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2001 F250 Sound Proofing

24K views 44 replies 17 participants last post by  JustinOOO9 
#1 ·
Back in March I got sick and tired of my noisy *** truck. So I did a lot of research on sound damping, bought a lot of products, and have gotten to work. I'd already Fat Matted the entire floor and doors, with not much improvement, so the plan was to pull the dash, get to a bare firewall, and proceed from there. Here we go.

Well, I'm balls deep in this sum*****. Its not too bad, just take it slow. There are two screws on the left and right edges of the front of the dash that face the windshield. They are a PITA to get out, no clue how I'm getting them back in. They secure part of the HVAC ducts.









Gettin' it done! Bare firewall. Starting the CLD tiles, closed cell foam, and mass loaded vinyl installation on the firewall.









So yeah, between the above photos and now, I've gone full retard on the sound proofing. While I was pulling the HVAC air intake vents at the base of the windshield, something on the turbo up pipes caught my eye. Soot. Leaking up pipes, that's probably a big noise source. One thing leads to another and I have the top of the engine dismantled replacing/upgrading/cleaning damn near every little bit. Rebuilt the turbo, installed CCV mod (routed to filter/catch tube and back to intake), EBPV delete (with new pedestal mount), New exhaust side turbo housing since crack found in old one during rebuild, new RiffRaff billet intakes, 50 cent fixes, RiffRaff FRx and HPX, new orings on everything, new up pipes, new Red Head steering box, new ps pump, Navistar water pump, new hydroboost and brake master cylinder, new rear driveshaft ujoints, etc. Like I said. Full. Retard. I'm only just now getting to the interior, but it's coming along nicely. the entire firewall has CLD tiles covering ~25% then a layer of closed cell foam (CCF) and a layer of mass loaded vinyl (MLV) then the factory CCF/MLV firewall insulator is placed over all that. All voids are stuffed with hydrophobic melamine foam. Enough talk. Pictures.








these SOBs were a PITA to remove. I think they were the originals (~225k miles)




CLD Tiles


CCF/MLV




Hydrophobic Melamine Foam






Coming together




Next up is to finish assembling the dash, install the new hydroboost and master cylinder, wrap up the cab sound proofing and then get her back on the road. Its been almost 5 months.
 
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#2 · (Edited)
Looks like you're leaving no stone unturned. I've done some sound abatement on mine, but nothing like what you're doing. One thing that did work for me was to fill any open voids under the dash with foam rubber to deaden any extra noise. However, after doing what you have done, I don't know if that would be necessary.
There used to be a sound deadening panel available through Ford. They put them in the Excursions. Ford doesn't make them anymore and I've searched high and low and no one makes them aftermarket. It's a plate that fits above your feet on the drivers side (with slots for the brake pedal). It blocks out the noise behind the dash. I've been looking for a salvaged Excursion to get one out of.

I don't know if you've ever used a decibel sound meter to test your truck, but its interesting. You can buy them on Amazon for $20, but I found a free app for my smartphone that works just as good. I've brought my sound levels down from 75 db to 65 db. That may no sound like much, but its a huge improvement.
Oh, and one last thing. I found that the two cab vents on the back of the cab (behind the back seat) let in a bunch of road noise. I completely encased them in acoustic foam so air can still travel through. It made as much difference in reducing noise as anything else I did. Like you, I found that putting the matting under the carpet was hardly worth the effort.
If you take your truck down the road with the interior removed and have someone else use the decibel meter, you can pinpoint the problem sources of noise. You can't imagine how noisy these trucks are without the interior in them. I was getting readings of 85 db. A chainsaw is 95 db. It was like riding in a huge 55 gallon drum.

Your level of detail on this job begs the question,,, hows that OCD coming along?...:smile2: just kidding. Good job. If you don't mind, could you update this thread as you progress?
 
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#3 ·
Are you able to get the Riff Raff intakes on the passenger side without moving the a/c? It looked like the front bolt is blocked by it.
 
#8 ·
Yes. Didn't touch the A/C.

I don't know if you've ever used a decibel sound meter to test your truck, but its interesting. You can buy them on Amazon for $20, but I found a free app for my smartphone that works just as good. I've brought my sound levels down from 75 db to 65 db. That may no sound like much, but its a huge improvement.
Back before I first started, it was nearly 80dB at 65mph. Your 10 dB drop means your truck is half as noisy as it used to be--a substantial improvement!

