Moparts
E body wind noise
Posted By: Grizzly
E body wind noise - 08/13/08 02:30 AM
There was a post on this some time ago, I did a search and could not find it:
I am in the process of trying to find out where the "e body whistle" is coming from:
I taped every exposed moulding edge on the windshield. Still whistles.
I taped over the hood and fender gaps. Still whistles.
I taped over the leading edge of the doors. Still whistles.
The car is covered in green masking tape and the whistle is present and annoying as ever.
I have experienced this in both a 'Cuda and a Challenger, so I think it is safe to say that the noise is not coming from the grill shape or header panel. Could it be coming from the rad support? How about underneath the car?
Has anyone else had this, and, if so, what did you do to fix it?
My sig car whistles at 30 to 35 mph with the top up or down. Sounds like it's coming from the drivers side. I'm pretty sure it's a 'factory installed option'!
Posted By: Grizzly
Re: E body wind noise - 08/13/08 03:46 PM
Still open to suggestions.....
Posted By: Challenger 1
Re: E body wind noise - 08/13/08 03:49 PM
Is it coming from the front widows? I got inside my doors and adjusted the glass so it sealed against the weather stripping better, it helped a bunch.
Posted By: sixpack4spd
Re: E body wind noise - 08/13/08 04:03 PM
Quote:
Still open to suggestions.....
Buy a B-body??? 
Posted By: lakerism
Re: E body wind noise - 08/13/08 04:12 PM
There are these clear plastic/celophane-like sheets that are supposed to block the wind that install between the inside of the door and the door panel. They are often gone/rotted so I never knew they were supposed to be there, you can find them on e-bag...
Posted By: JF_Moparts
Re: E body wind noise - 08/13/08 04:21 PM
Could it be a hairline crack in the heater box? The ventilation system air buffets around in there and any crack will cause a whistle.
Jim
Posted By: Grizzly
Re: E body wind noise - 08/13/08 04:28 PM
Quote:
Quote:
Still open to suggestions.....
Buy a B-body???
You got me there!
Here, take this: A ride in a '69 Chrysler 300 "C" body, at any speed, makes you wonder if B's and E's really came from the same manufacturer! 
Posted By: GaryB
Re: E body wind noise - 08/13/08 05:36 PM
I have owned two challengers one was a hard top and the current one is a convertable and both whistle. There have been many discussions on this board throughout the years and no one has found the source of the whistle. Good luck finding it. If I was you I would work on something else as I doubt that you will find it.
Posted By: UCUDANT
Re: E body wind noise - 08/13/08 05:38 PM
No other car has a cowl like the E body... try tapin up those plactic grilles and see what happens
Posted By: IronWolf
Re: E body wind noise - 08/13/08 07:00 PM
Quote:
No other car has a cowl like the E body... try tapin up those plactic grilles and see what happens
+1 . I had no whistle until I installed a FG hood with open scoops. As far as I can tell, the air is whooshing/whistling through those grilles on the cowl.
I will just turn up the radio/CD when I install one...
Posted By: Grizzly
Re: E body wind noise - 08/14/08 02:09 AM
Challenger1, lakerism, jfmoparts, ucudant and ironwolf, thanks for the suggestions. I will try everything and then some.
Posted By: Grizzly
Re: E body wind noise - 08/15/08 04:29 AM
Quote:
No other car has a cowl like the E body... try tapin up those plactic grilles and see what happens
I put a full width towel folded in half across the cowl screens, from fender to fender. It also covered from the windshield wipers all the way to the ballast resistor. Shut the hood on it and drove.
Still whistles.
Posted By: pishta
Re: E body wind noise - 08/15/08 04:43 AM
Is it the side mirrors? Common to both...My Breeze side mirror supports look like airfoils.
Posted By: Grizzly
Re: E body wind noise - 08/15/08 11:56 PM
It really does sound like it is coming from the mirror, but as you speed up the sound moves to the center of the windshield.
Also, putting your hand out the window and blocking airflow to the mirror has no effect.
Posted By: aar1
Re: E body wind noise - 08/17/08 01:07 AM
I have the same problem and have never figured it out. How about air coming up inside the steering column? Is that possible?
Posted By: UCUDANT
Re: E body wind noise - 08/17/08 01:11 AM
Posted By: jt4406
Re: E body wind noise - 08/17/08 02:38 AM
Did you try taping up the gap between the hood and windshield (covering the wipers and bridging the gap with tape? Or maybe the gap between the fenders and hood? or maybe the door handle, both bodies use the same basic handles.
jt
Posted By: Grizzly
Re: E body wind noise - 08/17/08 03:10 AM
Quote:
Did you try taping up the gap between the hood and windshield (covering the wipers and bridging the gap with tape? Or maybe the gap between the fenders and hood? or maybe the door handle, both bodies use the same basic handles.
jt
When I put the towel in the cowl it covered everything and closed the gap where the wipers are. Door handles are a good suggestion.
