dma251

I know this is sacriligious, and I hope by my sig you can see this question isn't for me personally, but I have a friend that is facing a tough decision. He can get the truck he really wants- a Cummins, and face a possible divorce because his wife thinks they are to loud... OR, he can get a powerstroke, because his wife thinks they are marginally quieter and stay married.

He wants a 1997+ Ram, manual trans, for future camper hauling. He won't be increasing it beyond stock power output.

Is there ANYTHING he can do to attempt to quiet this rig down? I suggested the possibility of going to a larger muffler, or possibly a second muffler (with stock fueling EGT's should be okay, right?)
That is only quieting the exhaust side, I figure a good 50% of the noise from these trucks is the engine/fuel pump. Is there anything to do about that?

Any advice would be appreciated, he will be checking this thread for the green light

BigBlue

There's a blanket (for lack of a better term) that you can buy to put over the valve cover and oil pan, but it's VERY expensive. Like up around $600. I think it's called ATP Wrap or something like that. There are a couple (and when I say a couple, I mean like you can count the number on one hand) of members on here that have it. I think it helps a lot.

Shovelhead

Many have pulled the interior carpet & seats and used a sound deadening material on the metal interior of the cab (Floor, firewalls, doors, and ceiling) and reduced the sound transmitted though the body by substantial margins.
I think the product most were using was called Dynamat.
Ed

Dieseldude4x4

Buy a new one, they don't even sound like a diesel.

BigRedFred

DieselDude is right, my 600 is very quiet for a CTD, you can easily hear the turbo at low speeds. There are many warnings in the owners manual about violating federal noise laws if I remove any of the anti-noise devices. Got o the dealer and drive one, it's surprising.

Jim

jaconst

yup 3rd gens are quieter but also running bio I heard makes them a little quieter, but i would not know as I like loud. let your "friend" know that I think if he has to drive it what does his wife care? she can hear him when he comes home so she can sneak her other guy out

Wet1

My guess is going from a $10,000 CTD to a $45,000 CTD isn't much of an option guys.

Dieseldude4x4

Depends on how well he values his marriage. You can get the blankets and all that stuff but you still have a serious engine under that hood and it is going to make noise. Maybe he should consider a Hemi truck.

Txwelder

If my wife threatened to leave me because of the sound of my truck I would have to let her hit the road.

Amish hauler

If he compares the numbers he might find that it would be easier to find a new "lady" with a lower decible output!!! Theres only so many so many of these used Cummins out there. Tell him "STAND HIS GROUND MAN!!!"

..........shhh...gotta go here comes my wife.....talk to ya guys later ok...

rjordan

well if it was me, i would make it as loud AS I COULD, And see if shes really serious about the whole divorce thing, see what she says, then go from there. But i've always been a PITA like that anyways.

firestorm

That is basicaly what I told my wife. She kept saying" It's too loud, I don't want one and I will never ride in it!!". My response was " Well I want one, and it's going to be my truck. I am not asking you to drive, or ride in, it. Besides, if I get a gas truck, it WILL get glass-pacs." The night we bought it, she complained, " IT"S TOO LOUD!" I told her she would only have to ride in it to get home. The funny thing is, when ever we go anywhere together, or she goes shopping, guess which vehicle gets used, MY CTD. She asks me at least twice a month to let her take it to the store to go grocery shopping. I want to straight pipe my exhaust, but we came to a comprimise. I am getting a 3" electronic cut-out for my exhaust. Muffled for her , straight piped for me

dma251

HAH!! I'm going to hear about this when I get back into work on Wednesday and he's been keeping up with this thread

(I told him the same thing about trading in the wifer.... He's pretty financially dug in, it would cost a lot more then a new truck...)

I should have said in the first post- price wise he's in the 14-20K range, so the 2003 is out.

What do you all think about the two muffler/BIG muffler idea?

Amish hauler

I think the donaldson 51" thats talked about on the 3rd. gen. perf. forum might be the ticket but when it comes down to it the part most of the girls don't like is the cackle from under the hood entering the cab. I think the dyna-mat is the solution there. I think most people get use to the sound (not noise) of the Cummins after a few payments and then don't even notice it though. Kind of like living next to a airport or train tracks or something!! Is the 7.3 PSD really that much more quiet? Can't say I ever payed any attention to the cutie girls in that model to notice!!! As a matter of fact do cute girls even ride in furds?

Shhhh.....here comes my wife again!!!

Floorman

hey firestorm my story is about the same as yours but did your wife tell you she likes it cause all the guys a looking at her and waving