Kilmat sound deadening project

[skinnysaurus]

Decide to try sound deadening project using 100 mil Kilmat. I am not sure I have the resolve to do the entire car or even 100% coverage on every panel. I read that you will notice a difference with even about 70% coverage. As a test, I’m starting with some key areas under the rear seats, the rear wheel arches and the spare tire well. Just these few areas took 3.5 hrs. I could see this easily as a 15+ hr project if you did the entire car. If I feel the results were worth the effort, I plan on moving onto the front doors, rear speaker shelf and trunk…..or possibly the entire rear end from the front seats back if I feel really motivated. I don’t think I’m going to tackle the front since I don’t want to take out the front seats and center console. The Kilmat was extremely easy to work with since it comes in small sheets and I had no issue cutting with a utility knife. There is almost no sound insulation on this car whatsoever except for a few pieces of styrofoam. Finished at 2 am last night and the roads have been icy around me so I haven’t had time to test drive. Results to be posted once the weather clears up. I also have a foam sound deadening mat I bought from a forum member a few years ago. If anyone has successfully sound deadened their car, any tips tricks or key areas to focus on appreciated.

ps Does anyone know what those 2 really rubber circles under the rear seat are for?

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[Chef jpd]

I did the same last year. I did about 80% coverage under the seats.
Also be sure to get the vertical area behind the carpet under the seating area.
Made a solid difference, and the stereo sounds better and louder.
Not sure you hit it, but in the trunk on the inside of the rear fenders is very much in need of deadening.

The rubber things are access to fuel tank, I believe.

 

[Evolvd]

Pull your trunk lid trim and try to cover as much of the trunk lid as you can. You can get some in between the panels too.
The headliner comes down pretty easy too. Front seats are only 4 bolts and some electrical clips. You can pull the door jam trim and roll the carpet back towards the center console (which isn’t that bad to remove).
Unless you’re going for an extreme SPL build you don’t need to cover every square inch like you said. Even some coverage is better than none.

 

[Evolvd]

Decide to try sound deadening project using 100 mil Kilmat. I am not sure I have the resolve to do the entire car or even 100% coverage on every panel. I read that you will notice a difference with even about 70% coverage. As a test, I’m starting with some key areas under the rear seats, the rear wheel arches and the spare tire well. Just these few areas took 3.5 hrs. I could see this easily as a 15+ hr project if you did the entire car. If I feel the results were worth the effort, I plan on moving onto the front doors, rear speaker shelf and trunk…..or possibly the entire rear end from the front seats back if I feel really motivated. I don’t think I’m going to tackle the front since I don’t want to take out the front seats and center console. The Kilmat was extremely easy to work with since it comes in small sheets and I had no issue cutting with a utility knife. There is almost no sound insulation on this car whatsoever except for a few pieces of styrofoam. Finished at 2 am last night and the roads have been icy around me so I haven’t had time to test drive. Results to be posted once the weather clears up. I also have a foam sound deadening mat I bought from a forum member a few years ago. If anyone has successfully sound deadened their car, any tips tricks or key areas to focus on appreciated.

ps Does anyone know what those 2 really rubber circles under the rear seat are for?

BTW, how hard is it to pull the rear seat side panel trim?

 

[skinnysaurus]

Pull your trunk lid trim and try to cover as much of the trunk lid as you can. You can get some in between the panels too.
The headliner comes down pretty easy too. Front seats are only 4 bolts and some electrical clips. You can pull the door jam trim and roll the carpet back towards the center console (which isn’t that bad to remove).
Unless you’re going for an extreme SPL build you don’t need to cover every square inch like you said. Even some coverage is better than none.

I just did the trunk lid as well. I was a little skeptical but I feel a lot of the rattles are gone with just the three areas I hit. I am definitely going to try full coverage on the doors. I will hit the roof IF for some reason I need more.

BTW, how hard is it to pull the rear seat side panel trim?

Not hard at all. Just go slow. The hardest part is fitting yourself in the back seat to do it. The rear seat bottom cushions are held by just two tabs. Once you remove the seat belt cover, the panel comes up with a gentle tug all around. The panel by the rear side windows are sharp -make sure you don’t yank it and scatch your pillars. The bottom of the panel is connected to the door sill trim. Make sure you release the clip as well.

 

[NGOT8R]

Here are a couple of pics of the backside of the rear trim panel for reference.

 

[Zooks527]

The hardest part is fitting yourself in the back seat to do it.

See? There's another reason to take out the front seats.

 

[nustang]

The rubber things are access to fuel tank, I believe.

Can only speak about past experience in a truck assembly plant. There are a lot of holes punched in the body to allow drainage. All the body metal would be on a carrier and after the body shop - dipped in a solvent tank, then light acid etch, city water, distilled water, then an electro-chemical phosphate bath that leaves a smooth grey anti-corosion coat. So lots of holes needed to clear the liquids quickly as its pulled out.

 

[nustang]

mfgr's use a lot of felt like sound insulation - under carpet, firewall. Its quite effective, but better suited to flat areas. Low cost

 

[Evolvd]

See? There's another reason to take out the front seats.

Oh I wouldn’t even bother trying to squeeze my fat ass into the back seat to do this work without first removing the passenger seat at a minimum lol

 

[Ock]

Getting into that back seat is a pain... i had to replace my 3rd brake light due to leak... but im thinking would it be worth doing the roof? i think the head liner is just on w/magnets, at least the rear part was where light is.

 

[Evolvd]

Getting into that back seat is a pain... i had to replace my 3rd brake light due to leak... but im thinking would it be worth doing the roof? i think the head liner is just on w/magnets, at least the rear part was where light is.

As I understand it that is correct.

 

[EFI]

I could see this easily as a 15+ hr project if you did the entire car. If I feel the results were worth the effort, I plan on moving onto the front doors, rear speaker shelf and trunk…..or possibly the entire rear end from the front seats back if I feel really motivated

That seems highly excessive and only adds weight to the car. Those weighted mats should only have about 1/3rd coverage and used strategically in areas that vibrate/resonate and need to be weighed down. The full coverage should be done with some MLV (mass loaded vinyl) which is what actually blocks the sound transmission and weighs significantly less.

 

[Evolvd]

That seems highly excessive and only adds weight to the car. Those weighted mats should only have about 1/3rd coverage and used strategically in areas that vibrate/resonate and need to be weighed down. The full coverage should be done with some MLV (mass loaded vinyl) which is what actually blocks the sound transmission and weighs significantly less.

It depends on the end goal. Any sound deadener adds weight. Weight only matters if you track the car and not everyone tracks their car. Not to mention those who are doing sound treatment are usually going to add many more pounds of audio gear. My two 12s in a sealed box will weigh close to 90 lbs when completed and that doesn’t include the amps, wiring, or any other fixtures to mount said components.
There are multiple products that absorb vibration and some are offered in a thinner style to save weight and prevent excess material thickness for areas that don’t have a lot of room between panels.

 

[skinnysaurus]

See? There's another reason to take out the front seats.

Did you do the door panels? I haven’t opened up the doors yet but on YouTube I watched a vid and there’s a vapor guard (plastic sheet) that looks like it’s held on by some black glue or gunk. How do you get that vapor sheet back in the door? Is that black adhesive reusable? If not, what’s used to reattache it.

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