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Phase 1: Rear storage area and rear bed
Materials:
- 1/2" Closed Cell Foam (like Ensolite)
- 1/4" Closed Cell Foam (like Ensolite)
- Spray adhesive 92
- Polyfil
- Great Stuff Spray
Tools:
- Ruler or measuring tape
- 14mm Socket
- 12mm Socket
- 10mm Socket
- Socket wrench
- Phillips Screwdriver #1
- flathead Screwdriver (w/tape over the end)
- Exacto Knife
- Scissors
- Box Knife
- Latex gloves
Goals:
- Under $100
- Under 50lbs
- Reduce road noise by 3-7dBA
- Eliminate rattles
Intro: Unfortunately Honda did not do much sound dampening with the Insight. This was probably a combination of cost saving and weight restrictions. Unfortunately this means that at highway speeds the Insight is one of the noisiest cars many of us have been in. The biggest sources of road noise in the rear of the car are coming from the wheel wells and the spare tire compartment. For this phase we will focus on damping those areas but we will do some damping in all the other areas as well.
Step 1: Prep
Remove the upholstery and everything found in the storage area. This includes the foam to the left of the IMA and the aluminum panels to the right of the IMA.
Remove the panels surrounding the hatch windows. To get access to this you will need to remove the bolt from the hatch hydraulic tube and the bolt from the seatbelt. These are both 14mm bolts. Use the flathead screwdriver to pry off the covers over the bolts.
Vaccum all surfaces, then clean all surfaces well with mild soap and warm water. Dry up any remaining moisture.
Step 2: Spray Adhesive
Using the spray upholstery adhesive spray down the left interior around the wheel well and up the walls. While that is setting spray the right side in the same way. Do not spray the spare tire compartment yet. The spray needs at least 5 minutes to set up but can have up to an hour before application.
Step 3: 1/2" Ensolite
Working with small strips (less than 12" x 6") cover the wheel well area. Before applying a strip of the foam, make sure to spray the back down with the adhesive. Apply pressure to the entire piece of foam. Take your time. You want every bit possible to be covered.
Step 4: 1/4" Ensolite
In the same fashion cover the rest of the left side with the thinner Ensolite. Again, spray the back with the adhesive.
***Repeat Steps 3 and 4 with the right side
Step 5: Great Stuff Spray
I only use great stuff where the polyfil won't easily reach. There is one place in the back for this. There is a vertical column that extends from the middle of the wheel well on both sides. It is hollow inside and while you probably could fill it with polyfil, Great Stuff expanding foam is much better in this case.
Using the applicator tube, spray the foam until it's about an inch away from the opening. The foam will expand the rest of the way. There are several holes you can use to spray in the foam.
If you accidentally use too much that's OK. Just wait an hour or so until it is semi-cured and cut away the extra... it's pretty easy to do.
***Repeat step 5 on the right side.
Step 6: Ensolite on Spare tire compartment
I used 1/4" Ensolite for the sides, front and back of the compartment. Do not put ensolite anywhere on the IMA Battery box as it needs room to breathe and the foam will only insulate heat which is bad news for the battery. I used 1/2" ensolite for the bottom of the spare tire compartment.
Step 7: Polyfil
I love this stuff. You can find it in Teddy Bears, pillows and all kinds of other plush toys. Use the polyfil liberally to the left and the right of the IMA battery. This stuff is great because it will dampen sound similarly to the Great Stuff Spray and yet it is completely removable should the IMA go bad and need to be replaced. The other benefit is that it isn't messy at all.
Step 8: Put it all back together
You may need to put holes in the Ensolite to put the plastic panels back in, but that shouldn't be difficult. Just line the panel up and note where the plastic pop-in is and there is where you need to put a hole in the ensolite.
Everything will be a tighter fit, but that isn't all that bad since it should serve to get rid of rattles.
Results: Noticeably quieter back (sorry, I don't have a meter so I can't give you a dB reading), rattle in the rear hatch is gone, sweeter bass response from my sub which the spare tire compartment effectively acts as a box for. Rough roads now sound the same as smooth roads and small bumps no longer sound like the rear wheels ran over a small child.
Upcoming:
- Phase 2: Doors
- Phase 3: Front Wheel Wells
- Phase 4: Floors and firewall
- Phase 5: Rear Wheel Wells
Materials:
- 1/2" Closed Cell Foam (like Ensolite)
- 1/4" Closed Cell Foam (like Ensolite)
- Spray adhesive 92
- Polyfil
- Great Stuff Spray
Tools:
- Ruler or measuring tape
- 14mm Socket
- 12mm Socket
- 10mm Socket
- Socket wrench
- Phillips Screwdriver #1
- flathead Screwdriver (w/tape over the end)
- Exacto Knife
- Scissors
- Box Knife
- Latex gloves
Goals:
- Under $100
- Under 50lbs
- Reduce road noise by 3-7dBA
- Eliminate rattles
Intro: Unfortunately Honda did not do much sound dampening with the Insight. This was probably a combination of cost saving and weight restrictions. Unfortunately this means that at highway speeds the Insight is one of the noisiest cars many of us have been in. The biggest sources of road noise in the rear of the car are coming from the wheel wells and the spare tire compartment. For this phase we will focus on damping those areas but we will do some damping in all the other areas as well.
Step 1: Prep
Remove the upholstery and everything found in the storage area. This includes the foam to the left of the IMA and the aluminum panels to the right of the IMA.
Remove the panels surrounding the hatch windows. To get access to this you will need to remove the bolt from the hatch hydraulic tube and the bolt from the seatbelt. These are both 14mm bolts. Use the flathead screwdriver to pry off the covers over the bolts.
Vaccum all surfaces, then clean all surfaces well with mild soap and warm water. Dry up any remaining moisture.