Your level of detail on this job begs the question,,, hows that OCD coming along?...:smile2: just kidding. Good job. If you don't mind, could you update this thread as you progress?
I just kept telling myself that "while you're in there, might as well replace this and that and...."
 
#7 ·
I do have the Excursion panels. Didn't really do a hill of beans for my sound levels, but I will be reusing them ;) Most of my noise was coming from up near the defroster vents. After talking to the gentlemen at sound deadener showdown, he says a lot of the engine noise on these trucks (and E series vans) comes from the cowl/HVAC intake vents at the base of the windshield--its basically a huge sound reverberation chamber. I will be hitting that area with CCF and MLV in the coming days. I'll get some good photos to show how to do it. I also noticed when I got the dash pulled that the factory firewall sound insulator did not go all the way to the top of the firewall. My layer of CCF/MLV on the firewall goes all the way to the top.

The entire floor, doors and back wall of the cab will be getting CCF/MLV. When I'm done, this thing better be nearly as quiet as a new truck or I'm gonna burn it to the ground! Haha. kidding.
 
#10 ·
Quote from Machtig; When I'm done, this thing better be nearly as quiet as a new truck or I'm gonna burn it to the ground!

I'll bring the marshmallows and hot dogs. :grin: The 7.3 is one noisy beast to tame. When I bought my truck it had a straight exhaust and a K&N air filter. Talk about loud! I put a Motorcraft Severe Duty Air Filter on it and that really helped tame the intake noises a lot. Someone on here told me that putting two mufflers on it would really make it quieter, so I tried that. I have to be honest though, after installing two new quality mufflers, I don't think the second one did anything to make it quieter. I had to try it though.
 
#11 ·
Don't forget the door seal mod.
Run some surgical tubing In the seals on all the doors. Make sure the steering shaft has plenty of insulation around it.

Some stuff I would do in the engine compartment.

Turbo blanket. Helps with heat and noise.

Mine as well wrap both intercooler pipes.

If you can wrap the up pipes and downpipe.

Run an intake system like the ford AIS like he mentioned ^

You might try putting some sound deadening material on the valve covers too. The injectors are most of the engine noise besides the exhaust system.

Possibly an aero turbine to help with drone. Put it before the muffler.
 
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#13 ·
I have the latest and greatest OEM double lip steering shaft "boot"
Trying to find a quality turbo blanket specifically for the 7.3s GPR38 turbo, not having much luck.
Wrapping pre and post intake pipes with header wrap.
Up pipes are also wrapped
I intend to do the door seal mod, but I do have an extended cab so that complicates things.
Already have Ford AIS.
I'm hoping the FRx will quiet the injectors a bit. If its not enough I may try the Air Dog. I don't intend to coat the valve covers at this stage.



you "stacked" mufflers

LOL
I only have a 4" exhaust with a single muffler.

More photos tonight. Dash is in, wiring is done, hopefully will be able to start it up tonight!
 
#14 ·
Awesome pictures thank you for sharing.



I did my entire cab and doors. Except for the firewall. The funny thing is when I originally did it, it made a huge difference in sound. But after you drive it for a few months you forget and its loud again....LOL.

It is a big difference just deadening the area under the cowel above the turbo. The sound goes through there and up through the windshield. I may have missed it but do you still have the stock hood insulation on?
 
#15 ·
Dash is in


This is the cowl area that is supposedly a huge noise reverberation chamber. It will be getting CLD tiles and CCF/MLV installed very soon. Once treated, it should cease to be a noise source into the cab. A lot of the engine noise on my truck emanated from the defroster vent area. I'm fairly certain this was the primary pathway into the cab.
 
#17 ·
You might want to see if there is something you can put directly above the turbo under the cowl.
 
#20 ·
Wow this guy is going through tons of trouble and lots of money to kill the same sound that I spent thousands of dollars and almost a year of searching to find.

I love that sound. I turn the radio off so I can hear it. If I want quiet I just take my Fiesta. That car is whisper quiet. My truck isn't supposed to be. It's a truck!
 
