Diesel Engine Noise Reduction by the Use of a Reinforced Nylon Rocker Cover

In recent years, the development of sophisticated engineering resins for the automotive industry has expanded the applications into areas generally reserved for metals. Weight and cost reduction have been driving forces for most conversions, with noise reduction only a distant possibility. This study describes work in which a thermoplastic nylon 66 rocker cover was designed to reduce the overall noise emitting from a diesel passenger car engine. A 10% reduction of engine acoustic power output was achieved.