How To Sound Proof Your Car? Noise Blocking Tips And Materials.

Types of Sound Insulation / Sound Proof.

Bonnet insulators

– these comprise foam rubber backed on one side by a woven cloth (or aluminised polyester) and on the other with pressure adhesive. As the name suggests, they’re suitable for mounting under bonnets and also under bootlids.

Noise barriers

– these materials use compressed layers of cotton-waste (or similar) sandwiching a thin layer of bitumen. They’re used both to absorb noise and also to prevent noise transmission. They can be mounted on the firewall within the cabin (ie under the carpet), under the boot carpet and behind the rear seat in booted sedans. This noise insulation is held in place with applied contact adhesive.

Anti-vibration materials

– these insulators comprise low resonance (acoustically ‘dead’) materials which are designed to stop panel vibration. In use they’re glued to the panels. It is important that the join between the insulator and the panel is continuous, with large amounts of contact adhesive therefore needed.

What is Sound Proofing? How Can I do It In With My Car?

Sound Proofing starts with some means of damping. A number of products are available for this, and they all have various degrees of effectiveness. The best results are always obtained from using a combination of these products. There are mats, sprays, foams, and insulation available from a number of manufacturers

Mats are usually either Styrene-Butyadine-Rubber or asphaltic sheets backed with an adhesive of some type (although other materials are used in some cases). Installing mats in your vehicle is a simple way to reduce vibration, and is effective as well. The way mats work is that they are used to cover panels. The material they are made of absorbs vibrations in the panels, and turns them into heat, or it may simply lower the resonant frequency of the panel. Mats can also be placed between panels to reduce the amount of vibration between the two panels when they are in close contact. Many times, the mats will also have a metal foil backing to improve the heat resistance of the matting (thus allowing you to use it in an engine compartment). The matting also adds weight to a panel, reducing it’s tendency to vibrate in the first place. Some of the more popular mats are Dynamat and Road Kill, but there are alternatives.

Sprays are also used for damping. These sprays normally come in a professional can, which require a compressor and paintgun to apply, but many companies are starting to market aerosol cans of sound deadener spray. The spray is often used in places where matting would either be too difficult, or would add too much weight/bulk. Door panels are the most common application for sprays, as well as highly irregular crevices (like inside kickpanels). Sprays are suitable for large panels as well, but they tend to be messy, and require taping/masking off of upholstery and windows.

Foams come in two forms: Sheets of foam, and foam sprays. The sheets of foam are used much like mats are; They are laid over panels to reduce and absorb vibration. Unlike mats, which absorb the vibration and convert it to heat energy, foam sheets disperse the vibrations throughout, reducing its total energy. Foam sprays are used to fill in crevices. As they dry (or rather, cure), they expand slightly, pressing against the nearby panels. The individual cells help to disperse energy away from the vibrating panel, and absorb them. Foams can be expensive as well, and there is a low cost alternative here, as well. The first is Styrofoam©, which can be obtained in a spray can. Styrofoam© is the brand name for the polystyrene foam we are all familiar with (and somewhat annoyed by at times). The fumes given off by Styrofoam© are noxious, and many communities have laws banning its use due to environmental concerns. Another alternative is insulating foams like Great Stuff©, which is used in home construction. Great Stuff© is cheap, fireproof when cured, and readily available at any hardware store for about three dollars a can. Great Stuff© is also shapeable when it cures, and can be used to smooth sharp corners. The downside to Great Stuff©, like Ice Guard, is that it is messy. Once Great Stuff© is sprayed on upholstery, your clothes, your skin, etc, it’s all over. You hands will be stiff and sticky for days, if not weeks, and your clothes are forever ruined. Great Stuff© also expands voraciously, so spray it carefully.

Finally, there is insulation. Jute is the most common insulation. It is laid under carpets in both cars and houses, and is basically a thick mat of fibers which absorb sound. Though less effective than the other methods, it adds a plushness to carpets, and has very good thermal insulation. Micro Jute is recommended, because it’s much thinner than jute, and has about the same level of effectiveness. Jute or Micro Jute can be gotten from a number of manufacturers, and is available at any carpet supply store.

