Like a good number of people on this forum, I have been dealing with that annoying hollow tin-like sound whenever I slam the door to my FD. By researching the forum, I've found that many people have solved the problem by adding dynomat or similar sound-damping material. However, as I've recently found, the actual problem can easily be fixed without the use of costly (and heavy) sound matting. I've never seen this particular solution presented on the forum before, so I thought that I would go ahead and do so. Many kudos goes out to "turbojeff," who gave me the info on this (he gave me helpful advice, and is the only one that I know of who is aware of this particular issue).

The tin sound is coming from one of the crash bars that has separated from the door skin. On the inside of the drivers door, there is a horizontal crash bar. This obviously serves to make the door stronger in the unfortunate event of an impact. There is another vertical "crash bar" that extends from the bottom of the door, up to where it attaches with the horizontal bar. I have attached a picture of the inside of the drivers door (inner door panel removed, vapor barrier peeled back). The vertical crash bar can be seen circled in red. The factory dabbed a few spots of Automotive Seam Sealer on this bar to attach it to the door skin (One of these spots is circled in blue. There are approximately 4 of these along the bar). On my car, ALL of these seam sealer attachment points had broken, and the crash bar was no longer attached to the door skin. Therefore, every time I closed the door, the crash bar and door skin vibrated and made a hollow tin sound.

A quick test to see if this is your problem: Place your hand right in the middle of the door (below the big curve), and push the door closed firmly (be sure not to push so hard as to dent the door skin). If the sound is much quieter, then you've found your problem.

Solution: a $5 tube of Dynatron Seam Sealer (should be available at most auto stores). After removing the inner door panel and vapor barrier, redo the factory seam points that have broken loose. I tried to use a caulking gun with this stuff, but the gun is too large to get inside the door. Instead, you'll have to squeeze it out on some carboard and then use your finger (or something similar) to spread the sealer along the vertical crash bar. Be careful, as this stuff is extremely gooey and gets on EVERYTHING.

After I applied the sealer, I let it cure for 24 hours. After I came back out the next day, the door closed with a nice solid THUNK rather than the PING that is used to. Problem solved, and I couldn't be happier!


-Rob

 

Awesome writeup! I've been in MANY FD's with the hollow door sound, and it really makes the car sound cheap. Fortunately, mine is still OK - dunno if they changed something on the '94s or not. I figured it was something relatively simple like this.

I love fixes like this - a few bucks, a nice afternoon, and it makes a big difference.

Thanks for the writeup!

Dale

 

You are correct in '94 the problem was corrected.

 

Actually it wasn't, I've seen 94s and a 95 with the pinging door sound problem. Mazda added some foam pieces to the door and door panel of the 94s but it really doesn't address this problem of the crash bar seam sealer separating from the door.

This fix can apply to all 93-95 FDs with the hollow door closing sound.

Great write-up BTW!

 

I filled the inside of my door with expanding foam. You just have to be careful not to use too much because it will bow outwards.
John

 

Great write up.

Does the vapour barrier get destroyed/torn when it is removed? What sort of adhesive did you use to attach it again?

 

Thanks for saving me from the cash spent on dynomat. I was actually going to pick some up this week.

 

Again, thanks for all your help Jeff!

No problem! It was my pleasure

 

No, if you're careful, the vapor barrier will not be destroyed (although, sheets of visqueen are easy enough to come across if you do need to replace it). There is a type of black adhesive that attaches the barrier to the door. For me, the adhesive stayed tacky enough, that I was able to reattach the vapor barrier without any problem (I suggest you just peel it down, and not take it off completely, just for ease of installation). If you need new adhesive, I'm sure some type of silicone sealant (or even the seam sealer) should work. Although, I'm sure turbojeff would know the correct answer to this.

 

No problem! That was my plan too, until Jeff lead me in the right direction.

 

Hello-

You can get seam sealer in a pressurized form, too. I got a can that just squirts the stuff out without a gun - it made my doors nice and quiet.

Also, while you're at it, do it to the sunroof. It'll make the wind noise go down quite a bit. No joke...

Take care,
Shad

 

Thanks for the write up. I always thought the hollow sound is due to a lack of sound insulation to save on weight (from the factory). Good winter project .

 

So where do you put it on the sunroof? Do you mean around the rubber edge of the sunroof panel, or in the open cavity of the roof? Can you explain more? And doesn't it look kind of funky and uneven?

 

So is this seam method a substitute for the heavy matting? Can you do both? It's kinda embarrasing closing my door lol.

Jeremy

 

Couldn't you remove all of that stuff within the door and save some weight. I guess you wouldn't be any less safe than before when they were not attached/broken.

 

Yes, I am curious on this as well. Thanks for the write up, saxyman990.

 

Sure, definately couldn't hurt. My original plan was to install sound damping if I wasn't satisfied with the results of this (I was a little skeptical). But now I don't feel that's necessary.

 

No. The seam sealer is not used as a structual attachment point. It is only there to help minimize vibrations between the bar and the door skin. The crash bars are still fully connected where they are supposed to be for safety.

 

Thanks for the write-up saxyman.
Initially when I did this, I just used some silicone adhesive caulk on the brace. But I did go back in later and added some spray-on rubberized undercoating. I think that also helped alot too and it's also inexpensive ~$5. Nice solid "thunk" now. Just my .02.

 

Having recently had some dings removed the inexpensive way, (where they basically massage the inner surface of the skin with a long probe)... if you were to coat the door insides with undercoating you'd pretty effectively frustrate all attempts by the "Dent Doctor" to remove future dings. Just something to consider...

 

Ok well that solves my question. I guess I'm gonna try this seam sealer thing when I get my FD back... I'll be running around in circles if this makes my door slam sound deeper .

Jeremy

 

Not so...unless your spreading it on a quarter inch thick. Shops are used to working around/through it. I agree it might not be as easy as if it were a clean surface. But the factory undercoating on some newer vehicles is thicker/heavier yet. An experienced PDR guy should be able to deal with that small amount of undercoating and IMO, it makes a big difference in sound, both when you close the door and the vibrations transmitted from the door speakers.

 

No, not around the edge...

If you remove the interior sunroof panel and look at the metal part itself, you'll see that it's just like the door: it has an outer skin and an inner support. And, the factory put a few dabs of seam sealer between them to minimize vibration. Surprise: like the doors, the stuff doesn't work after 10+ years. So, put some new stuff in there.

Once you put the interior sunroof panel back in place, you can't see your seam sealer work at all, just like putting the interior door panel back on.

Take care,
Shad

 

solution get a 94 or 95
non r2 version

 

OK, thanks. I may give it a try. I've got a high speed (75 mph +) wind noise that is new. When I'm driving, it sounds like it's coming from somewhere at the rear end of the passenger side window, or maybe the front of the passenger side hatch, but I'm not sure. I'll have to ride as a passenger sometime to see if I can pinpoint it.

But it could be the sunroof. I can't see anything wrong with the door or the hatch, so maybe that it's something internally in the sunroof makes sense. Thanks for the tip and the explanation.

JC