[shien]

I just notice a lot of engine noise will come in from the center console. You can try this, put your right hand on the console, hit gas paddle. You'll feel a lot of engine vibration on the console. Not even the dashboard feels that way. I'll try adding some foam to further absorb sound. Hope this would help.

 

[shien]

Weather stripping on the sliding door and hatch is done. The difficult part is to find the matching weatherstrip and the find a good route. If the strip is too high, door makes big pop sound at opening. Apparently it pushes the door out. But if the strip is too low, it doesn't touch the other end. Factory designed weather stripping, for sure, has good continuous contact.

After countless trial and error testing, I mixed 7/8 and 5/8 3M weatherstripping epdm rubber and 3/8 MD weather stripping. Tried my best but still makes non-continuous loop.

On the upper side of the hatch use 7/8 height.

On the lower side of the hatch use 5/8 height.

On the front edge of the sliding door, use 3/8 height.

On the lower side of the sliding door, use 7/8 height

On the upper side of the sliding use 7/8

The result, it kills the hollow feeling that use to be there when speed goes above 40 mph.

I think my sound deadening project is going to stop here. I go with easy route on most of the project. Additional dramatic improvement would require much more effort.
Driving 65mph on highway, I can have conversation to my kids at the last row easily. With radio volume set to 8, pretty much I don't feel noises outside. Without radio, I still can hear passing cars, road noise (depending on the road), and engine sound. But I can tell you, the stress is much lower and I don't hesitate to hit the gas paddle anytime to pass 75mph.

To summarize entire project, here is my list by the effectiveness to reduce driver stress:

1. Wheel well on the front including the lower firewall and under the carpet of the front seat.
2. Wheel well on the back.
3. B pillar
4. Front door panel
5. Rear door panel
6. Rear quarter panel and hatch panel
7. Additional weather stripping on the sliding door
8. Additional weather stripping on the hatch.

Total cost:
Raamat, ensolite and some dynamat around $250 total (I still have a lot of Raamat but I don't know how effective it will be by adding more)
MLV $120
Weather stripping around $130 ( A lot of waste and left over due to excessive trial & error)

Hours spent: so much that I can't add them.

 

[skinny2]

Now that you'll have a bunch of spare time, how about figuring out how to get the SE steering system to run in the other models? ;D Drove the Sienna to our remote office which is a 30 mile trip out a curvy/hilly state route (Car and Driver uses this road to test Corvettes....it's a fun road). Not fun in a Sienna. Steering feel is atrocious through the curves and passing someone is quite dramatic. It's like there's a delay between the wheel and what the car does.

 

[shien]

Skinny2, I believe a set of 19" tires will do pretty well the trick. I had santafe suv before sienna. When factory tire ran out, I upgrade from 16" to 18" and wider performance tire. Since then, it drives like a sedan. I was quite impressed by the change. Nothing was done to suspension but it handled well.
The mechanical difference of Sienna SE is the lower tuned suspension. I think it is the same suspension. It doesn't have crossbar like Camry SE. So, I would expect great result by upgrading rim and tire.
Try that and let us know how it goes!

 

[skinny2]

It's not really tire or suspension related...it's the programming/mechanics of the steering. The SE Sienna is a HUGE improvement and rides the same width and type of tires as the ltd. Oh well, I just thought maybe that was a project you'd want to take on next. I'll just continue to avoid driving it at all cost.

 

[shien]

Just had a ride with friend on his 2008 sienna XLE. I have to say, 2nd gen sienna is quieter on highway. Less wind noise and passing cars does not resonance as bad as the 3rd gen. The interior panels also feels better. Not so plastic like. However, the driver leather seat has teared by normal use. Overall. I like the 3rd better. Looked sportier.

 

[jugdish]

I have a 2011 Limited and it is significantly quieter than the 2005 sienna we traded. Not sure if the limited has more insulation, but the difference is night and day.

 

[Dean]

Gghhhhhhhhhhh

 

[showtm490]

I'm unsure if it'll work but I wonder if spraying a coating (like a truck bed) along the bottom of the van will help?

 

[shien]

Look at this thread that people use spray coating of rubber on the bottom metal sheet of interior. There are some pictures:

http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/appearance-detailing/1075528-new-interior-mod.html

To be honest, I think anything will help. However, I think the effect/effort would be better on other area. Rubber coating works like sound damper and 3rd gen Sienna has quite a good amount of factory sound damper on the floor. Carpet is pretty thick too. The 3 elements of sound deadening missing here is the blocker, which is MLV.
If I would to work on the floor, I think the first row before chair has more sound coming and is relatively easy to access. I didn't add much sound damper on the floor and no CCF (I don't have any left when working on this area). Mostly MLV and double layer under the center console where a lot of sound comes in.

