Making the GS350 quieter-Please weight in!
 

Hi guys,

I have decided to try and modify the GS short of driving into the river. I have just installed new tires and they are quieter and ride better for sure. However, I still am not pleased. I am now turning my attention to the overall noise level in the car. My plans so far are as follows:

1-Try to deal with the injector ticking that comes from the engine. I hate it. I am thinking I could pull the liner from the hood and add some thin insulation between the liner and the hood.

2-Pull the engine covers and put some sound deadening material under the covers (fireproof of course).

3-Trunk-Sound insulation under the floor mat and behind the plastic covers of the wheel well.

4-If that all works, investigate putting insulation under all four wheel well liners.

Thoughts, suggestions, threads of value.

I think the 3.5L creates the most noise of any car/engine I've owned.. If its not the Injector noise, its the seemingly rod knocks that comes and goes. I hate it too, but can't hear it inside the cabin, so I shrug it off.. I'm certain attempts to quiet this beast may be frugal.

Here is my suggestion:
Dynamat Extreme and/or Dynaliner, wherever its feasible, hood, trunk etc.. They have kits and although installation is a project, its the best there is.. I installed this inside the cowl on my outboard and made a huge difference or at the very least the noise is manageable.

Thanks, I am going to research that. Yes, the injector noise sounds like a valve tick, which drives me crazy. Unless I have the radio cranked, I can hear it all the time.

I did not have that noise on my 2011 ES.

I wonder if this engine needs an engine oil that is a bit heavier? Perhaps, a good Euro 5-40w?

Sorry, more like M1 0-40?

Get the 4.3l v8 (Sorry i had to)!

With my 350, I roll the windows up and listen to music at louder than normal volume?

Is the V8 actually quieter, engine wise?

My GS430's engine is dead quiet... a little too quiet lol...

I sat in the GS300 and GS350 and they're both noisier than my vehicle.

I will have to try and find one to test drive.

Thanks

Night and day difference. My 460 is silent, which was a big selling point for me to be honest. I was looking at selling my car for a 2013+ GS350 F-Sport, but after getting a 2015 GS350 for a loaner, there's no way I could do it. Just doesn't sound/feel as luxurious, mostly because of the engine noise. Great engines! Just prefer the V8 :)

Very interesting. Do you also notice any difference in the ride, or just the engine noise. I am also wondering if the RWD version smoother riding than my AWD?

I should have researched this issue BEFORE I bought mine!

The newer GS definitely hugged the road a bit better, and the interior was light years ahead of the 3GS, but it still just felt like I was driving a really nice Camry in comparison... Horrible to say, I know. Just couldn't get around it though. I say the same thing about my parents' 2014 RX350 - Great car, but the engine noise makes it sound.... Cheap? :/

The best way to make the GS quieter............. is to wear earplugs.
Your car will sound like a tomb.


because your ES didn't have direct injection.

If you really want quiet... get gs450h... It's the quietest of them all lol!

Have you thought about changing the intake tube from the hybrid? I noticed that the intake tube on my 450h has a slightly smaller resonator box vs the 350's. The gs450h engine cover is covered in high density fire proof foam, so I think foaming the plastic is a good start.

If you don't mind the weight penalty, maybe dynomat? It's like audio insulation that cuts down on body metal vibration.

If you are worried about the creaking the dash makes, I found stuffing packing foam (like from camera cases) in between the dash and windshield has significantly eliminated a ton of creaks.

My 460 certainly has more engine noise than my old 2nd gen GS300, of course in the cabin it's dead silent, but when at a drive through or something with the window down it sounds like a truck, has the same ticking style noise as the 350, but since I can't hear it in the car with the windows up it doesn't bother me. Seems most of the direct injection engines have that noise, curious to see if other brands have done better at making it less noticeable. The 430 isn't direct injection and also has a timing belt vs a chain, so id say that's probably the quietest bet for a 3rd gen GS.