Turn down the noise!

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When you're been here a while, and something just makes you wonder.....

I've got a rude, crude, but low mileage 2.2 Ecotec in my 15 year old Cavalier. These engines were never known for being quiet, but this Cavalier happens to have the loudest engine of the 3 Ecotec engines that we own......

The car has run a good part of it's life on either Napa or some sort of SOPUS oil ( QSUD, PP)

I've been considering going the "thicker" branded oil ( Like Castrol), doing a blend oil, or maybe even a Dino oil to quiet this engine a bit. The engine is healthy and runs well, but it is annoying loud....

Thoughts? Maybe a good set of earplugs?
 
Originally Posted by rubberchicken
I cannot see this being any more or less loud than its peers. Maybe you have some sort of sound absorption material missing ?

A friends 2007 (or 8) Corolla is louder than my wife's 2004 with nearly twice the miles. It was loud since new.
 
Originally Posted by zorobabel
Originally Posted by rubberchicken
I cannot see this being any more or less loud than its peers. Maybe you have some sort of sound absorption material missing ?

A friends 2007 (or 8) Corolla is louder than my wife's 2004 with nearly twice the miles. It was loud since new.


All Corolla's are loud!
 
Maybe a 10w30 PP or 0w40 M1. How about this ------>https://www.nulon.com.au/products/premium-mineral-engine-oils/premium-mineral-40-70-extra-thick-oil
 
In the UK these engines had a GM oil specification which has now been replaced with Dexos 2.

M1 0w40 would be my go-to but if you want to make it quieter you might be better off putting some dynamat under the bonnet and on the bulkhead.
 
Amazon basic 5W40 with a bottle of Liqui-Moly Moly? Usually not a fan of additives, but why not.


My usual go to oil to "quiet" an engine is Total Quartz 9000 5W40. US easy to get equivalent would be the Motul X-Cess 8100, lol !
 
Originally Posted by rubberchicken
I cannot see this being any more or less loud than its peers. Maybe you have some sort of sound absorption material missing ?


Nope, everything is still there. Even the foam around the battery....
grin2.gif
 
Originally Posted by clinebarger
Is it the engine that's louder....Or just a tinny/poorly insulated penalty box of a car??



Touché...
lol.gif


It's always been a little loader due to that....just seems way more so than now.....
 
Originally Posted by Triple_Se7en
Why isn't it listed in your signature?

10W30 quality conventional with a bottle of Liqui-Moly



You mean we should admit to having a Cavalier?
wink.gif


It's been parked the last few years....never thought to add it since it wasn't really being used. I should though!
 
Originally Posted by rubberchicken
I cannot see this being any more or less loud than its peers. Maybe you have some sort of sound absorption material missing ?



Or maybe you need to add some .

We had a 1989 Cavalier , ages ago . Think it was a 2.0l pushrod 4 cylinder . We had it undercoated , but I could not tell it helped noise any .
 
Originally Posted by clinebarger
Is it the engine that's louder....Or just a tinny/poorly insulated penalty box of a car??


These were, decent long lasting vehicles and a factor of ten better than that Toy rolla in your signature.
 
Maybe check motor mounts?

Green bottle quaker state used to be a "quiet" oil.

Also Motorcraft SS.

Don't know how the new formulation fare.
 
Originally Posted by ARCOgraphite
Originally Posted by clinebarger
Is it the engine that's louder....Or just a tinny/poorly insulated penalty box of a car??


These were, decent long lasting vehicles and a factor of ten better than that Toy rolla in your signature.

Cavalier? In the rustbelt? I dare say I see more Corollas up here. Maybe where rust isn't a problem the tables would be turned (not saying all 'rollas are good, they certainly had a bad batch of oil burners).

*

I'd go with earplugs. If adventurous you could rip out the interior and add sound deadner.

You could check for bad wheel bearings and/or bad tires. Those can be loud.
 
Originally Posted by JoelB
I would invest in some decent speakers and forget about the engine noise.

Did that once on a road trip to the Catskills in an Audi 100LS

Cresting a small rise on I 90 W, the engine proceded to throw two rods through the side of the block.

So much coolant Smoke and oil, I couldn't see a thing. I slowly Guided the car into the slow lane cable guardrail to finish it off.

Thumbed back to Chelmsford.
 
Originally Posted by JoelB
I would invest in some decent speakers and forget about the engine noise.

I'd go the opposite way and turn down the radio. I find I dislike getting out of a car and having my ears ringing after a long drive--just turning up the volume would make that worse.
 
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