Wind noise at freeway speeds

[mattd1205]

Ive been experiencing a wind noise while driving over 50 mph in my 91 240 wagon since I purchased it two years ago. I isolated the leak to the portion of door that runs parallel to the A pillar. Ive tried correcting the issue by replacing the window channel rubber and the innermost piece of weatherstripping. there were no cracks in the replacements or the original pieces. Even with replacement the problem persists in the same location.. Interestingly enough water doesn't come into the cabin when it gets wet. Is there something I'm missing?

[stiligFox]

I have the same issue with my car as well, window is sealed up but still hear that annoying rustling. It's maddening - hope someone here has a solution...

[mattd1205]

Originally Posted by stiligFox

I have the same issue with my car as well, window is sealed up but still hear that annoying rustling. It's maddening - hope someone here has a solution...

Just your drivers side door eh? Ive even tried some weather stripping glue in the weatherstripping channel to no avail.

[stiligFox]

Yup, just my drivers door. Can't quite source the exact location of the noise, but it sounds like it's coming from the top.

Sadly for my 960 I'm not even sure where I'd find new stripping, even though I'm sure she needs it by this point...

[wgusler]

Might be your upper frame is sprung/ bent outward. Do the dollar bill test: Place a dollar half in the door frame at the top of the window with the top 1/2 of the bill sticking up. It should have some resistance pulling it out. Try diff areas of the frame/ other doors and see if you can find a loose area. Then you can see if it's the rubber seal or the frame is bent.

If the frame is bent out at the top, you can GENTLY tweak it inwards buy putting a block of wood in the door frame at the latch and push in on the frame with the window rolled down. Keep doing it till the dollar is tight/ equal to the other non leaking doors.

[stiligFox]

Ooo, good idea!

[Steve Zissou]

I don't want to derail, OP, but do you know where to get 240 weather stripping? My wagon leaks like a sieve and I haven't been able to find any specific kits only "universal" stuff (which makes me nervous).

[mattd1205]

Originally Posted by Steve Zissou

I don't want to derail, OP, but do you know where to get 240 weather stripping? My wagon leaks like a sieve and I haven't been able to find any specific kits only "universal" stuff (which makes me nervous).

I took the weather stripping from a junked out car at the junkyard. It seems the weather stripping is made of unobtainium.

[mattd1205]

Originally Posted by wgusler

Might be your upper frame is sprung/ bent outward. Do the dollar bill test: Place a dollar half in the door frame at the top of the window with the top 1/2 of the bill sticking up. It should have some resistance pulling it out. Try diff areas of the frame/ other doors and see if you can find a loose area. Then you can see if it's the rubber seal or the frame is bent.

If the frame is bent out at the top, you can GENTLY tweak it inwards buy putting a block of wood in the door frame at the latch and push in on the frame with the window rolled down. Keep doing it till the dollar is tight/ equal to the other non leaking doors.

+2 Good idea!! Thanks Ill give it a shot!

[Redwood Chair]

Originally Posted by Steve Zissou

I don't want to derail, OP, but do you know where to get 240 weather stripping? My wagon leaks like a sieve and I haven't been able to find any specific kits only "universal" stuff (which makes me nervous).

That will come from an 81+ coastal and or PNW cool weather car.

I know I have nice outer door seals for the passenger side at least.

[John242Ti]

^And, up here, probably 1986 or newer. A lot of the older stuff is turning to junk.

To the OP, also check to see if the spot weld at the bottom of the window frame hasn't broken.

-J

[Lord_Athlon]

On 3 of my 240s, ive had noise problems from the windshield not being properly affixed. It didnt leak, but it would make noise about 50.

[mattd1205]

Update: I tried tweaking the frame by putting my weight on it. It seemed to move the frame closer to the body of the car. In fact, slipping my fingers into the crevice between the frame where the leak is almost impossible whereas the same area on the passenger side where there is no air leak can accommodate my fingers just fine. I have my old weatherstripping stored at my friends place so I may try installing it again and see if that rectifies the problem. Can weatherstripping be fine visually but be faulty in when installed?

[Redwood Chair]

It's usually baked and shrunken on a desert car, so like I say you need to crossbreed it with a cool weather car's rubber seals.

[Steve Zissou]

Originally Posted by Redwood Chair

I know I have nice outer door seals for the passenger side at least.

I'm tempted to take you up on that, since it's the rear passenger floorboard that has a rust hole. I think they are all leaking though and it just settles there because that's the lowest place. I should probably do them all at once or why bother.


I did find new aftermarket and oem door seals though! Skandix has an incredible selection of 240 parts, but they are not cheap and neither is the shipping from the father land.

For example, for all 5 doors on my wagon (and the 2 back doors are presently backordered) with aftermarket seals, the total plus shipping in USD is $396.28. Pricey but I feel as though it's necessary. No sense in continuing to restore the interior and weld in a new floor pan and install new speakers etc if you're just going to piss all over it. (It rains twice a day where I live.)

