HOOD INSULATOR PAD - WHAT DOES IT DO?
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- Опубліковано 12 лип 2024
- I made this video due to popular demand. Lots of people, including me, had no idea what this part really did and why the engineers added it. So, I decided to research and found out that the primary reason for a hood insulator pad is for fire protection.
I also talk about the random comments people posted about it protecting the paint on an MK4 Toyota Supra, which is not true based on what others have experienced over years without it.
Now I do have to make the statement that every car is different and the way they are engineered can vary. So an "insulator" might have a different purpose for another make or model. This information is based on my 1994 Toyota Supra.
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Due to factors beyond the control of Driver's Therapy, we cannot guarantee against improper use or unauthorized alteration or modifications of this information. Driver's Therapy assumes no liability for injury or property damage as a result of any of the information contained in this video. Use this information at your own risk. Driver's Therapy recommends utilizing safety practices when working on vehicles and or with tools seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of Driver's Therapy, no information contained in this video shall create any expressed or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any damage, injury, or loss that may result from improper use of tools, equipment, or from the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not that of Driver's Therapy. - Авто та транспорт
![Does Soundproofing The Exterior Wheel Arch Make Any Difference? [PT6]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/r4_0eVt6HbI/mqdefault.jpg)
Take a shot every time he lifts it up lol
🍺! That’s a fast way to get drunk!
Thought I'd give it a crack during our 32nd thousanth lockdown in Australia. I got fcked up 🔥🥃🇦🇺
@@Hereforfun441 this comment made my day. 😂
@@DriversTherapy glad to give a smile, nice review btw hope you're doing well.
@@Hereforfun441 likewise and thank you! 🤘🏽
The fire suppressant and melting clips is just a myth that people just keep repeating. There are vids of people setting them on fire and they are not fire resistant. Also, fire gets its oxygen from the bottom, not the top. If engine is on fire it well get plenty of oxygen from below the engine.
Thank you for explaining that.
It is *not* a fire blanket guys. Stop for a second and think. It isn't made of a material that melts/smothers, it's made of a fibre that is (a little) fireproof - better call it heat-proof. If the plastic clips fail it just sits down onto the top of the engine a few inches lower, but that does what - it won't smother flames, it won't stop the hood being burned etc. In a crash where a fire is likely to occur, there's likely to be enough damage to displace the hood. This IS an NVH addition and a paint protection tool. As someone with 2x 30 year old Toyotas, with a lacquer peeling patch directly above the engine on one and the turbo on the other (no hood insulator fitted for 15 years), I can confirm it IS for paint protection (Secondary purpose). Sure paint gets baked - for a couple of hours, then never again for life, and sure the paint won't die after a few years, but it will eventually and good manufacturers know to minimize the chances of early failure - the NVH pad helps by doing both. I makes me laugh how you're so sure it's a fire blanket yet so sure it's not a heat protection despite it being used on the firewall to prevent heat entering the cabin :D
You make some good points but still no one really knows why these are there. It is a car mystery lol
My 92 3000GT has plastic clip not metal. I'm replacing my pad with Siless sound deadener and and heat shield. It goes on one small panel at time. I sticks on the metal so there are no clips. I'm in the process so I can't tell you how good it is, but apparently a lot of people are using it.
I like turbo noise too and because I've got a quiet aftermarket exhaust (whifbitz in the UK) I can hear the engine bay even with the fire blanket on. Cool video man!
Same here! I would still have my hood insulator pad installed if it didn't tear. I might pick one up in the future. Thank you for watching the video.
Thanks for sharing that information. I had no clue either!
Appreciate the comment man. Thank you for watching!
Ooh, new intro. Thanks for another informative video. I figured most cars with ICEs had something like this. The CR-Z has a really tiny one that's just directly over the engine, whereas my mom's car's stretched over most of the hood. Unless this is what you meant by the firewall? But yeah, I figured it was for noise reduction and heat soak.