Step 2: Spray Adhesive
Using the spray upholstery adhesive spray down the left interior around the wheel well and up the walls. While that is setting spray the right side in the same way. Do not spray the spare tire compartment yet. The spray needs at least 5 minutes to set up but can have up to an hour before application.
Step 3: 1/2" Ensolite
Working with small strips (less than 12" x 6") cover the wheel well area. Before applying a strip of the foam, make sure to spray the back down with the adhesive. Apply pressure to the entire piece of foam. Take your time. You want every bit possible to be covered.

Step 4: 1/4" Ensolite
In the same fashion cover the rest of the left side with the thinner Ensolite. Again, spray the back with the adhesive.
***Repeat Steps 3 and 4 with the right side
Step 5: Great Stuff Spray
I only use great stuff where the polyfil won't easily reach. There is one place in the back for this. There is a vertical column that extends from the middle of the wheel well on both sides. It is hollow inside and while you probably could fill it with polyfil, Great Stuff expanding foam is much better in this case.
Using the applicator tube, spray the foam until it's about an inch away from the opening. The foam will expand the rest of the way. There are several holes you can use to spray in the foam.
If you accidentally use too much that's OK. Just wait an hour or so until it is semi-cured and cut away the extra... it's pretty easy to do.
***Repeat step 5 on the right side.
Step 6: Ensolite on Spare tire compartment
I used 1/4" Ensolite for the sides, front and back of the compartment. Do not put ensolite anywhere on the IMA Battery box as it needs room to breathe and the foam will only insulate heat which is bad news for the battery. I used 1/2" ensolite for the bottom of the spare tire compartment.

Step 7: Polyfil
I love this stuff. You can find it in Teddy Bears, pillows and all kinds of other plush toys. Use the polyfil liberally to the left and the right of the IMA battery. This stuff is great because it will dampen sound similarly to the Great Stuff Spray and yet it is completely removable should the IMA go bad and need to be replaced. The other benefit is that it isn't messy at all.

Step 8: Put it all back together
You may need to put holes in the Ensolite to put the plastic panels back in, but that shouldn't be difficult. Just line the panel up and note where the plastic pop-in is and there is where you need to put a hole in the ensolite.
Everything will be a tighter fit, but that isn't all that bad since it should serve to get rid of rattles.
Results: Noticeably quieter back (sorry, I don't have a meter so I can't give you a dB reading), rattle in the rear hatch is gone, sweeter bass response from my sub which the spare tire compartment effectively acts as a box for. Rough roads now sound the same as smooth roads and small bumps no longer sound like the rear wheels ran over a small child.
Upcoming:
- Phase 2: Doors
- Phase 3: Front Wheel Wells
- Phase 4: Floors and firewall
- Phase 5: Rear Wheel Wells