#22 ·
Well if it's THAT loud then yea, but that little engine isn't as loud as the huge engines in 18 wheelers and those drivers sit behind those things for a living.

But you can make your truck quieter if you want to, I don't. I can have a normal chat with someone in the front passenger seat so I don't need it to be any quieter.
 
#24 ·
Looks great man. She sounds good. I love the sound of a 7.3. With all the deadener your can probably hear a clock tick. I have to ask what is that blue box on the floor? That is some thick wire going into it. The 110v plug and the 12v plugs make me think some kinda inverter?
 
#25 ·
The blue box is the control box for the Premier Power Welder. I can stick, mig or tig with it (don't have the tig attachments though), it also charges batteries in 2.7 nanoseconds, and can run brush type power tools and non-electronic heating elements (old school coffe pots, hair dryers , heat guns, solder irons, etc). It's all powered by a 200A alternator
 
#26 ·
Do the crew cab trucks have more insulation than the ext. cabs. I drove an 02 crew cab and it was much quieter than my 00 ext. cab. Or they might have put better insulation in the 02 and up trucks when they changed the interior.
 
#30 ·
The 2002 has a ton more firewall insulation behind the motor and in the cowl area. The 2000 truck only has a piece directly behind the motor. There is a big difference between my truck and my friends 2002.

Truck is running, pretty well (and quiet?) I might add
https://youtu.be/RwBOY0ou0uM

CCF and MLV going down in cab. Getting close!

What exact products are those on the floor? I bet that truck is nice to ride in! Nice work. I even like the darker carpet.
 
#28 ·
Progress. Interior is back in, even put in new carpet and ordered some Weathertech mats for it.





Remember I'm going full retard on this thing? So yeah, I CCF'd and MLV'd this thing, goes between the cowl and the fender. If you're gonna block sound, block all of it right?


 
#32 ·
You take any more pictures of what you did in the cowl area? Thanks
 
#34 ·
Finished sound proofing the cowl area and got wiper hardware reinstalled.

CLD tiles installed


CCF/MLV installed under covered section of cowl. Measured and trimmed to clear HVAC intake.


CCF/MLV in open section of cowl. Layered like a roof so water flows over the tiles.




With wiper motor/arms installed. Everything clears fine when moving


 
#35 ·
Ok, so the truck is completely back together and all sound damping materials are installed with the lone exception of the rear suicide doors. So the cowl area, firewall, floor, rear wall, two front doors, and roof. The truck is very quiet. I measured the sound pressure level with an dB Pro app on my iPhone 5S. For comparison, I also measure the sound pressure level in a 2008 Ford F350 crew cab, 4x4, dually with the 6.4L Powerstroke. Its worth noting that the 2008 has street tires, while my 2001 has 33" BFGoodrich Mud Terrain KM2s. At idle the 2008 measured 41 dB, and my 2001 measured 43 dB. At idle the 7.3L Powerstroke is significantly louder than the 6.4L Powerstroke, so the fact that I am only 2 dB louder is a testament to how much sound is getting damped! (I will get sound pressure level measurements just above the engine of each truck at idle edit this post) At a constant 45mph, the 2008 measured an average of 54 dB, while my 2001 measured an average of 51 dB! At 55mph, my 2001 measure 54 dB (didn't get a chance to do the 2008. To say that I am pleased with the results is an understatement. The truck is very quiet, and everything about how the truck sounds and feels is more solid. It was a LOT of work, but worth it for me. And not to worry, at idle and acceleration it is still quite clear that this truck is powered by the ole 7.3L Powerstroke. See video below showing how the truck sounds at idle, during spirited acceleration, and at cruising speeds of 45 and 55 mph.



Video
 
#36 ·
I see you must be like me and clean you engine every week lol my valley has surface Rust in it from cleaning so much also my valve covers are white and cooler pipes polished I been wanting to sound proof my cab I have a extended cab 2000 f350 srw with vinyl floor


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#37 ·
I see you must be like me and clean you engine every week lol my valley has surface Rust in it from cleaning so much also my valve covers are white and cooler pipes polished I been wanting to sound proof my cab I have a extended cab 2000 f350 srw with vinyl floor
The engine was a mess prior to all this. Everything that came off got cleaned or replaced. Now the trick is to just keep it clean. The PVC reroute should help.
 
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