Right now I am looking at all the bracing in the front of the car. There is one vertical support in particular that is in the very center, behind the licence plate holder that has a channel shape to it.
I can't drive the car every day, but everytime I have it out I try something. This will take some time to do, but when I find it, you folks will be the first to know.
Ucudant: Great suggestion, I have heard of something similar that was like a stethoscope.
Cuda, lower grill opening:
Posted By: Grizzly
Re: E body wind noise - 08/17/08 03:11 AM
Challenger, same view:
Posted By: polaraholic
Re: E body wind noise - 08/17/08 04:58 AM
Back in 1977 when I was 18 I knew some guys that were taking drivers ed. They said every time the teacher saw me coming he would say here comes the wind. I had a 70 challenger with a non remote mirror and allways thought that was the source. With my music and loud pipes it never bothered me and I figured it bugged the teacher so I never tried to fix it.
Posted By: badblack68
Re: E body wind noise - 08/17/08 03:33 PM
I always liked the look of e-bodies but once I heard the sound the doors make when you close them I lost any interest of ever owning one. Now a whistling noise would drive me crazy, none of the b-bodies I ever owned had any whistling sounds. Good luck and I hope you can cure it.
Posted By: Twisted_Cuda
Re: E body wind noise - 08/19/08 06:31 PM
Could it have something to do with the antenna?
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: E body wind noise - 08/20/08 06:07 AM
You did not mention if you are hearing the noise from outside the car or from the interior.
I am doing a complete sound/waterproofing right now on my Chally.
Here are a few tip....
Look at all the bolts, nuts, grommets, plugs etc on your firewall. Make sure they are all sealed.
A small hole can make a big whistle.
Check your interior vents to see if they are sealed tight.
I have my carpet out at the moment, so I do the easy way....with my garden hose !
I spray the entrire firewall, then look at my floor boards for any leaks. Follow the water line to find a hole.
I also use a shop light on the engine side of firewall, and can see any holes under the dash from the inside.
You can check for vent leaks by spraying some water thru the cowl vents.
I do my doors and windows the same way, as well as re-direct water channels where I can.
Posted By: ThermoQuad
Re: E body wind noise - 08/20/08 10:45 AM
Try the corner where the quarter panel and the rooof sheetmetal meet [at the back of the rear side window]. Plug the corner with some rtv and it should fix the turbo
Posted By: dandsgcuda
Re: E body wind noise - 08/20/08 07:59 PM
My friend has had 2 71 convertible challengers.One with an r/t hood and one with a flat hood.The one with the r/t hood would whistle non stop.The one with a flat hood has no noise.We came to the conclusion that it was the hood causing the noise and it did sound like it was coming from the drivers side
Posted By: DAYCLONA
Re: E body wind noise - 08/20/08 08:35 PM
Quote:
Still open to suggestions.....
Lets face it, it's and old car, the design, the quality control, etc,etc,.....it's gonna make noise,.....muscle cars aren't luxo barges,.....if a "whistle" is annoying you as you drive?....your exhaust isn't loud enough,....if you have a radio, turn it up!......when your in a musclecar the only wind noise thats important is the sound multicarburation makes!.......if the sound is driving you 
......get a Toyota Prius, they come with 2 latte cup holders!
Posted By: challenger70
Re: E body wind noise - 08/20/08 08:53 PM
Quote:
Quote:
Still open to suggestions.....
Lets face it, it's and old car, the design, the quality control, etc,etc,.....it's gonna make noise,.....muscle cars aren't luxo barges,.....if a "whistle" is annoying you as you drive?....your exhaust isn't loud enough,....if you have a radio, turn it up!......when your in a musclecar the only wind noise thats important is the sound multicarburation makes!.......if the sound is driving you ......get a Toyota Prius, they come with 2 latte cup holders!
I was going to say I have never heard a whistling with mine, but I have a full 3" exhaust, 2 chamber flowmasters and 440 cubes of listening pleasure 
Posted By: YO7_A66
Re: E body wind noise - 08/21/08 12:12 AM
My last Challenger had the rallye hood and it whistled, my current Challenger also has the rallye hood but it does not.
The only exterior differences is the one that whistled had a passenger side mirror and my current one does not. But I can't belive that the mirror caused it but the whistle seemed to be towards the passenger side of that car though.
