2016 Raptor 6.2L Noise Levels

[TallRedRider]

That sounds like gears than engine. The only thing that would stand to make more noise would be the cam drive, and it certainly would be more prone to. But it is in the front most part of the engine......furthest away from the cabin. The other primary difference woiuld be the valve actuation, which would typically be quieter (I'd expect the LS based engines to be on par wiht the Ford since they have shaft mounted rockers, rather than stud mounted ones like the Monsoons). The LS may be a bit quieter, too, from teh bottom end, since it has a cast oil pan. I have no idea if any of them use sound deadeners on the underside of the intake manifolds, but that could also be a factor.

Didn't someone else say a while back that the drive gears also changeed? My money would be on that as the main culprit. Were other boat manufacturers that moved over to the Ford getting complaints, too?

I've not heard it, so I can't say from an anecdotal perspective, but if everyone who complains about it describes it as a high pitch whine, it is absolutely, positively gearing. Engines sound make more clattering noises like a sewing machine. Think about how they operate.....reciprocating motion. Things are actuated. That is going to lead to clattering noises, whereas a transmission is going to be in constant motion, which makes a whine (similar to a blower).

Have any of you been on a different brand of boat that perhaps did not change the gearbox? Or do y'all frequent other forums? I have not read or heard about similar complaints from other brands. A friend of mine who has a Moomba had talked about how everyone with Supras was happy with teh change. Seriously, what has changed on what applications?

Here is an interesting video. Porsche 911 race car. Similar layout, engine (unmuffled) in the back, gearbox closer to the driver. Give it a listen. The gearbox whine almost completely overwhelms the engine noise.

The Tige forum has noted the same thing with engine noise. As beautiful as I am sure it feels to drive that Porsche, I wanted to pull a tooth out after listening to that noise for 30 seconds.

[67King]

So, are you saying that indmar has possibly changed to spur cut gears in their gearboxes on the ford engine instead of using helical cut gears like all the rest? The reason that 911 cup gearbox whines so much is because it has spur cut gears so that they can maximize strength and minimize rotational mass.

No, I'm saying that "whine" is gear noise. All gearboxes whine, the straight cut gears are louder, yes, but they all do it. I can even hear it in my 944 and 968. Here's a 996 GT3RS with a typical synchro gearbox, rather than the dogbox, where you can hear it pretty clearly, too. Not as loud relative to the engine, but very noticable.

[/medai]

[Tims]

I have been driving ford equipped Supra's for 2 seasons and they are a little louder than the LS3 in my SC (however my boat is equipped with Supra's version of silent rider turndowns). Don't think it is gear noise, but rather a combination of exhaust plumbing and intake that is responsible.

My 2012 Monsoon equipped VLX would create an intake whistle that would make peoples ears bleed right around 3500 rpm.

[REW]

The Tige forum has noted the same thing with engine noise. As beautiful as I am sure it feels to drive that Porsche, I wanted to pull a tooth out after listening to that noise for 30 seconds.

Which is why the drivers wear ear plugs and noise canceling head sets. That whine will drive you absolutely nuts.

[23LSVOwner]

I have been driving ford equipped Supra's for 2 seasons and they are a little louder than the LS3 in my SC (however my boat is equipped with Supra's version of silent rider turndowns). Don't think it is gear noise, but rather a combination of exhaust plumbing and intake that is responsible.

My 2012 Monsoon equipped VLX would create an intake whistle that would make peoples ears bleed right around 3500 rpm.

Some had luck with that whistle by rotating the throttle body 180 degrees.

[thtrog]

I've been told by more than one reputable source the 450 is by far the loudest, base 25 LSV engine.

[TenTwentyOne]

No, I'm saying that "whine" is gear noise. All gearboxes whine, the straight cut gears are louder, yes, but they all do it. I can even hear it in my 944 and 968. Here's a 996 GT3RS with a typical synchro gearbox, rather than the dogbox, where you can hear it pretty clearly, too. Not as loud relative to the engine, but very noticable.

[/medai]

That is kinda my point, and why I asked...... It is the final drives that make so much noise in your examples, and a lot of that depends on the selected gear set (Which is changeable in GT3s). My 997.2 GT3 has absolutely zero sound deadening material in it, and it does not whine like that at all. It is the stock gearset. A lot of folks who race/play with them, will swap to a heavier set, when they switch to a different ratio. The "heavier" sets, are actually not heavier at all. The gears are cut in a fashion that provides more strength, rather than less noise.....

Which brings me to the reason I ask........ If the noise is from the gears on the trans that they put ahead of the Ford engine, why are they using anything different than what was used on all of the GM engines? Why would they want a gearbox with so much more noise, when the durability of the previously used gearboxes was plenty sufficient.

[Tims]

I've been told by more than one reputable source the 450 is by far the loudest, base 25 LSV engine.

I have not noticed that. Perhaps Malibu is doing something different? Tuning is the only difference between the 2 engines.

[bamabonners]

Has anyone heard the ilmor engines in mc? They sound like offshore boats

Mine was very loud. Transmission was quieter, but engine has a louder and more mechanical sound. Edited November 16, 2015 by bamabonners

[Lance B. Johnson]

That is kinda my point, and why I asked...... It is the final drives that make so much noise in your examples, and a lot of that depends on the selected gear set (Which is changeable in GT3s). My 997.2 GT3 has absolutely zero sound deadening material in it, and it does not whine like that at all. It is the stock gearset. A lot of folks who race/play with them, will swap to a heavier set, when they switch to a different ratio. The "heavier" sets, are actually not heavier at all. The gears are cut in a fashion that provides more strength, rather than less noise.....

