Do-it-yourself car muffler soundproofing, tools and materials
Content
Additional protection of the muffler of the vehicle from noise and vibration eliminates extraneous sounds in the cabin. But intervention in the exhaust system and the use of low-quality materials leads to overheating and breakage of parts.
Additional protection of the muffler of the vehicle from noise and vibration eliminates extraneous sounds in the cabin. But intervention in the exhaust system and the use of low-quality materials leads to overheating and breakage of parts.
Noise muffler car: what is it
Factory soundproofing includes covering the hood, doors, roof with noise-reducing materials. Car manufacturers install additional noise insulation of the exhaust system only on premium models. Therefore, budget and mid-range cars often rattle while driving due to a loud muffler. Such sounds annoy the driver, interfere with listening to music and talking with passengers.
Do-it-yourself car muffler soundproofing
What is soundproofing for?
The exhaust system on new cars is quiet at first. But over time, parts break down, the car starts to rattle and growl. Drivers try to partially remove sounds with the help of soundproofing. However, extraneous noise may indicate a breakdown of parts.
Is soundproofing effective or what is the reason for the rattling and growling of the exhaust system
Soundproofing does not eliminate the rattle and growl of the exhaust system, but only partially muffles. It is necessary to establish the cause of the noise, otherwise the exhaust system will fail over time.
Another cause of rattling is corrosion of parts. Spare parts rust and become covered with holes. In this case, it is useless to soundproof the car muffler. The exhaust system needs to be partially replaced.
Sometimes the rumble starts due to a design with a too thin body. Buying another part with thicker walls will help.
How noise insulation affects the metal of the exhaust system
Poor sound insulation causes serious damage to the exhaust system. Do not wrap the muffler with door, hood or roof lining materials. Otherwise, it will turn out to be a "sandwich". In this case, the efficiency of heat radiation will decrease, the parts will overheat during operation, and the metal will quickly burn out.
Silencer myths
It is widely believed that by soundproofing a car muffler with your own hands, you can permanently get rid of annoying noise in the cabin while driving. Some drivers believe in the benefits of sound deadening materials. There are several popular myths:
- the engine will not overheat and vibrate;
- the exhaust system will last longer;
- "growling" from fumes will disappear;
- exhaust noise will be absorbed;
- parts will be protected from corrosion.
Soundproofing
At first, the car will really run quieter, and the trip will become comfortable. But low-quality parts will soon fail.
It is difficult to achieve absolute sound insulation of domestic cars. Due to the peculiarities of the internal structure, they do not drive quietly even when in full working order. Rattle or lack of a slight growl should alert the driver.
How to wrap a car muffler for soundproofing
You can't just wrap a car muffler to soundproof your car with any sound-absorbing materials. To eliminate ringing during a set of revolutions, the following options are suitable:
- heat-resistant asbestos fabric;
- asbestos cord;
- asbestos cement paste;
- fiberglass.
Choose quality materials from reputable manufacturers. A Chinese counterfeit can ruin machine parts.
Asbestos fabric prevents heat exchange between the exhaust system and the environment, and also reduces the volume of the exhaust. The material is used if additional parts are installed in the pipe: resonators or spiders. If they are wrong, the ringing starts. Wrapping with heat-resistant tape partially or completely eliminates noise.
Another advantage is thermal insulation. Silencers often break due to extreme heat and start making noise. Asbestos fabric withstands 1100-1500 degrees, protects the car exhaust system from overheating and failure in the hot summer.
Thermal insulation of the exhaust system
You can wrap the muffler with asbestos tape in this way:
- Before wrapping the muffler with asbestos tape, degrease it and treat it with a heat-resistant paint that protects against corrosion.
- Pre-hold the material in water for 1,5-2 hours so that it tightly wraps around the exhaust pipe. It is better to buy a 5 cm wide cloth, it is more convenient to use.
- Wrap the muffler.
- Secure the winding with metal clamps.
Today, drivers often choose basalt and ceramic instead of asbestos tape. They are of higher quality and do not harm the environment.
If the machine starts to work louder, and the pipe near the resonator siphons, put a piece of fiberglass on the structure, and wrap asbestos cord soaked in water on top.
Asbestos-cement paste will help temporarily eliminate noise due to a crack in the muffler. It is bought at a hardware store or made independently.
Step-by-step instructions for using asbestos cement paste:
- Mix asbestos and cement in equal proportions and gradually pour in cold water until you get the consistency of sour cream.
- Coat the structure with the mixture 2-3 times. The total layer thickness must be at least 3 mm.
- After drying, sand the treated surface with sandpaper. The car will run quieter, but the muffler will still need to be replaced.
Silencer soundproofing
A set of asbestos fabric, cord and paste is for sale. For soundproofing it is used like this:
- Drive the car onto the receiver, clean off the top layer from the muffler with a metal brush and degrease it.
- Then dilute the paste with water according to the instructions, soak the fabric with the composition and make a bandage on the part.
- Wrap the cord on top and go for an hour-long car ride. The parts will heat up and the material will stick tightly to the muffler.
At first, the car will drive quieter. But there is no guarantee that after two months the bandage will not crack.
Do-it-yourself car muffler soundproofing
Drivers can cause irreparable damage to the car if they make the wrong soundproofing. The forums have instructions for making a homemade quiet exhaust pipe using a welding machine, an angle grinder and a workbench with a vise. The body of the part is proposed to be made from a car fire extinguisher and filled with glass wool to reduce the noise level.
But due to unauthorized actions in the exhaust system, the engine often starts to work incorrectly. The car will run quieter, but gas mileage will increase and power will decrease. A self-made design will fail at any time. And after poor-quality welding of the muffler in winter, a tube can come off the resonator.
Soundproofing a car muffler with your own hands will only be effective if the driver thoroughly knows the principles of operation of the exhaust system and understands its device. It is important to choose original materials, comply with the technology for performing work and fire safety standards.
Which is better: make soundproofing or replace exhaust system parts with better ones
New cars don't make any noise while driving at first. Chattering begins with constant use, when parts fail.
If, on the muffler, a fastening is loose, a dent has formed from an impact, a crack due to corrosion or another defect, first replace the parts with new ones. Insulation with noise-reducing materials will solve the problem for a short time. The cabin will be quieter, but the car can break down at any moment.
How to make exhaust quieter
To make soundproofing for a car muffler, the exhaust system will be improved as follows:
- put another resonator with a sound-absorbing drive;
- replace hanging rubber bands;
- buy a new muffler and damper;
- install a corrugation between the "pants" and the pipe.
Protecting the vehicle muffler from noise and vibration will only be effective when installing original parts that are suitable for the brand of your particular car.