Posted By: Curt
Re: E body wind noise - 08/23/08 07:17 PM
Does it still whistle with the fresh air vents open? non A/C or breathing fresh air from the cowl? A/C. You said the noise was still there when you rolled down the window. If there is no change in whistle then I would suspect it has nothing to do with wind getting in side car (door seals, trunk seals, door panels, windshield, cowl vents, back glass, firewall holes or holes anywhere else into the cabin). You might try using garbage bags to completely block sections of the car for short drives.Also make sure the fenderwell/cowl mud guards are there. Don't forget you can block off front wheelwells with tape and garbage bags also...use the thick ones.
Curt
Posted By: 71cudaddict
Re: E body wind noise - 02/18/13 09:40 PM
Has anyone found the whistle noise yet I bought a 70 conv. challenger whistles over 35 mph top up or down, windows open or closed, tapped up all the seals and moldings no change seems to be on the l/s side. Thanks Rickey
Posted By: denfireguy
Re: E body wind noise - 02/18/13 10:14 PM
One more suggestion: make sure all body plugs in the firewall and grommeted wires, speedo cable, heater cable, etc. in the firewall have a good seal. I have a bit of wind noise on mine but it is a window versus seal issue.
Craig
Posted By: 2abodymcodes
Re: E body wind noise - 02/19/13 12:06 AM
All the body rattles in my 70 challenger drown out any whistle noise.
Posted By: Challenger 1
Re: E body wind noise - 02/19/13 01:17 AM
I really don't have all the "body" rattles and other noise you guys talk about.
Both of my cars are pretty close to stock when it comes to the body.
All fender,cowl,hood,firewall, inner fenders,under hood pad, seals, splash shields etc are in place. I put most of them in place myself and the cars are not bad to drive. With AC makes it a pleasure to drive during the summer. I haven't had a working radio in 3 or so years, I can't listen to rattles.
Wish you could hear my doors with my correctly adjusted glass with fresh whiskers. The clear plastic is in place on my inner doors under my door panels. Those stop all kinds of drafts and noise.
It's possible to have rattle free E body, it took me I guess 30 years to get there, but it is possible.
And I really never noticed a whistle on my E bodys?, lot's of wind noise if your windows are not all the way up.
Like my front hood, it has those little block off plates in place, that everyone took out thinking they are getting more air to the engine. All that makes a difference in noise.
The bottem on my steering coluums is closed with metal bearing down there, so no noise and heat into the passenger area.
Lot's of places to improve the noise by installing the shields that most people took off all over the car over the years.
Those heat sheids in back by the mufflers quiet road noise some, does your car have them?
Posted By: DAYCLONA
Re: E body wind noise - 02/19/13 01:41 AM
Quote:
Quote:
I will just turn up the radio/CD when I install one...
Radio delete in my E bodies, multicarbs tipping in and exhaust note drown out those pesky wind noises, and loose rattling bolts/nuts the assy. line workers hid in the car somewhere?
Posted By: Challenger 1
Re: E body wind noise - 02/19/13 01:44 AM
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
I will just turn up the radio/CD when I install one...
Radio delete in my E bodies, multicarbs tipping in and exhaust note drown out those pesky wind noises, and loose bolts/nuts the assy. line workers hid in the car somewhere?
The exhaust note from my car sounds way better than any radio I've ever heard and everyone gives me the thumbs everywhere I go because of how good it sounds. The wife get's jealous of the attention the cars get.
Posted By: Pacnorthcuda
Re: E body wind noise - 02/19/13 02:47 AM
My 70 'Cuda hardtop whistles big time and I'm getting tired of it. To me is sounds like its coming from under the car. Even people cruising next to me comment. One person called it painful. It is pretty loud.
Most noticeable to me if i am driving (over 40) next to jersey barriers or in a tunnel-that's why I am sure it's coming from underneath.
Posted By: 71cudaddict
Re: E body wind noise - 03/29/13 06:00 PM
FOUND MY NOISE we took a few of the cars to the mats and driving next to the 70 conv. challenger the whistling sound was unbearable,so it now became a quest the problem was a slight gap between the ft. hood molding & the hood, taped the gap noise is gone.remove tape noise is back.It took 5hours to find.Now my neighbors wont hear me coming home from work. Thanks Rickey
Posted By: jbc426
Re: E body wind noise - 03/29/13 11:21 PM
Never heard a whistle on my '70 'Cuda hardtop. As mentioned in above posts, there's a lot you can do to quiet these old cars down from the wind and road noise.
Posted By: Grizzly
Re: E body wind noise - 03/30/13 12:02 AM
I have a feeling it's those clear plastic sheets that are between the door panel and door shell.
Two Challengers and one Cuda that I have make that freakin' annoying shrill whistle. They have been played with at some point in their lives. I have one other survivor condition E body and another fully restored one and neither of them make the whistle. So out of 5 E-bodies, three do it and two don't.
I might get time to fool with them this summer. If it kills me, I'll find it.