DIY NOISE BLOCKING TIPS IN MALAYSIA

First of all sponge is not gonna work. If you want to DIY super cheap, get the Insuflex from KHGuan (I think RM15+ a large sheet) and cable tie the thing (or glue it). If you want a medium alternative go to KFAudio and ask them to use Sikadamp (RM30 a piece) or go to Soundblok and ask them to quote on their stuff. If you want ultimate dampening get Dynamat Extreme which sells from RM60 to RM100 a piece and front doors only required 3 pieces to cover (meaning approx 6 to 7 pieces for 4 doors).

Otherwise mix and match. Doors use Dynamat, floor use soundblok, roof use Insuflex, bonnet use Insuflex, Boot use Dynamat.

Up to you.. it’s all good.

As for rust, there’s no guarantee on the glue whether it’ll rust or not. But Dynamat, Sikadamp, soundblok and many of those bitumen-based-stick-on stuff don’t cause rust. Insuflex is just a spongy type of material and needs to have something to keep it there.

That audiotech fischer stuff is good stuff too. But obviously for that price you have many other options. The most important difference is that paste is not removable. Dynamat extreme and Sika and all are removable.

How To TakeCare Car Battery & Change It.

HOW TO TAKE CARE CAR BATTERY & CHANGE IT - IMPORTANT TIPS

Car batteries suffer if heavily discharged, damaging the cells as well as failing to start the car. So, if the charge warning light comes on, or if the battery seems very sluggish on starting, get the system checked as soon as possible.

If the battery has removable vents (maintenance-free batteries may be sealed, and low-maintenance batteries may not be easy to open) check the electrolyte level. Top up to cover the plates with distilled or deionised water – de-frost water from the ’fridge is ok provided it’s absolutely clean. With maintenance free or low-maintenance batteries, topping up should only be necessary every year or so: have the charging rate checked if much water is being lost.

Corrosion of the battery terminals can cause starting problems. Before removing either battery lead make sure any radio and security codes are noted as given in the handbook, and the engine must be stopped. Remove the negative lead (Black - ) first, then the positive (Red + ), and just lightly scrape the battery posts and the inside of the terminals. Coat the faces with petroleum jelly and re-attach, tightening firmly but not over-straining the fixings.

A battery has a bunch of lead walls in it and they produce chemical electricity by mixing and moving acid around inside. But when your car bounces around a lot these lead walls loosen up, brake off, and can cause your battery to die quickly, or not operate and leave you stranded. To reduce vibration of your battery make sure that your battery is secury straped down, usually cars have some sort of bracket or tie down to hold it in place. Just make sure to check that it’s still there from time to time or that it hasn’t become loose.

Another way to keep good care of your battery is to keep it properly charged. To keep it charged right run the vehicle for about an hour at least one time a week. If you drive normally then you don’t have to worry about it. By running the car the alternator generates electricity and runs it back to the battery and charges it. Letting your battery die by leaving the key on or the lights and then having to jump start it all the time is bad for your battery, you shouldn’t put your battery in such extreme conditions. It needs to be at a constant voltage.

Now we can talk about inspection for your battery. It’s pretty simple, if you car takes a long time to crank over and feels slow, or it doesn’t crank over at all, chances are your battery is bad. If your battery is bad it can still turn on the car, it just may take longer. If you feel your battery may be bad, just take it to your nearest auto shop and have them test it, they usually don’t charge you for it, or charge very little. If it’s bad they are very easy to change the battery, just take off the two battery cables, and then remove the holding bracket. When taking off the battery leads, make sure to take the negative (black) lead off first then take off the positive (red). Then when you reinstall the cables you need to put the red on first then the black last. If you do it backwards there is a chance you could mess up a computer.

Dropping batteries is bad, do not do that, you could break open the case and cause acid to leak out. NEVER TOUCH ANYTHING CONDUCTIVE ON THE NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE POST AT THE SAME TIME. You can cause a fire or make a batter go boom, and by boom, I mean explode. Remember if you have a bad battery, then you’re screwed because your car won’t do much after that. Take out your car’s heart(battery) and see what happens.

