Loud cabin

[mzdp5fan]

So I've had the P5 for about a month and half now, and I think the most annoying thing about the car so far is definitely the cabin noise. There's a lot of noise coming from the engine, and at highway speeds there's a lot of noise coming from all around - probably floor and windows.

I would say the car is significantly louder than the corollas and civics i've been in. Can anyone comment on this one? Is it just me or is the sound deadening on this car pretty shabby.

I think i'm going to seriously entertain an entire sound deadening project for the spring to see if i can get the sound down. I think the noise coming from the engine is probably the worst right now.

 

[Bu11dogg2]

hahahahahaha is this your first Mazda?

 

[FinalResort]

i love the sound of my enigin!!!!

 

[redpr5]

i love the way mine sounds. espeically now with my intake. it growls

 

[Skoozul]

I don't think mazda put in any insulation. The thing I've noticed is how loud my stock stereo with 2 10's is outside of the car. I must piss off a lot of people

 

[ZoomZoomH]

So I've had the P5 for about a month and half now, and I think the most annoying thing about the car so far is definitely the cabin noise. There's a lot of noise coming from the engine, and at highway speeds there's a lot of noise coming from all around - probably floor and windows.

I would say the car is significantly louder than the corollas and civics i've been in. Can anyone comment on this one? Is it just me or is the sound deadening on this car pretty shabby.

I think i'm going to seriously entertain an entire sound deadening project for the spring to see if i can get the sound down. I think the noise coming from teh engine is probably the worst right now.

you call a stock protege5 cabin LOUD????????

 

[Focuz_Freek_XxX]

Mine was loud when i first got mine. Louder than anything i have ever driven.

I have all of the carpeting and interior pretty much stripped out and it is almost deafening. Not really but you do have to yell to your passenger so they can hear. lol

 

[NVP5White]

I think i'm going to seriously entertain an entire sound deadening project for the spring to see if i can get the sound down. I think the noise coming from teh engine is probably the worst right now.

Lower profile tires, stiffer springs and struts, and less sound deadening are responsible for the difference in sound. Clearly, you would not trade the first two for less noise. You can affect the third reason pretty easily, so no reason not to fix, right?.

I agree that the sound can be maddening at times. For most people here, its a trade-off between a quieter car and a faster car. If you had a mostly stock P5 and $300 to spend what would you buy: a sway bar or springs? Or sound deadening?

You would not be the first person to think that a full stripping of the interior followed by multiple boxes and even lutiple layters of sound deadening are necessary to remedy the problem. There have been a few very informative threads about pulling the interior and selecting the best product to insulate your car. Raam Audio makes a very good product. Search is your friend...

 

[altspace]

In search of better audio resonance and a smoother ride I began the journey of stripping out the inside of my car. Let me begin by saying that I was honestly amazed by the amount sound deadening material that was already in place. Both underneath the carpet where 1/4" -1/2" padding resides, to the amount of asphault based materal covered on the floorboard.

With various tools in hand and a cold beer by my side I began the removal process with a friend. Relying on my memory for each bolt/screw location, every interior part was removed with the exception of the dash and roof panel. More beers later, some hard sweat and a few cuts/scrapes on the hands, the job was complete. Layers of eDead were applied to all door panels, floorboard, and rear panels. Next, a layer of 1/4" synthetic carpet matting.

End result: Excellent acoustics with better bass response. No exhaust drone or road noise from wheel wells.

 

[pasadena_commut]

So I've had the P5 for about a month and half now, and I think the most annoying thing about the car so far is definitely the cabin noise.

Is it just me or is the sound deadening on this car pretty shabby.

I hear you - but not on the highway in a P5. Subjectively, the radio setting that's just audible on the highway is appallingly loud when the car comes to a stop.

If you do go for sound deadening please buy or borrow a sound meter and make some measurements on the same streatch of highway at the same speed after deadening one section at a time. Radio Shack sells a digital meter for around $50 - it's accurate enough to see how many dB quieter the car is if you're careful to always hold it in the same position for your tests:

http://www.radioshack.com/sm-digital-display-sound-level-meter--pi-2103667.html

For instance, do the front doors, measure, the back doors, measure, the hatch area, measure, then the floor, measure. Noise may not be coming so much from all of these, but in the threads I've read they've done all the sections at once, so who knows? It would be nice to know if the front doors knock off 10 dB, the back another 5dB, but the floor and hatch together only 3dB more.

 

[MrE007]

cheapest solution: turn the radio up.

 

[SugarShane04]

cheapest solution: turn the radio up.

i agree... hahaha

 

[clicknext]

Though the engine noise at highway cruise speeds is annoying, I didn't think the road noise in city driving was really too bad. Compared to our minivan it's pretty bad, but compared to an '01 honda crv, it's not too much more.

Maybe it's just that I don't mind hearing some sounds from the car as long as they're not droning or the rattling that's all too prevalent.