Posted By: ThermoQuad
Re: E body wind noise - 03/30/13 12:57 AM
Quote:
Try the corner where the quarter panel and the rooof sheetmetal meet [at the back of the rear side window]. Plug the corner with some rtv and it should fix the turbo
I was not kidding, but then again i'm clueless after driving an e body 100,000 miles
Posted By: bonefish
Re: E body wind noise - 03/30/13 01:38 AM
there is only one reason it whistles like that.
Posted By: Grizzly
Re: E body wind noise - 03/30/13 02:51 PM
Quote:
Quote:
Try the corner where the quarter panel and the rooof sheetmetal meet [at the back of the rear side window]. Plug the corner with some rtv and it should fix the turbo
I was not kidding, but then again i'm clueless after driving an e body 100,000 miles
Hey Tom, yes, I did read your post and I owe you a little more information:
Two of the cars are Challenger convertibles (they do it with the top up and down......
.....and the other car is a 'Cuda hardtop.
So:
-two different roofs
-two different bodies
-two different years ('70 and '71's)
-all different grills, moldings, bumpers
but both make EXACTLY the same noise.
It's something on the cars that is absolutely identical on both a Challenger and Cuda (like the metal support in the two photos I attached).
Example: there is a factory TSB for Dodge Rams with wind noise. The source is one of the adjusters for tie-rod ends had the sleeve opening pointed forward and causes wind noise. (Believe it.)
Posted By: road
Re: E body wind noise - 03/30/13 03:02 PM
Add one more challenger convertible to the noise maker club.
Posted By: Grizzly
Re: E body wind noise - 03/30/13 04:02 PM
Quote:
Add one more challenger convertible to the noise maker club.
A contest:
For all of us in here grumbling about this we put $5 in a hat. Whoever finds the culprit, proves it when the rest of us try it out, they get the jackpot.
Posted By: Grizzly69
Re: E body wind noise - 05/04/14 01:27 AM
I've had several 1972 Chargers.
Every single one of them has whistled between 30-35 mph...
My '72 Challenger...
Didn't.
Posted By: GO_Fish
Re: E body wind noise - 05/04/14 02:03 AM
You've got to hook up with someone who has access to a wind tunnel. That should help you track it down quicker...
Posted By: gregok
Re: E body wind noise - 05/04/14 03:07 AM
Just wait it out and when you get older like me you can't hear the whistles and rattles. My wife says i don't hear her either.
Posted By: RUNCHARGER
Re: E body wind noise - 05/04/14 04:42 AM
I don't recall this with either my 70 Challenger or my 70 Cuda. I'll see if the new 70 Challenger does it. Of course I will be running headers and 3 inch exhaust just in case.
Sheldon
Posted By: 71vert340
Re: E body wind noise - 05/05/14 02:22 AM
My 71 convertible has the whistling noise starting around 30 mph. It's a shaker hood car. I really noticed it when I switched front hood moldings.
Terry
Posted By: dustergirl340
Re: E body wind noise - 05/05/14 02:31 AM
Our '72 Challenger has never whistled.
Posted By: fig426
Re: E body wind noise - 05/05/14 02:43 AM
Quote:
Quote:
Still open to suggestions.....
Lets face it, it's and old car, the design, the quality control, etc,etc,.....it's gonna make noise,.....muscle cars aren't luxo barges,.....if a "whistle" is annoying you as you drive?....your exhaust isn't loud enough,....if you have a radio, turn it up!......when your in a musclecar the only wind noise thats important is the sound multicarburation makes!.......if the sound is driving you ......get a Toyota Prius, they come with 2 latte cup holders!
I'm with you on that!! My exhaust muffles everything,,, pun intended,,, and I have a decent stereo,,,, It's tough to beat and I don't ever hear any whistles or such.
Posted By: migsBIG
Re: E body wind noise - 05/05/14 02:37 PM
Add me too to the club. Last 2 e-bodies I had this problem were simple fixes. 1971 Challenger was wiper arms pinched under the hood with worn rear hood seal. 1973 Challenger was a vacuum lead down in the heater box. My 70' barracuda makes it when I get off the gas when after 30-70mph. I figure when I tear the car down for restoration, I'll find that problem and be one happy guy again!
Posted By: wannadrag
Re: E body wind noise - 06/03/17 05:16 PM
Going through this right now,glass lift off hood on a 70 Challenger.Quiet exhaust and it is really annoying.Anyone ever figure it out?
Posted By: TJP
Re: E body wind noise - 06/03/17 07:39 PM
I have the same problem and have never figured it out. How about air coming up inside the steering column? Is that possible?
We did resolve 1 E bodies whistle by closing the lower column hole with a machined delrin plug. You could try a temporary plug of some sort to see it that is the source.