Which brings me to the reason I ask........ If the noise is from the gears on the trans that they put ahead of the Ford engine, why are they using anything different than what was used on all of the GM engines? Why would they want a gearbox with so much more noise, when the durability of the previously used gearboxes was plenty sufficient.

I think I see where your going with this and I agree based on the videos I have seen. I don't believe this to be a gear noise either.

My GM 6.0 is louder then -BS- 5.7 too. It is a product of exhaust routing imho.

Edited November 16, 2015 by Lance B. Johnson

[bamabonners]

I want a Porsche one day sooo bad. Wife says I can't have the boat and another toy. This is the best tread ever!

[TenTwentyOne]

I think I see where your going with this and I agree based on the videos I have seen. I don't believe this to be a gear noise either.

My GM 6.0 is louder then -BS- 5.7 too. It is a product of exhaust routing imho.

Routing could very well be the issue, but then I wonder about the routing on a lot of the PCMs. They have the wrap around the front routing. Axis ran PCM for a short time, right? Did they have the wrap around routing?

[Lance B. Johnson]

Routing could very well be the issue, but then I wonder about the routing on a lot of the PCMs. They have the wrap around the front routing. Axis ran PCM for a short time, right? Did they have the wrap around routing?

To be honest I don't get out to see a lot of boats so I wouldn't know. I do know, in my example, the 6.0 has a lot more exposed tube in the engine compartment then the cast iron manifolds on the 5.7. This is what I attribute to causing the extra noise in the 6.0 as apposed to the 5.7.

[pauley71]

Interesting info. I demo'd a 2015 Moomba Mojo that had the 6.2L. Before going out the dealer kept saying how quiet they were. It didn't strike me as quiet but not loud either. I started the thread b/c I haven't been in a GM powered Malibu ... yet. I could live with the Mojo volume but wonder if I should demo the '15 or accept that ignorance is bliss :P

Just out of curiosity, I'll bring my SPL meter when I demo a 15 and 16 back to back. I'm guessing there won't be a huge SPL difference b/c it seems to be more pitch related.

[Cory]

I wish Malibu would do a better job of encasing the engine compartment in sound dampening materials and blocking off areas where noise can get out. They don't really do anything. For me, these engine noises are very irritating on those Fords--I think it would be a deal breaker for me. This is one area where Nautiques outshine Malibus. They are far quieter boats.

Of the three Malibu's I have owned, my 2008 vRide with base engine and STE's has been the quietest. My 2013 VLX w/ Monsoon was by far the nosiest. My 2015 VLX with LS3 is pretty close to my 2008 vRide, but it's hard to say since so much time has passed.

[WINEGRAPEGROWER]

I wish Malibu would do a better job of encasing the engine compartment in sound dampening materials and blocking off areas where noise can get out. They don't really do anything. For me, these engine noises are very irritating on those Fords--I think it would be a deal breaker for me. This is one area where Nautiques outshine Malibus. They are far quieter boats.

Of the three Malibu's I have owned, my 2008 vRide with base engine and STE's has been the quietest. My 2013 VLX w/ Monsoon was by far the nosiest. My 2015 VLX with LS3 is pretty close to my 2008 vRide, but it's hard to say since so much time has passed.

those STEs make a huge difference on the sound level.

[Cory]

those STEs make a huge difference on the sound level.

All three of my boats had/have them. So, that is/was a constant factor.

[bamabonners]

Routing could very well be the issue, but then I wonder about the routing on a lot of the PCMs. They have the wrap around the front routing. Axis ran PCM for a short time, right? Did they have the wrap around routing?

Yes, my axis has the pcm and that is the way the exhaust routes. My wife has even commented that this boat is not as loud as our previous boats.

[EchelonMike]

I think Malibu was slower to adopt the 6.2L Ford than some other builders. MB, Moomba and others had them in their '15 boats as standard equipment. It may take some tweaking of the sound insulation to get it right. I demoed a '15 MB Sports B52W this summer with a friend that was in the market, and I thought the 6.2L sounded very good. Very smooth and a nice exhaust sound to my ears. I've not ridden in a Bu with the Raptor yet...but did get some drool on the new VTX in No Wake Marine's showroom a few weeks ago. :-)

[malibudog]

The Muffler/Exhaust routing on the Raptor appears to me to be a possible culprit (disclaimer: my mechanical skills are barely sufficient to identify the muffler, so I could be way off base). Here is a picture: http://www.indmar.com/Engine/RaptorSeries/RAPTOR440.aspx. Best picture of exhaust routing is under the 440 tab.

The way the Raptor engine sits, the engine noise routes through what appears to be a large bolt on muffler, which appears to sit right against the back of the passenger seat. (see picture) This is a completely different set up than my current Hammerhead, where the exhaust routes down and off the back, through a much heavier appearing sound suppression system.

The Raptor, under load for surfing, was much louder than my current boat, which would be a disincentive to me at least, in terms of purchasing a 2016. Based on discussions at the recent dealer meeting, my dealer is attempting to get a Centek silencer muffler (inexpensive) and an FAE to add to a 2016. I hope to be able to take before and after decibel readings, and report back.

Edited November 18, 2015 by malibudog