 

[NVP5White]

Layers of eDead were applied to all door panels, floorboard, and rear panels. Next, a layer of 1/4" synthetic carpet matting.

alt, How far forward did your eDead extend? Did you do any of the firewall? The hood? Also, what type and dnsity carpet padding did you use? Adhesive to mount it, too?

Thanks

 

[Nomad]

You bought an economy compact "sport-wagon".
Not a whisper-quiet luxo-barge.

If you want a super quiet car then get a cadillac.

In order to be at least a little helpful I suggest getting some highway tread all season touring tires with a higher profile. It will help quiet down the tire noise... and buy some noise canceling headphones.

 

[RatLabGuy]

Though the engine noise at highway cruise speeds is annoying, I didn't think the road noise in city driving was really too bad. Compared to our minivan it's pretty bad, but compared to an '01 honda crv, it's not too much more.

I think a big part of the engine noise is the final drive gearing. It's pretty high. I'm sure it's different for the auto tranny, (maybe not as bad?)... but at 75, I'm turning at least 3500 RPMs, 80 seems around 4000? Have to be below 60 for it to < 3k.
This seems really high to me, and I'm sure accounts for alot of the volume. For example, both my wife's Saturn SL2 and my crappy old Merc. Tracer are at only 3k at 75, and just toodling at 60 or so. Granted this may mean on the highway you're not in the middle of the power band, but the engine noise is a WHOLE lot less. And neither of these are exactly comfy cars.
Best noise reduction would be a 6-speed tranny.
(shocked)

This aside, I hope to reduce noise by getting soem better/softer tires, likely the Pirelli P-Zero Nero M+S. Will be sure to report back on the effect.

 

[redpr5]

I don't think mazda put in any insulation. The thing I've noticed is how loud my stock stereo with 2 10's is outside of the car. I must piss off a lot of people

yea same here, my 2 12's are absurdly loud both inside and outside my car. sound deadening is definetly on my to do list.

 

[Nomad]

If you are turning higher rpms like that on the highway I think it'd be because your wheel/tire package might be smaller diameter than stock.
Overall diameter can be smaller despite going with 17s etc.

The final drive in 5th isn't so high. It is a true overdrive gear with very little power for passing in 5th. It is just for cruising and for saving gas.

6 speed tranny would not use the same gearing and just add one more to it. They space the gears closer together so that your final drive is usually very close to the 5th gear final drive.

 

[RatLabGuy]

If you are turning higher rpms like that on the highway I think it'd be because your wheel/tire package might be smaller diameter than stock.
Overall diameter can be smaller despite going with 17s etc.

The final drive in 5th isn't so high. It is a true overdrive gear with very little power for passing in 5th. It is just for cruising and for saving gas.

6 speed tranny would not use the same gearing and just add one more to it. They space the gears closer together so that your final drive is usually very close to the 5th gear final drive.

My P5 is 100% stock. Still has the original factory-installed tires on the original rims. Yes, at 28k they are pretty bald (I just bought it this way). Yes, this decreass the total size a little, but only what, about about 3/8"? 1/2"? That's only ~2% differnce max. Trust me, I'm well familar w/ all the misc effects of changing tire size - check out the 32" AT's on the rig in my sig (ughdance). i'm getting ready to regear the differentials in it just for this reason.

Maybe you and I have differing ideas of what not being a high gearing is, I dunno. I've just never had a car that rides that high on the highway. To me, it has plenty of power for passing right there in 5th. But then I'm also not used to "sporty" cars either. More than anything, on the highway I keep finding myself looking down at the stick and wanting to shift down another gear.
Since I need new tires, I'm considering going up to 205 50r16s just b/c it'll lower the RPMs a little more (although even this only adds .4" to diameter). Also will go w/ a softer performance tire known for comfort liek a P-Zero Nero, just to cut down on the noise.
Re: 6 gears - yes, i know they don't just add one to the end, but the final drive ratio of 6th is still lower than what we have in 5th. Irrelevant to thsi discussion though.

Direct on the topic - I have the factory sunroof. It is surprisingly loud. It has this tinted clear bug-deflector looking thing in front of it, not like many other sunroofed vehicles taht are just flat. Looks like a factory thing. I'm suspicious it is a major contributor to noise, not real sure what it does anyway. May start a new thread on that.

 

[PlatinumMSP]

So I've had the P5 for about a month and half now, and I think the most annoying thing about the car so far is definitely the cabin noise. There's a lot of noise coming from the engine, and at highway speeds there's a lot of noise coming from all around - probably floor and windows.

I would say the car is significantly louder than the corollas and civics i've been in. Can anyone comment on this one? Is it just me or is the sound deadening on this car pretty shabby.

I think i'm going to seriously entertain an entire sound deadening project for the spring to see if i can get the sound down. I think the noise coming from teh engine is probably the worst right now.

dude stop being such a pussy, you bought a sport wagon, not a ******* Oldsmobile. Cabin noise and outside noise is enjoyed by most enthusists.