are not much different (2dB). Maybe 2dB worse is enough to be objectionable. I even ran frequency analysis to see if the strongest peak was at different frequency.

All of the tires Tesla is using these days have the sound insulating foam in them (i.e. both the 18 and 20" Michelins and the 19" Continentals). The Michelin brand name is Acoustic Tech. The tires should have the letters "TO" on them indicating they are teh Tesla specified versions of the Primacy MXM4 tires with the foam. The 19" Goodyears on the Model S also have the foam as do the 21" Michelins.

 

[fly2damoon]

@b0n3z I think trunk,front/rear floor, and 4 doors probably added around 100lb. MLV are 1lb per sqft.
@wagonwheel windows are attached to inner plastic panel. you have to remove the window first or you'll break the power window unit. its a pain....
@mswlogo @EV-lutioin FYI, I have 19' wheels. sound deadening the floors definitely quiet down the high frequency road noise.
@dhrivnak That's something I like to do next... but i need to fix wind noise first

here are some photos of the inner panel, and mlv I've cut out using outer panel.

 

[SoCalGuy]

Even thought M3 sounds much louder, both the recording and SPL say they are not much different (2dB). Maybe 2dB worse is enough to be objectionable. I even ran frequency analysis to see if the strongest peak was at different frequency.

2 dB is actually around a 50% difference in acoustical energy and a noticeable difference in perceived “loudness” IIRC. A 10db change is a doubling of perceived loudness.

 

[BallzOne]

I too think my main source of noise is the front tires. One day I hope to remove the tires and liners to add some Dynamat to the area.

I’m in the process of doing that in hopes of quieting the road noise. Having done a few cars now over the years I personally think that using Thinsulate acoustic insulation works better and is WAY lighter than the mass loaded vinyl. I’m also using the same Noico “dynamat” material that the OP used.