Quote: Originally Posted by
WarX 
wait, why isn't it a good vibration damper? and why would the VOCs actually adversely affect the sound deadening abilities of it? That honestly doesn't quite make sense to me, so please elaborate.
Asphalt is a plastic material while it holds the VOCs, that is to say, when it is deformed, it stays in its new shape. Elasticity is an important property for vibration dampers. As an elastic material is deformed in response to vibration, internal stresses pull the material back toward its original shape. These stresses convert the vibration into very small amounts of heat, basically taking them out of play. Without this elastic action the only way a material can work is by adding mass, lowering the panel's resonant frequency and increasing the energy needed to excite it or by stiffening the panel, raising the panel's resonant frequency and again increasing the energy required to set it in motion.
While the asphalt is still pliable, some energy is converted during deformation and the asphalt is slightly heavier. These two factors give pliable asphalt a theoretical advantage over dried out rigid asphalt.
I have no numbers to support this theory of pliable versus non-pliable asphalt. My real intention was to emphasize the very poor choice asphalt is for in car use. The most important problem asphalt mats encounter with age is the deterioration of the rubber stabilizing compounds they contain. As asphalt ages, it becomes less and less able to tolerate heat. This is why it is very common for it to survive one or two summers in a car and melt out on the second or third - not to say that it might not melt during the first hot weather in encounters.
The fact that the fumes are low level toxins are likely to be overlooked by people trying to save a buck. The very real possibility that the mat will either fall off or melt, potentially damaging carpet and upholstery is more likely to discourage them. In have gotten hundreds of e-mails from people whose asphalt installations have failed and none from those using butyl products.
Leaving stability and reliability out of consideration, the fact that butyl is so much more effective than asphalt provides a better way to save money. If you planned tp buy $100 worth of Peel & Seal, buy $100 worth of a quality butyl mat instead - just spread it out. Even if you lay it out in a checkerboard pattern, you will get results that are at least as good, without any of the problems.
i was just sorta wondering, because adding mass to the door panels will somewhat lower the amount of vibrations, but of course for the sound deadening, it won't do much for killing sound waves, but it will make it more difficult for the sound to pass through. 
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