I worked on a baffle, as well and ran into the same thing--it's very tight fit between the intake and the HVAC vent. So, I tried a slightly different approach shown below.
Cardboard template and sheet metal:
Covered in RAAMat and Ensolite:
Installed:
I decided to do some before/after decibel readings. A quick caveat?I used an Android app called Sound Meter Pro. Obviously, a smart phone with an app is not a professional sound level meter, but it seemed to be validated and have decent reviews.
I already had the intake on, so unfortunately I don?t have any stock intake levels. I also had already put RAAMat and Ensolite in the cowl area, so my pre-baffle is 2J intake plus some sound deadening. For reference, I am completely stock other than the intake and a tune.
I?m presenting average and max, and average decibel readings for baffle vs. no baffle in four scenarios: at idle, accelerating at half throttle from a dead stop, WOT from 40 MPH in 4th gear, and half throttle in 6th gear from 60 MPH. I think that should give a good range of readings.
Overall, not a huge effect. It does sound/feel a bit quieter, but not a ton.