I started pulling rear panels today in preparation for installing Second Skin's Damplifier and Luxury liner. Regarding the rear vents, I read a few suggested threads, but it seems nobody is quite sure about these. I buy the air recirculation idea.. Any of ya'll sealing those pups up for less noise?

Thanx,

Bill in P.G.

 

If you are going to put any kind of amp or leave the HiFi amp under the cover i would not cover the one up on that side. The other side does have some electronics but they should not be bothered by the vents being covered.

The only question I have is. It here any venting of the cabin air thru these to the outside of the car so that there is positive air flow thru the vehicle. I did not look for this kind of thing when i had one of mine off the ohter day.

 

Clubman or MC?

 

Rear vents? You might be talking about the exhaust vents for the car. They work to let air exit the car so the climate control can blow more air into the cabin. If you cover them up you will not allow air to exit efficiently causing poor performance and can promote an early failure.

 

What rear vents???

 

When you open the boot each side panel has a vent in it. These are there to help cool the electronics under the panel and also vent out air from the ac/heating.

 

Sorry, been away wrasslin snakes..

The vents I referred to are in the rear of the interior, below the hatch. There are two rectangle openings in the rear plastic trim panel. I'd snap a pic, but my phone's camera is not working..

I read in a previous thread that these were indeed the vents-to-outside to allow flow-thru cabin air flow. If there wasn't a way for the air to leave the cabin ( when the outside air inlet is selected ) the fan would increase cabin pressure to the point where the fan and A/C wouldn't be able to circulate air ). Nobody has confirmed that these are the vents routed to outside.

After pulling the side panels I realized that the designed interior access to the tail lights leave a noise path much bigger than the rear vents would create. I'm thinking of putting R19 fiberglass in the gaps/tail light access, then treat the inside of the plastic panels with Second Skin's Damplifier and Overkill/Luxury Liner ( as well as the all of the metal I can apply these products to ).

I might put some very very loosely packed R19 ( minus it's foil barrier ) in the path of the rear vents ( in the channels the vents supply air to ) to see if any noise reduction is achieved ( I'll probably measure noise from the vents with my RTA setup before and after to see any real differences ).

I find the biggest noise source are the tires/suspension on less than perfect roads. I'll go with non-run flats after this first set is worn out, but generally our type of suspensions, even the stock Mini's, transmit a good bit of road noise on less than stellar surfaces, regardless of tire type. The abatement products will help, but will only do so much..

Bill

 

Sorry Tim,

It's a 2008 Just-A-Cooper.

Bill in P.G.

 

You really are used for very quiet cars than (Cadillac? Mercedes? BMW?).

If you put bass capable woofers at the back, you will have squeaks from the plastics (over the current 6x9).
In this case, does it worth putting second skin's damplifier and liner?

 

Yep, I like to get them as quiet as possible. It makes the sound system come alive, being able to hear the subtle things..

As for rattling, I'm not a thumper.. I'm an SQ'er. My sub will be extending the low frequencies in a relatively flat EQ response, but the energy it creates during powerful transit's can excite panels.. So I'm installing additional products ( in this case Second Skin's "Overkill" closed cell foam ) over the Damplifier, and as a gasket/damping material between panels that come into contact with each other.

BTW, I put some very loosely packed R19 in the passageways of the rear vents. It killed some low volume "hiss" type road noise I could hear out of the vents, and doesn't seem to have affected air flow.

Bill in P.G.