If you pop open your hood and see a bunch of blue, yellow, or just weird looking powder on your batter post. That is acid, and that is bad. That means acid has leaked from your battery and is eating away at your battery post and cables. You need to clean this right away with water and a wire brush. You can buy special battery acid neautralizer but water usually will do the trick. Be sure not to inhale any of it because it’s not good for you and also it can eat through your clothes after you wash them. If you clean it and the acid comes back, then I recommend replacing your battery and buying battery protectors which sit on your battery post to help keep acid from forming. Acid can build up and go into your battery cables and cause resistance in your electrical systems causing your car to act funny.

When to change car battery? Modern car batteries have a life expectancy of around five to seven years, but it’s pretty much impossible to predict when the end is getting near. So, the options are to soldier on until it fails, or change it at say five years – and the latter is probably the best option. At least this gives you the chance to choose a suitable battery at your convenience. But what to look for?

The basic voltage, current rating and size of battery will be given in the dealer’s catalogues, and these must of course be right for the make and model of car. There will then be the choice of battery make, capacity, grid type and warranty life. These factors will be reflected in the price of car battery, as generally the higher capacity and longer warranties go with the more expensive brands. In most cases they’ll be worth paying for – particularly in the case of a diesel where cold-start current demand will be higher than for the same sized petrol engine.

Maintenance-free batteries will use lead-calcium for both grids, and this is nowadays a widely sold type of battery. An alternative, sometimes cheaper type is the “hybrid” lead-calcium/lead-antimony low maintenance batteries, or the older style plain lead-antimony battery. There are good and bad examples of each type, but in our tests the lead-calcium/lead-antimony battery performed better overall than the others.

Having selected a make and type, look for the date of manufacture, or ask the dealer to check it, if it’s not shown. Batteries don’t improve in storage. If a calcium battery is more than a year old, or for other types say six months, look for a newer one, or at least check that it has been recharged within the last three months. And weigh the warranties. A three or four years’ warranty indicates a greater degree of confidence on the part of the manufacturer.

Your headlights look dim at idle and then brighten when you rev the engine.
The starter turns slowly, barely starting the car. But you may have alternator wiring problems that prevent the battery from fully charging. If that’s the case, schedule a service appointment. Check your fan belt. If it’s loose, frayed, cracked or glazed, have it serviced or replaced.
A low battery can also be caused by:
Frequent short trips.
Too many accessories left on or added.
Look for a purchase date chart on the battery (it may be handwritten). The battery case will also have a decal stating its expected life, such as 60 or 84 months. If it’s near the end of this expected service life, replace it.

Many times the first hint of a battery problem shows up during the starting process. The starter is a small but powerful electric motor which depends on the car’s battery for its energy. Once the key has been turned in the ignition, a circuit between the battery and the starter is completed through a solenoid switch. In an ideal world, the starter motor’s shaft spins a small gear at the tip called a bendix, which in turn connects with the main engine’s flywheel. If the bendix fails to meet the flywheel, the engine simply won’t start. The result is a spinning shaft with nowhere to go.
If the car battery is too weak to provide a sufficient charge to the starter, the solenoid switch will not function correctly. It will make a distinctive clicking sound. This clicking should indicate to the driver that the battery is not fully charged. It will need to be recharged with professional equipment or jumpstarted. But a simple procedure called a load test can be performed to determine if the battery is ready to be replaced. A serviceman will attach a voltmeter to the battery’s terminals while the car is running. A switch on the voltmeter will then change the power load from the alternator to the battery alone. Sometimes a weak alternator will be the culprit, but other times the test will reveal a weak battery not capable of holding a charge. This means the battery must be replaced.

Thats all how to take care of your car battery. If you found out your battery is weak, go to nearest workshop and replace with the new one. Hope this info helps you a lot. If you have some experience regarding car batteries, please share in the comment area.