YES!!! We love the new intro. Elise is getting more savvy with Adobe. Thanks for watching the video, I know it is an odd topic but I noticed when I posted a question about it on a Facebook page, no one really knew what it was for.
Cool video! Very knowledgeable
Thank you! Appreciate you for watching it.
Great topic thanks
Thanks man! I hope all is well in Durango. We might get some rain here this week.
Thanks a lot for taking time and researching this. Now I want the noises but it worries me I daily-drive my S2000 and sometimes weather is at over 100 degrees F
Hi, I had a AP2 and I would keep the insulator on your S2K. If you want some more noise, you can upgrade your air filter or intake but the intake box on the S2000 is pretty good.
@@DriversTherapy yup, many prefer to modify the OEM box rather than changing it. I have an AP1, running the Takeda intake. But I did kept the OEM, might modify it later and try it out.
Sweet! Ya ,I would leave your pad alone, trust me. different cars. Cool intake by the way. @@TheElement911
So I'm live in FL. outside temps get up to 95 degrees in the summer. Does this insulation help keep the engine cooler when outside temps are that high?
No, it that environment it keeps it hotter, but its purpose is not for cooling or heating.
it is called a hood silencer. its not a fire blanket at all. its fire retardent but its not what its for. its material is for sound dampening very similar to the sound dampening insulation in a building. look up the part number. its always called a hood silencer.
Thanks for that information.👍🏽
Thank you brother
Thank YOU! For watching the video. Don’t forget to subscribe. 😀
My Miata never had hood insulation. The paint was fine for ~15 years. You do notice steam coming off the hood in a light rain. I've added a turbo with a proper heat shield and had no troubles so far.
Good to know, thank you for sharing your experience.
My Golf TDI insulator pad keeps coming loose, and I was wondering if I even needed the pad. Thanks so much for answering my question. Excellent informational video.
Thank you so much! Glad the video helped out.
Hi John L. I just bought a well looked after Golf 5 TDI n found the insulation was shredding away. I'm considering getting a ceramic fire blanket cos the OEM replacement is ridiculously priced. What was ur final solution?
Great video BTW, very informative.
@@mohsin5520 thanks! Each car varies on the importance of insulator. For my Supra I just used some DEI Cool Tape. Ran some strips across most of the underside but made sure to focus on the exhaust side. I made a video about it as well if you wanna check it out. If you are on the fence of removing it I would go onto the Golf forums and see if anyone has had any issues removing it. In most cases there is not. Let me know what you end up doing or if you have any more questions. 🤘🏽
@@DriversTherapy considering purchasing a ceramic fire blanket and shape it up to the original. Will use new replacement clips and see how that goes. My other reason for replacing it, other than for safety is also to try and quieten down the the already "naturally" loud VW diesel engine. I'll shop around a bit so my update might not be soon. However, I will most definitely keep u in the loop.
Replace the clips
Would there be an alternative way of having the fire blanket but still hearing the engine louder? I'm wanting to get more sound out of the VR5 on my Bora. This video cleared alot up btw if OP reads this thank you
You can use heat tape to protect the hood, but the fire blanket is designed to help put out an engine fire. Good question and thank you for watching.
It’s strictly for noise I speculate. The insulation absorbs heat, it still burns with fire.
It makes sense it’s for noise. Good info, thank you!
HERE'S THE THING...I LOVE TO HEAR MY ENGINE. I JUST RIPPED MY OFF OF MY 2012 SCION TC ENGINE INSULATION.. IT WAS ALREADY KINDA TIRED...SO MY POINT, I'M OLDSCHOOL...ENGINE NOISE IS AWESOME!!!
Thanks for sharing
Very interesting thank you. M
Appreciate you watching. 🤘🏽
I'm not really sure if I should remove mine or replace it because it looks likes it's falling apart or it melted in parts
It depends on the make and model. Some are used as fire blankets and others are used for noise reduction or both. For many cars, it is OK if you remove it. I would check with your car's specific forum and ask around.
