Chasing interior wind noise

Yep,pretty interesting day.Had tires installed yesterday.Today,I decided to track down some wind noise coming from the right side around
the pillar and window.I gave it the water test 1st to see if there was a gap anywhere in the seal.Nope.I then checked the door seal.
it was fine.Next up,check the pillar vent seal that connects to the door when its closed.It also checked out.
No windtunnel around here to do a real test so I went into the paintbooth.Its a cross draft style.kicks out some serious cfm.
I put two 100mph cage fans in front of the car and removed the exhaust filters in the booth so the airflow wasn't impeded.
I mixed up some liquid mask and added a white water soluble dye and sprayed the car with it.Then turned on the fans and
mixed up some waterborne dye and colored it black.I used an hvlp waterborne gun with a heater and sprayed it in front
of the fans.After it dried,I looked at where the dye had hit the white mask at. Nothing on the window or pillar.Well crap.

I washed the mask off the car and grabbed the laptop and the noise sensor and set it on the passenger seat and headed to the highway.
This sensor is based on dolby ac3,so I can turn each of 6 areas off until only the air noise is left.
It was coming from under the dash on the passenger side.Cool.back in the garage,time to break out the manual for the
fresh air routing diagram.I did the ac and air check to make sure that all the servos were channeling the air correctly.
Next up,look at the front air diffuser.That channels the air under the car,also it routes some of the air into ducts that cools
the rotors and calipers.This type of car needs that since the braking system gets much hotter than on non performance systems.
Bigger rotors,bigger 6 piston calipers generate alot of heat than can warp a rotor unless it has some cooling.
Nothing wrong with the diffuser and the vents and baffles.But during the check,the problem was found.
The right wheel well inner cover had come loose at the front and was letting air in that hit the firewall.
less than a minute to button it back up.Air noise solved.

That was alot of fun.It was the challenge of finding something that normally most people wouldn't notice or bother with.

Diagnostics is the most engaging and challenging portion of my work as well. It's why I like(d) this show so much....

Dude, what are you, some kind of rocket scientist?

Docrwm wrote:

Diagnostics is the most engaging and challenging portion of my work as well. It's why I like(d) this show so much....

Yep...love that show! Reminds me of me

nah,just a problem solver.I kind of like it that way.companies pay me to solve system problems and adapt new components to fit on
older bikes.Its really alot of fun.I'm retired but I still do this stuff.So while I'm surfing this site,I'll have cad,solidworks and 3dsmax running
in the background and another computer running data acquisition software.I use that to load in data from a test session for some
of the bike companies and privateers.I'll take the info and make a map of the track then simulate a run using the software.Its pretty
cool.Its like playing a video game.I only require that they also run a g meter during the map session.Without that,I can't determine lean
angle or stress on the tires.Its also required to make a virtual map.I'll do the run,look at the results.So I see everything around the track.
suspension settings,front sprocket size,rear size,tire size,temp,pressure,transmission gearing,all of the throttle inputs,gas and air
readouts,etc.So I see where the bike is slow,and where its fast.I'll take that and send a disc with new settings for the bike.
90% of the time,thats all thats needed.I used to do the actual testing but ended up breaking my neck to many times so
this software is as close as I get these days.

"That channels the air under the car,also it routes some of the air into ducts that cools
the rotors and calipers.This type of car needs that since the braking system gets much hotter than on non performance systems."

What make and model car?

Im in a hurry so no time to read but check the wheel well and see if maybe some air is getting into the firewall!

cali kid wrote:

Im in a hurry so no time to read but check the wheel well and see if maybe some air is getting into the firewall!

porschefan wrote:

"That channels the air under the car,also it routes some of the air into ducts that cools
the rotors and calipers.This type of car needs that since the braking system gets much hotter than on non performance systems."

What make and model car?

this.2007 nissan 350Z nismo edition

Love it, nice, nice.

. . . still performing surgery with blunt instruments here . . . if a vacuum guage and a timing light don't do it, It's by ear . . . .

wagon wrote:

. . . still performing surgery with blunt instruments here . . . if a vacuum guage and a timing light don't do it, It's by ear . . . .

...TDC means something to Randy.

porschefan wrote:

wagon wrote:

. . . still performing surgery with blunt instruments here . . . if a vacuum guage and a timing light don't do it, It's by ear . . . .

...TDC means something to Randy.

. . . "thing destroyed completely" . .

wagon wrote:

porschefan wrote:

wagon wrote:

. . . still performing surgery with blunt instruments here . . . if a vacuum guage and a timing light don't do it, It's by ear . . . .

...TDC means something to Randy.

. . . "thing destroyed completely" . .

That, too, I suppose.

Nice work Sean, I would have just turned the radio up a bit.....

Whoa ! ..Sounds like you did a VERY thorough job there Sean !!!
Super cool stuff !..Thanks for the info, and look out MacGyver !

AtomicTom wrote:

Whoa ! ..Sounds like you did a VERY thorough job there Sean !!!
Super cool stuff !..Thanks for the info, and look out MacGyver !

Your meds are much stronger than mine.Wanna trade?

I've got a 1000watt bose system in the car.Its been on only when a passenger is in the car.I like to
hear the engine,its pure music by itself.I'm sure all of the gear heads here know what I mean.

andrema wrote:

Docrwm wrote:

Diagnostics is the most engaging and challenging portion of my work as well. It's why I like(d) this show so much.... HOUSE MD

Yep...love that show! Reminds me of me

STOP my sides hurt.

cali kid wrote:

Im in a hurry so no time to read but check the wheel well and see if maybe some air is getting into the firewall!

Just make sure that your frazenlugen isn't kersnickened.

[quote="yamahakiI've got a 1000watt bose system in the car.Its been on only when a passenger is in the car.I like to
hear the engine,its pure music by itself.I'm sure all of the gear heads here know what I mean.[/quote]

. . . A big old +1 on that!!!! Only have the stock AM radio in the wagon. Hookers and turbos sing to me . . .

yamahaki wrote:

AtomicTom wrote:

Whoa ! ..Sounds like you did a VERY thorough job there Sean !!!
Super cool stuff !..Thanks for the info, and look out MacGyver !

Your meds are much stronger than mine.Wanna trade?

I've got a 1000watt bose system in the car.Its been on only when a passenger is in the car.I like to
hear the engine,its pure music by itself.I'm sure all of the gear heads here know what I mean.

..No meds here, but I do like the sound of an engine as well sir !
..That sound system probably sounds pretty GREAT too !!!

Quote :

andrema wrote:

Docrwm wrote:

Diagnostics is the most engaging and challenging portion of my work as well. It's why I like(d) this show so much.... HOUSE MD

Yep...love that show! Reminds me of me

Actually I have been told I would be more of a combination of House and Becker.