Hood Insulation, do we really need it?

[Tepot]

Hey guy's,

When I go to a car show there is one thing that I always liked on some cars and I'm wondering if I can do the same with my car? Some car owners remove the hood insulation and replace it with Polish Stainless plates. It looks really nice !!! The only problem is that I've only seen it on Mustangs, Camaro, Chargers so I know that those are steel hoods. Will the heat be a problem for the fiberglass hood? Do we absolutely need the insulation?

Can we do this on a Corvette? Have you ever seen one? If so was it cool?

I need a bit of advise here cause mine doesn't look to good and I need to replace it. But I would really like to put polish stainless instead.

If it's possible and you already seen a few, do you have some picture so I can check it out?

Thanks

 

[6 Shooter]

Doing a few searches . . . no luck yet . . .

this 1 looked pretty cool . . .

 

[The73vetteman]

This is just my 2 cents, but my impression is that the insulation is there for more than just decoration. I don't have it - some previous owner decided to do without - and the paint is blistering just above the radiator cap.

Coincidence or heat?
:confused

 

[Tepot]

This is just my 2 cents, but my impression is that the insulation is there for more than just decoration. I don't have it - some previous owner decided to do without - and the paint is blistering just above the radiator cap.

Coincidence or heat?
:confused

I would say heat, I was looking at the picture that 6 Shooter posted and it looks very cool. But I don't know if you noticed. But it looks like the paint job was actually made over the insulation. If you look close enouph you can see the
Hood Insulation Retainer and clips.

So that give me an idea. I think I will buy a brand new insulation, new retainers and clips and maybe glue the polished stainless all over it.

What do you guy's think? Is it a good idea or a Bad one?

 

[Glen Braxton]

On the C3's, I believe the insulation is there to reduce noise from the fan.

 

[AKRAY4PLAY]

i don't have insulation on mine and no problems for six years.

 

[Tepot]

It's funny that The73Vetteman doesn't have any insulation and the paint is blistering just above the radiator cap. I know those radiator caps can't become really hot. I wonder if the paint is blistering because of the heat?

I wonder if it will still look good if I leave the insulation and glue the polished Stainless to it, and another thing. will it stay there or just fall. Maybe I can use the insulation retainer and clips to hold the polished stainless too.

Any Ideas anyone?

 

[bill81vette]

There isn't any insulation munder the hood of my vette...doesn't appear like there ever was!!


bill

 

[67HEAVEN]

No insulation for 38 years.

P.S. This car runs extreme underhood temperatures. 502 big-block and Hooker headers. Did I mention it gets hot under the hood?

 

[JohnZ]

This is just my 2 cents, but my impression is that the insulation is there for more than just decoration. I don't have it - some previous owner decided to do without - and the paint is blistering just above the radiator cap.

Coincidence or heat?
:confused

Is it above the radiator cap, or above the A/C compressor clutch (if you have A/C)?

 

[The73vetteman]

I don't have a/c, so it's not that. From the above comments it sounds as though my bubbling paint is just coincidence - or maybe the result of poor paint prep at some point.

I still have to wonder why GM wouldspend good money on insulation if it wasn't needed.

 

[Bill Coke]

Hood Insulation-really needed

I've pondered doing something different under the hood my 78. I really like the insulation/liner on my C5 and would like to have the same type under my 78 instead of the stock insulation. Any idea where one can get or have made that type of liner for a C3? My 78 does not have any at this time.
Bill

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

I still have to wonder why GM wouldspend good money on insulation if it wasn't needed.

The insulation is for sound reduction purposes, not for heat.

 

[George Black]

Mickey is correct ---at least as far as 1973 models! Noise reduction was a major issue during that period.

 

[srs244]

The insulation is for sound reduction purposes, not for heat.

not sure about that thinking back when our cars were new, but in many of today's cars, the hood insulation is designed to "melt" away from the hood and cover the engine in an attempt to smother a fire in the engine compartment. the clips that hold the insulation to the hood have a very low flash point and will drop the "blanket" onto the engine very quickly. it's just a guess, but i would think that the purpose originally was more noise reduction that heat protection figuring that the air flow and the fan were passing adequate air through the engine compartment to at least mitigate the engine heat enough.

steve

 

[JohnZ]

not sure about that thinking back when our cars were new, but in many of today's cars, the hood insulation is designed to "melt" away from the hood and cover the engine in an attempt to smother a fire in the engine compartment. the clips that hold the insulation to the hood have a very low flash point and will drop the "blanket" onto the engine very quickly.steve

Interesting theory - one could surmise that to be the case, but it isn't; the hood pad is strictly to attenuate NVH (noise/vibration/harshness). Many Mercedes models carry the NVH battle even futher with insulation pads around three sides of the engine compartment in addition to the one on the hood.

 

[srs244]

Interesting theory - one could surmise that to be the case, but it isn't; the hood pad is strictly to attenuate NVH (noise/vibration/harshness). Many Mercedes models carry the NVH battle even futher with insulation pads around three sides of the engine compartment in addition to the one on the hood.

john,
conversations with chrysler techs and parts managers have led me to make that statement. as i said, i would doubt that was the purpose when our cars were new, but it is what chrysler expects to happen in their new cars should they experience an underhood fire. perhaps they know something we don't about their product line, LOL!!! (oh, i forgot, that was FORD, LMAO!!).

 

[JohnZ]

I'd guess they're trying to "impress" you with their "knowledge" :L . I spent the last 16 years of my 37-year OEM career with Chrysler Product and Manufacturing Engineering, including six years as the Viper Plant Manager and co-leader of the Viper Race Team, and I can assure you that there's no consideration in the design of the hood pad for it to serve as any sort of fire suppression device.

P.S. - The lawyers always preferred that we use the term "thermal event" instead of "fire"

 

[goertz]

I would doubt the paint blistering has anything to do with heat. the most it's going to see is about 200-220 degrees. underhood insulation was done by GM strictly to reduce engine/fan noise outside.

 

[Chas]

Ok, I took it off.....Just to see it with and without,

And under mine is black...painted fresh when i installed a new mat of insulation 2 yrs ago....it looks sweet too. However, now i have about 13 holding posts sticking out of my hood , that looks like crap.It looks like they are glued on , so im guessing they could be removed somehow, but then it would need some work to blend the spots together....I'm not sure what im gonna do now...it looked sweet when i first did it..but it dont look as good now a few years later....i guess i stay with it until i see someway other that meets my standards.
Chas