So question I put oil in my 2011 Ford Fusion and forgot to put the top on and as I was driving I started to smell oil in the inside of the car I thought maybe because I spilled a little bit while I was pouring it in and I did clean it so I was like okay well maybe it'll burn off but it just started getting worse I was like oh my god did I really forget to put the top on and yes I did so the inside the cushion in the inside is a little drenched with oil so should I take it off or should I clean it I know for sure it's going to continue to smell like oil inside of the car until that is taken care of
Hello, accidents happen so don't beat yourself up too much. I personally would get a few shop towels and damp the area with oil as much as you can till you can soak up as much of the oil you can. After that, I would let it just dry up. There will be a stain and you will smell some oil for a while but over time it will go away. I think that is the best move so you keep your engine pad in place. If it bugs you too much, go to the dealership see how much a new one costs and weigh that option as well. Thank you for watching the video and let me know if I can help any further.
My car is a California model. I moved from California to the north east and when the fall arrived and it is 30s and 40s in the morning, my car started to act up and even back fire when I start it in the morning. I installed insulation under the hood since California model don't have hood insulation and my car start and run without any problem in the cold freezing weather. So I think the car hood is to prevent cold start problem in the freezing winter morning.
That is one theory but that is the first time I have heard that. Usually, cars can handle those temps with no issues at all.
@@DriversTherapy It depends on the type of car. I think a direct injection car would not be affected by the outside temperature. But mine is a port injection thus the intake manifold get hot and cold from the temperature. If the intake manifold is too cold, it will cool the gas vapor so it is too cold to combust properly. The insulation keep the intake manifold warm enough so that the vapor injected into the manifold can stay warm enough to combust properly, IMHO.
Thank you!,,
Thank you!!! I appreciate you watching. 🤘🏽🤘🏽🙂😎💪🏽
I have a Ford Ranchero 1974, Cleveland 351 engine, the radiator hose is a little taller than stock so the clamp actually makes contact with the insulator pad, is there any problem with that?
It should not but if you see it discoloring or falling apart, I would get the OEM hose.
@@DriversTherapy ok thanks im gonna try to lower the hose as much a posible and ill let you know my experience after a few hours rolling downtown.
Since this hood blanket traps the heat in the engine bay. And since a lot of plastic is now in the engine cab .I think to protect that plastic and all the electronics that you find in a modern vehicle its now better not to have it and save all that plastic and electronics from the heat.As for the fear of fire just carry a fire extinguisher with you .Its better than a hood blanket anyway
It definitely keeps heat in. These blankets/covers are the greatest mystery because some vow it’s for fire protection, others say it’s noise reduction, and then you have the paint protection group. I can see the fire blanket part and I don’t care about noise reduction. I did add some reflect tape on the hood to meditate the small possibility of paint issues.
I wonder if there is any actual data proving that these blankets prevent total car-bbq.
I looked but I could not find any data at all. The only thing I found was someone on a forum saying he worked for a company that makes them and they are suppose to be for fire suppression.
Got an idea if your car catches fire, stop and put it out instead of waiting for the fire blanket lol
True!
Old cars never had them. I had to remove mine to replace the washer nozzles.I accidently broke the clips and destroyed the pad .
I wonder if they started to introduce them whenever they started to get stricter with crash and safety requirments. Either way, it has been a mystery for a lot of us about what it is. Thanks for checking out the video.
I would wagerr they were introduced when direct injection was a thing over carbies. After all, their soul purpose is sound dampening.
I have a Toyota RAV4 2019 and it doesn't have it. I'm planning of buying one is that a good idea?
If it is affordable, I would buy it.
@@DriversTherapy I see, thank you I will and I will subscribe to see more videos from you thank you. Now I have to wait until they have it back because it is out of stock. Thank you.
