Wind noise

[erlendch]

What's the correct English name for the triangle window in the doors? Anyway, there is quite a lot of wind noise in my '69 Charger coming from that spot. Anyone have ideas on how to deal with it?

[JB400]

vent window or wing window, I've heard them called both.

[twodko]

Hello,

How bad are the rubber gaskets around the
wing windows? If they are dry, hard and cracked
the only repair is replacement.

[erlendch]

They look pretty good to me. I can take some pictures when I get back home.

Were these free of wind noise when car was new even? Or does anyone here have a '69 without wind noise from wing windows?

[JB400]

It may not be the wing windows themselves.  It could be the weather stripping at the leading edge of the door which would come in contact with the wing window that runs along the a pillar.

[Dino]

The wind noise on mine can get pretty bad.  It's a combination of things.  The wind noise will get worse when the vent window seals are old as they shrink, when the roof rail seal shrinks, and when the vent window is out of alignment and the wind hits the chrome trim head on. 

You can minimize the noise with new seals and making sure the window is aligned properly.  Sometimes it helps to move the vent window frame inward but you can only go so far before you squish the roof rail seal upon shutting the door.  Alternatively you can move the door hinges in so the door is not flush with the fender but slightly more inward.  If the door skin sticks out beyond the fender you'll also get a lot of noise.

With the wide gaps these car have I'm not sure the noise can be competely eliminated.

[Mytur Binsdirti]

What's the correct English name for the triangle window in the doors?

Fly window.   

[Ghoste]

Is the latch pulling the glass tight enough to the rubber?  Does it feel wobbly when its not latched?

[RollinThunder]

Yes, the vent windows have their pros and cons.  Pros, great for "back in the day" smoking while driving, and interior air flow.  Cons:  lots of wind noise.  They made lots of wind noise even when new.  It was so bad ( I have heard) that there was a Service Bulletin telling the dealer to place some sticky black putty (Dumb-Dumb or something?) at the bottom corner toward the front A pillar to fill in the depression (on top of the gasket to help blend it to the vent window frame).  This helped quiet the noise some.  If you ever see a true survivor car, it is not unusual to see this stuff there.  Newer cars have done away with them just for this reason, as well as the added expense.  So they save money and make the car quieter.  You can check to make sure the vent window gasket is seated and sealed to the frame, and that the vent widow frame is sealed to the A-pillar.  Mine really is not all that bad, but I had to fill in gasket leaks to the frame and did the dealer trick too.

[XH29N0G]

What's the correct English name for the triangle window in the doors?

Fly window.   

Gives new meaning to your fly is open.

[tan top]

Yes, the vent windows have their pros and cons.  Pros, great for "back in the day" smoking while driving, and interior air flow.  Cons:  lots of wind noise.  They made lots of wind noise even when new.  It was so bad ( I have heard) that there was a Service Bulletin telling the dealer to place some sticky black putty (Dumb-Dumb or something?) at the bottom corner toward the front A pillar to fill in the depression (on top of the gasket to help blend it to the vent window frame).  This helped quiet the noise some.  If you ever see a true survivor car, it is not unusual to see this stuff there.  Newer cars have done away with them just for this reason, as well as the added expense.  So they save money and make the car quieter.  You can check to make sure the vent window gasket is seated and sealed to the frame, and that the vent widow frame is sealed to the A-pillar.  Mine really is not all that bad, but I had to fill in gasket leaks to the frame and did the dealer trick too.

 yes I remember seeing a service bulletin  , about the dumb dumb / body calking on the door vent windows , cant think where I saw it now   ,

mine had blobs of calking on each vent window  , & where the vent frame slides into the door at the front ,  when I got the car 26 years ago , one blob by the lower pivot , & one at the top leading edge on the glass ,  pulled them off the second day ,   what do you know  , had slight wind noise   not much but a quiet  sissing / wistling  , still has the same now  , might run a test , & put the calking back 

[fy469rtse]

the biggest area on these cars for the source of wind and turbulence,
is your gutters or drip sill area, A pillar
they knew it in nascar and covered this area to streamline it,
I've been looking at this for a while now, been looking looking at all convertable moulds for a possible fit with minor mods, and the cost also , i know there's nascar ones being reproduced by a member on here , but not all that happy with the fit and look of those on a non daytona.
and the price,
if you don't believe me ask the daytona members on here , they will tell you wind noise is reduced compared to standard charger
i did my own test, cut some tin, taped it to gutter trim and windshield mould and took it for a drive , much better
now if i only had the skills in stainless fabrication to make these how i would like them to look
so if you want reduced wind noise, purchase and put the A pillar daytona trims on
maybe we ask the guy on doing the daytona ones to come up with a set that would look factory on a standard charger, i would buy a set, just don't want to look like a tool for have charger 500 a pillar trims on a standard charger  

[ws23rt]