The OEM Volvo stuff doesn't show as discontinued, but the on hand quantity of all of the door kits was 0. It's also about 50% more.

[5ft24]

at 80, the engine noise and road noise mask the wind noise

[Redwood Chair]

Originally Posted by Steve Zissou

I'm tempted to take you up on that, since it's the rear passenger floorboard that has a rust hole. I think they are all leaking though and it just settles there because that's the lowest place. I should probably do them all at once or why bother.


I did find new aftermarket and oem door seals though! Skandix has an incredible selection of 240 parts, but they are not cheap and neither is the shipping from the father land.

For example, for all 5 doors on my wagon (and the 2 back doors are presently backordered) with aftermarket seals, the total plus shipping in USD is $396.28. Pricey but I feel as though it's necessary. No sense in continuing to restore the interior and weld in a new floor pan and install new speakers etc if you're just going to piss all over it. (It rains twice a day where I live.)

The OEM Volvo stuff doesn't show as discontinued, but the on hand quantity of all of the door kits was 0. It's also about 50% more.

LMK

Hard to beat $17 per seal shipped....

[mattd1205]

still chasing this one down.. I just took a piece of weather stripping from a 93 240. I installed it and same deal. wind noise in the same spot. it looks like I can push closer to the body by loosening the bolts at the hinges.. The door isnt exactly flush with the fender or the rear door. Is this a possible fix?

[Lord_Athlon]

Did you ever verify its not the windshield?

Originally Posted by Lord_Athlon

Did you ever verify its not the windshield?

Yes, it was narrowed down to owning a 25 year old car where the panels and doors didn't even line up properly from the factory.

[Lord_Athlon]

k

[mattd1205]

Originally Posted by Lord_Athlon

Did you ever verify its not the windshield?

I pulled the A pillar trim piece and verified it isn't the windshield. I traced the noise with a curved funnel to between the door and the body of the car where the top of the door starts slanting (running parallel to the a pillar)

[mattd1205]

Still fighting this one all these years later. I made peace with it for a few years but I’ve had enough. In the last 6 months the windshield has been replaced with an FYG windshield, I’ve replaced both seals with brand new fresh OEM door seals but the noise still persists although it’s slightly less than when I started. I’ve also tried pushing the window frame so that it’s closer to the body and no difference. I taped up the area surrounding the window frame and the car is dead quiet at freeway speeds so the windshield isn’t at fault. I kept the tape away from the window channel rubber so that isn’t a factor either. I did notice that the body lines between the front fender and door aren’t exactly even. There’s a .3mm difference between the top and bottom of the body line when the door is closed (bottom of the gap is narrower). The top of the door is level with the fender and the rear door and the door doesn’t require much effort to close. Should I be looking at the door hinges as a possible suspect as far as the wind noise goes?

[the_hairy_baboon]

I participated in an OEM vehicle launch and they legit fixed odd noises with some BS fixes, there was some whistle caused by a hole for screwdriver access on a side mirror, tiny piece of tape, whistle gone.

So... my 245 has the antenna there running along the A pillar, that could also be playing with the air and changing the noises.

I'd somewhat suggest taping the door shut from the outside, crawl in via a different door and confirm if full blocking of airflow fixes it. Then remove some of the tape, drive again.

If you think door alignment is a problem (it totally can be) then watch some videos on door fitting (like https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hEx-wgrdAw). The connections for hinge mounts are not precise shoulder bolts, they are fat clearance and you can wiggle alignment on them with either a plastic chisel or pulling, pushing, being violent with the door. Doing adjustment to the striker may be all you need for the extra closing squish needed to end the noise.

[mattd1205]

Originally Posted by the_hairy_baboon

I participated in an OEM vehicle launch and they legit fixed odd noises with some BS fixes, there was some whistle caused by a hole for screwdriver access on a side mirror, tiny piece of tape, whistle gone.

So... my 245 has the antenna there running along the A pillar, that could also be playing with the air and changing the noises.

I'd somewhat suggest taping the door shut from the outside, crawl in via a different door and confirm if full blocking of airflow fixes it. Then remove some of the tape, drive again.

If you think door alignment is a problem (it totally can be) then watch some videos on door fitting (like https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hEx-wgrdAw). The connections for hinge mounts are not precise shoulder bolts, they are fat clearance and you can wiggle alignment on them with either a plastic chisel or pulling, pushing, being violent with the door. Doing adjustment to the striker may be all you need for the extra closing squish needed to end the noise.

I guess it could be an alignment or hinge wear issue. I did tape up the window frame temporarily and the noise did stop. I also modified an mechanics stethoscope to find drafts and the wind noise is definitely coming from the gap between the window frame and the car body. I think I?ll try throwing in some nice spare hinges I have laying around and see if that makes a difference. Thank you for the tips!