Can you add sound insulation to a v-drive???

[dschock]

Just wondering if anybody has ever tried that. The boat's not particularly loud, but just thought it might be nice if it were quieter at cruising speeds. I've seen threads about sound insulation for d-drives, but in the v-drive the engine isn't completely sealed in, as it is open to the storage compartments in the back.

Has anyone tried this or seen this? Or do newer models have some kind of extra insulation to prevent noise at lower rpms? (because obviously once the exhaust is out of the water at higher speeds, it's not going to be quiet) One place that could probably use some is the back seat.

I'd love to hear anybody's thoughts on this.

[lee]

In 2001 Tige introduced a carpeted cover for the enginge to reduce the engine noise on the v-drives.

[dschock]

Lee,

Where did they place that? I would like to quiet my engine down, but I'm not sure how to isolate the noise. If anybody has a picture that would be great, since I'm not anywhere near a Tige dealership to go check it out myself.

Thanks a bunch

[lee]

It went across the engine and connected to the side panel for the storage compartments.

[Dave-96]

This may seem strange, but check your water pump flow. The cooling water is dumped into the exhaust and used as a muffler.

I found this from experience. I bought a used boat (96-22v) thought it may be a little loud but didn't have anything to compare it to. One day out alone I was running hard and the engine would get hot, slow down and it would cool off. Got in to change the impeller and found it was good but the previous impeller parts were still in the hoses and housing blocking flow. Cleaned it all out and tried it out. There was a huge reduction in noise at cruising speed. I assume any reduced flow from worn impeller or junk in the lines will effect the exhaust noise way before is noticed in the engine getting hot.

[dschock]

Dave,

Thanks for the idea, but I think I'm actually alright in that department, as we had an impeller burnup in the spring and had that replaced and completely cleaned out.

Not that my engine is excessively noisy, but just that at cruising no boat is quiet. I love the V8 rumble once the exhausts get out of the water and at WOT, but was thinking of ways to make general engine noise quieter, as many people do on Direct-drives.

I think I've decided to leave it as is, because after researching tons of different kinds of sound deadening materials and sound insulation made for many different kinds of applications, as well as talking directly to companies that produce and distrubute them, I have learned that without completely sealing off the compartment, there's really no way to make a significant difference. The success of sound insulation in d-drives comes from from the fact that people completely seal off the engine compartment, despite air intakes, usually from elsewhere in the boat. Not to say that many materials out there, that actually absorb sound as opposed to just containing it, wouldn't work, but i figure it's just not worth the money. I'd much rather spend that money on continuing to update my stereo, or even better, put it toward PerfectPass, which i hope to install this coming spring.