Another concern, rubber spray is easy to mess up all the wiring, AC, etc if not dissemble them before hand.

I'm growing the appreciation of the sound quietness and the quality of driving of Sienna.

 

[theRED1]

Do you have any recommendations on where to buy the materials?

 

[shien]

This is what I got:

Raamat and Ensolite from
http://www.raamaudio.com/

MLV from
Trademark Soundproofing

Velco tape from Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Velcro-Indust...asteners/dp/B00006RSP1/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1341648944&sr=8-3&keywords=velcro

Dynamate from Amazon
(this is really unnecessary since I order big box from Raamat and have about half left over)
http://www.amazon.com/Dynamat-10435...=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1341649032&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=sound+deadening

I keep cost down and these works well.

 

[hrishi]

I have 2012 XLE and have around 10 k miles. When start the car with A/C on it makes wierd noise for 20-25 sec. and then it is gone. It I stop the A/C then it makes same noise agian.Any thougt?

 

[theRED1]

Thanks shien!

 

[shien]

Thanks shien!

Sure. Anyone need service manual to open panels, check with me. I might have it.

 

[bchalasani]

Hi Shien,

I have a 2012 Sienna XLE. I have a broken plastic piece that supports the 8th seat storage in the rear left of the van. The screws to hold the plastic piece are screwed in from behind the panel

Can you help me with the diagrams and instructions to open the left rear interior panel(when looking into van from rear)?

Thanks,

Bhanu

 

[shien]

Sure. PM me please.

Hi Shien,

I have a 2012 Sienna XLE. I have a broken plastic piece that supports the 8th seat storage in the rear left of the van. The screws to hold the plastic piece are screwed in from behind the panel

Can you help me with the diagrams and instructions to open the left rear interior panel(when looking into van from rear)?

Thanks,

Bhanu

 

[Titan510]

Amazing job! :thumbsup:
I would love to this to our sienna, but it sounds like a lot of work...
Now that you have had this for 6 months and looking back is there anything you would have done differently?
What was the hardest section to get to?

Weather stripping on the sliding door and hatch is done. The difficult part is to find the matching weatherstrip and the find a good route. If the strip is too high, door makes big pop sound at opening. Apparently it pushes the door out. But if the strip is too low, it doesn't touch the other end. Factory designed weather stripping, for sure, has good continuous contact.

After countless trial and error testing, I mixed 7/8 and 5/8 3M weatherstripping epdm rubber and 3/8 MD weather stripping. Tried my best but still makes non-continuous loop.

On the upper side of the hatch use 7/8 height.
View attachment 2465

On the lower side of the hatch use 5/8 height.
View attachment 2466
On the front edge of the sliding door, use 3/8 height.
View attachment 2467
On the lower side of the sliding door, use 7/8 height
View attachment 2468
On the upper side of the sliding use 7/8
View attachment 2469

The result, it kills the hollow feeling that use to be there when speed goes above 40 mph.

I think my sound deadening project is going to stop here. I go with easy route on most of the project. Additional dramatic improvement would require much more effort.
Driving 65mph on highway, I can have conversation to my kids at the last row easily. With radio volume set to 8, pretty much I don't feel noises outside. Without radio, I still can hear passing cars, road noise (depending on the road), and engine sound. But I can tell you, the stress is much lower and I don't hesitate to hit the gas paddle anytime to pass 75mph.

To summarize entire project, here is my list by the effectiveness to reduce driver stress:

1. Wheel well on the front including the lower firewall and under the carpet of the front seat.
2. Wheel well on the back.
3. B pillar
4. Front door panel
5. Rear door panel
6. Rear quarter panel and hatch panel
7. Additional weather stripping on the sliding door
8. Additional weather stripping on the hatch.

Total cost:
Raamat, ensolite and some dynamat around $250 total (I still have a lot of Raamat but I don't know how effective it will be by adding more)
MLV $120
Weather stripping around $130 ( A lot of waste and left over due to excessive trial & error)

Hours spent: so much that I can't add them.

 

[billmac]

Thanks Shien for all the info and pictures. You sure are energetic. I wish you were my neighbor.

Wind noise on my 2012 XLE is more than a little obvious. I surprised more people haven't complained about the wind noise.

 

[soaristo]

wow, i wish to do this to the van eventually! got to get the approval from the wife first! Great job!