NO MORE WIND NOISE!!

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IronMonkeyL255
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NO MORE WIND NOISE!!

Post by IronMonkeyL255 »

Sorry for the all caps title, but I am SO happy to be rid of it. It has been driving me insane for quite a while.

The wind noise was coming from the driver's and passenger's window gussets (part where the mirror screws to). Once I figured out where it was coming from, I had to figure out how to adjust them.

I pulled off the door panel and mirror and lowered the window some. Then I used a c-clamp to squish the 2 sides together. Rolled the window back up and voila! No more wind noise.


Also while I had the panels out, I removed the torn-up fabric from the speaker grills and painted them flat black. Looks MUCH better. I can take pics if anyone cares.
Disclaimer: If anything I post is inaccurate, please correct me. I do not wish to add to the misinformation floating around on the internet.

That being said, everything I post is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

Rio Red '91 Legacy SS
stant093
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Re: NO MORE WIND NOISE!!

Post by stant093 »

IronMonkeyL255 wrote:, I removed the torn-up fabric from the speaker grills and painted them flat black. Looks MUCH better. I can take pics if anyone cares.

I did the same thing to mine, it does make it alot sharper, however i noticed that during the winter time the speakers take it hard from getting in and out and kicking dirt and snow on em...so far though it hasnt hurt the performance of the speakers, so thats a plus ;)

I used silicone and filled in the spots that the wires ran throgh on the mirror, popped the corner piece back in and havent had any wind noise problems, just another way to approach the window door symptom :D
IronMonkeyL255
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Post by IronMonkeyL255 »

Well, down here in SC, we don't get much in the way of snow.....
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scottzg
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Post by scottzg »

\why not just use the window angle adjusters?
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IronMonkeyL255
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Post by IronMonkeyL255 »

Because I feel that wouldn't have gotten rid of the problem as well, and I didn't think of it earlier...
Disclaimer: If anything I post is inaccurate, please correct me. I do not wish to add to the misinformation floating around on the internet.

That being said, everything I post is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

Rio Red '91 Legacy SS
mikec
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Post by mikec »

scottzg wrote:\why not just use the window angle adjusters?
Window angle adjusters?
"That shouldn't be a problem, since I do regularly visit the realm of subatmospheric manifold pressures." -- vrg3
IronMonkeyL255
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Post by IronMonkeyL255 »

I'm assuming he means the little supports on the inside of the window. If you loosen the bolts, they can be moved around some to adjust the angle.

I think the holes are oval, so there is some adjustability...


Also, i'm not sure this would have worked as well.


All I know is that Subaru says that for noise coming from that area, adjust or replace the window gussets. They did it to my mom's '03 Legacy, and the noise went away for a few months. However, it recently came back.
Disclaimer: If anything I post is inaccurate, please correct me. I do not wish to add to the misinformation floating around on the internet.

That being said, everything I post is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

Rio Red '91 Legacy SS
mikec
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Post by mikec »

Thanks. I had the C clamp suggested to me, but I've been lazy. Maybe this coming week....
"That shouldn't be a problem, since I do regularly visit the realm of subatmospheric manifold pressures." -- vrg3
BAC5.2
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Post by BAC5.2 »

The C-clamp was recomended by a subaru mechanic to me.
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Legacy777
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Post by Legacy777 »

I added some foam insulation type stuff in the hole on the window gusset area. It might have reduced things a little, but it didn't go away.

I could try the c-clamp thing I guess...

pics
http://www.main.experiencetherave.com:8 ... es/gussets
Josh

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jmaziarz
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Re: NO MORE WIND NOISE!!

Post by jmaziarz »

IronMonkeyL255 wrote: I pulled off the door panel and mirror and lowered the window some. Then I used a c-clamp to squish the 2 sides together. Rolled the window back up and voila! No more wind noise.
I don't quite understand. You used a c-clamp to squish the 2 sides of what together, the gusset? Why do they need to be squished together? Do they come apart over time? When you squished them together did you have to use anything to keep them together. If you could take some pics that would be a big help.