The term I've grown up with is vent window.--maybe cause I heard it from some old guy somewhere---
I don't recall much noise from mine but that may be because the ones I've lived with sealed well.  Or it could be that the many other noises my cars made drowned out what came from the vent window. :lol

[ws23rt]

the biggest area on these cars for the source of wind and turbulence,
is your gutters or drip sill area, A pillar
they knew it in nascar and covered this area to streamline it,
I've been looking at this for a while now, been looking looking at all convertable moulds for a possible fit with minor mods, and the cost also , i know there's nascar ones being reproduced by a member on here , but not all that happy with the fit and look of those on a non daytona.
and the price,
if you don't believe me ask the daytona members on here , they will tell you wind noise is reduced compared to standard charger
i did my own test, cut some tin, taped it to gutter trim and windshield mould and took it for a drive , much better
now if i only had the skills in stainless fabrication to make these how i would like them to look
so if you want reduced wind noise, purchase and put the A pillar daytona trims on
maybe we ask the guy on doing the daytona ones to come up with a set that would look factory on a standard charger, i would buy a set, just don't want to look like a tool for have charger 500 a pillar trims on a standard charger  

I have had many B body cars and have a C500 with the trim on the A pillar. If their is a reduction in the wind noise with the trim on the C500 it is small. So much so that I have never until now wondered about it. ---It could very well be quieter.-- 
Could the difference here be at higher speeds? Say 100mph+?

[dual fours]

erlendch, I thought noises were just normal for these kind of cars, I'll have to listen more carefully and now I'll have to look for the Dumb-Dumb at the window . Heck I probably peeled it off when I washed the car back in the day.
The faster we'd go the more noise they made .
Sounds like these cars made noise from the beginning.
Do you know if this is an air leak or an aerodynamic noise thing yet?
Close all the windows, start the car and turn on the heater, then spray soap water around the cracks of the windows and look for bubbles from escaping warm air, this may give you locations of small sealing problem, I have not tried this on my Charger yet so I don't know if it's a Dumb test  

[RECHRGD]

I'm an old guy and we called them wind wings.  I don't remember any wind noise in my original Charger when new, but that would have been measured by 1968 standards....

[ws23rt]

Sorry if this a bit off topic but it is about wind noise.
I was riding with my grand kids in a mini van (a darango) and the kids wanted to open the rear windows on the freeway. The low frequency pulsing was almost unbearable. Cracking the front windows seemed to help a bit but not much.
Is this common with newer cars and the way the air flows over them?

Which leads to a question---When I get my new Hellcat challenger and take the kids for a ride should I prohibit opening the rear windows above --let's say 150mph---
Not worried they will be sucked out. They aren't small any more.

[stripedelete]

Yes, most rolled off the truck with wind noise (and leaks). My Charger had dumb-dumb on the drivers side.

Tape is your friend here.  Get that expensive green stuff, that comes off the paint easy, and start taping over your seals, gaskets, trim, etc.(on the outside) and test drive.   You'll isolate it pretty quick.  The trick will be the fix.

[TUFCAT]

Mrs. Tufcat is from England so I asked.... she said "do you mean the vent glass"?  So there's your answer...

To be honest, later on she remembered that some people in England called it a "quarterlight window"  

[myk]

The wind noise is standard equipment for these cars.  They are shaped like blocks of steel, after all...

[Road Dog]

Get louder exhaust. I only ride around with the windows down and vent windows open so it doesn't bother me. I know on mine the part of the lever that makes contact has alot of wear so they aren't able to seal quite as tight. 

[Ghoste]

Lol, I rarely have the drivers side glass up myself, even when its plenty cold enough to warrant so.  Just turn up the heater and put on warmer clothes.

[Dino]

I love the little vent window thingie, when it's cold out and you still want your arm on top of the door you can open it and it'll deflect the cold wind from your elbow.  There's purpose in this thing!

[Shakey]

Sorry if this a bit off topic but it is about wind noise.
I was riding with my grand kids in a mini van (a darango) and the kids wanted to open the rear windows on the freeway. The low frequency pulsing was almost unbearable. Cracking the front windows seemed to help a bit but not much.
Is this common with newer cars and the way the air flows over them?

Which leads to a question---When I get my new Hellcat challenger and take the kids for a ride should I prohibit opening the rear windows above --let's say 150mph---
Not worried they will be sucked out. They aren't small any more.

Buffering

I only started noticing this in cars in the past 10 years or so.  In one of my wife's vehicles, either her old 2005 Pacifica or current 2011 Journey it has a section in the owner's manual about it.

[dual fours]

Well I see the Dumb-Dumb is still intact on my "Front Door Vent Wing" as it is called in the Parts Manual.
I checked with some of the Old Timers down at County Lockup and they called them, "easy access windows".
 

[Scaregrabber]

If things are right they shouldn't make noise, my 66 Coronet doesn't. The door and windows have to be set right, the weatherstripping supple and not cracked etc. Also the little lever that pulls it tight has to be tight on it's pivot.

Sheldon