Thanks,
-Jer
1993 Legacy L Sedan (25th Anniversary)
Legacypusher
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Post by Legacypusher »

I hate to beat a dead horse, but I still have that annoying wind noise, and haven't yet seen a good remedy. I don't think I understand the C-clamp therapy, either. What do you squeeze? The outside mirror mount and inside mount at the top of the door?

I have tried stuffing strips of black craft foam in the window gasket, but that's not much help. My local dealer's mechanic told me years ago that Subaru had sent out a service bulletin on this in the early nineties, which recommended placing spacers inside the outer mirror flange.

He told me that the problem was not with the window gasket, but with the mirror mount. I have noticed that the noise goes away when I press out on my window glass just above the mirror. If I wedge a wooden pencil between the glass and gasket, things get quiet on the road. Of course, the pencil falls out when I open the door. Not a good fix. Seems to me that there should be a real cure somewhere that we could all use.

Anyone know how to find the old Service Bulletin?
Don

'90 L wagon, fwd, 5MT, 156K, purchased new 11/89, and running like a top. What a great car this continues to be.
IronMonkeyL255
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Post by IronMonkeyL255 »

The window gusset is the problem.

To make sure, just check to see how much of a gap there is between the window and the gusset (mirror mount thingy) with the door closed. Ideally, there should be basically no gap. When I first checked mine, there was quite a gap there (large enough to fit my fingernail into and then some).

Using the c-clamp, I didn't have to clamp it for long or leave it. I just clamped it on the gusset, and rocked it up and down to be sure.
Disclaimer: If anything I post is inaccurate, please correct me. I do not wish to add to the misinformation floating around on the internet.

That being said, everything I post is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

Rio Red '91 Legacy SS
Legacypusher
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Post by Legacypusher »

I will be replacing my lock cylinder in a few days, so I will do the clamp therapy while I have the interior panel off. I will be a happy camper if it works. Thanks.
Don

'90 L wagon, fwd, 5MT, 156K, purchased new 11/89, and running like a top. What a great car this continues to be.
Blackbart
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Post by Blackbart »

The only thing that bothers me more than wind noise is BUZZERS!
The car is always yelling at me about something; door open with the keys in it........"put ding your ding seatbelt ding on". Can I reah under the dash somewhere and yank something? Sounds like its comeing from the steering column?
Legacypusher
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Post by Legacypusher »

Well, hell. I C-clamped the gussets today while I had the door panel off and was changing out the lock cylinder. I will post when the scabs come off from that job. What a PITA.

C-clamp treatment didn't help me--afterward, I got up to about 40 on city streets and figured that out immediately. Damn. I guess I will try silicon or some other goo in the wire hole from the mirror. I am sick of this noise, and will try any fix. Please post any useful cures.

Thanks.
Don

'90 L wagon, fwd, 5MT, 156K, purchased new 11/89, and running like a top. What a great car this continues to be.
Legacypusher
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Post by Legacypusher »

I put the door back together after my lock change, and tried to think of something temporary that I might fill the holes in the inside mirror gusset with to see if they contributed to the wind noise problem. I finally decided to use plumber's putty, since it will stay pliable, and if I have to remove the mirror again the putty won't be a pain to remove. I packed the mounting screw holes and the hole where the wires come into the door with the stuff, and it is definitely quieter so far. I haven't gotten to highway speeds yet, but it is quieter around town in the 40-45 mph range. I guess we will see it that is any kind of fix.
Don

'90 L wagon, fwd, 5MT, 156K, purchased new 11/89, and running like a top. What a great car this continues to be.
scuzzy
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Post by scuzzy »

I fixed mine with a louder exhaust, can't hear shit - even wind noise, with a loud exhaust.
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Busdriver
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Post by Busdriver »

I also get some windnoise, but I think it is from the black A-pillar cover ontop of the windshield, there's a sizeable gap of about 1/4 in. Could this be it??
Yeah I second that ding annoyance...
Stock 1991 Legacy L+ AWD 5MT wagon 191k+ mi
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