Mine just fell off my Honda Fit...I DON'T like engine noise.... and I simply REFUSE to spend that kind of money on a new one. Looks like cheap materials...I feel certain it costs no more than $30 to construct ...and they seem to be "built to tear". (looks a lot like yours)
I'm going to attempt to make chipboard washers and sandwich the torn clip holes between two of these washers with some heavy duty glue that can stand up to heat...clip the whole thing back on and then cover the chipboard washers with a little DEI tape.
Sorry to hear yours fell off. I have an idea for you, you can get one for cheap at a pick and pull. Try they first.
People just dont realize how good clear coat is for paint protection. That's a fire blanket. If you notice on battery blankets, they are made from same materials...so they probably insulate to help warm up engine too.
I honestly think that is what it really is. It makes sense for the material too.
I am running a 1200hp with a wrapped down pipe and a heat protection on the turbo, however my hood liner is literally smoking.
I thinking of remove it and in the next winter add wrap to the exhaust manifold.
Have you tried to see if it can burn? I am sure mine could with all that smoke have now from it🙃
I am sure it can burn. If you do remove it I would highly recommend to add some heat tape on the underside of the hood. Especially where the area at and near the turbo. At those heat cycles, I can see some damage to paint. I would also check to see if the hood liner is sagging and making contact with the turbo or manifold. It shouldn’t be smoking unless it is making contact. I would leave it on there if you can make it stop smoking.
Mine rubs on a bit of piping just melts through
@@redlined4493 I bet! That turbo puts out some heat.
What about a Silverado would it damage the paint on the outside of it
It depends on how the blanket was made and the position of it. Does the metal get thinner where it is placed?
@@DriversTherapy yeah cause is just like right in the middle of the hood like is not a full cover kinda like a rectangle cover
@@fernandotrejo1425 It might be for heat protection against whatever is right under it. What is under it? What engine component?
Where.... can I get this for my 2012 Honda Civic EX????? under a $100 if possible
Unless you find one at a salvage yard, the dealership is the only option and it’s going to be way more expensive.
I asked the official Peugeot Garage what it was for my Peugeot 208 GTI, they stated it was sound proofing.
Awesome! Thanks for that info. Really excited to get some data.
@@DriversTherapy Thanks for creating the discussion :)
Hey
Mine is falling off
Mine is Toyota fortuner 2012, 3 litre engine
Don't know if i need to put a new one, it's damn expensive here
What do you plan to do?
Nope im glad you made a video... Mine has a hole in it and i was thinking there was a reason for that piece...
Glad we can help. Thanks for watching the video.
i am a desiel mech...
without it
it keeps the bay way cooler in temps...
with it on..
it holds alot of heat in the engine bay ,
not so good. the cooler the better
That makes sense, so it helps to keep the engine warm in cold weather. Living in Colorado, I can see that.
I watched your video because I need to replace my washer nozzle and my washer valve. It might be only one that needs replacing, but I have to take down my insulation so I rather do both parts . I’m not a mechanic, but I’ve seen some videos and it looks like I can do it.
I’m concerned about breaking the plastic snaps because the dealership told me they are not sold separately. That leads me to this question, if the shop tore your hood why would you have to pay to replace it. They are the professionals. So they didn’t even offer to partially pay for it? I know it’s been 3 years since you made this video, but it sounds like the person didn’t take time to carefully remove it.
You can find those clips still. Find a good mechanic around you who you trust and he can put some random clips on there for you for cheap.
Just staple the ends and keep rolling.
Soooooooooo if the plastic clips supposed to break off and smother the fire........ How come cars are on fire all the time???? Just saying
You are not wrong lol, I think the mystery is still out on some of these blankets.
@@DriversTherapy yeaaaaaap
Can those hood insulators be painted on?
No, they are made out of a fiber material and that would impact their design and purpose.
Hey I might be able to clear up what material that is actually made out of you see I am an HVAC technician but I also am a trained air quality specialist and a asbestos microscopist... I believe that they used asbestos as many insulators do because of its qualities so I wouldn't be swinging that thing around inside a room like that.... Now I know a lot of uneducated people in here are going to tell me how I don't know anything but I literally have an education for a reason pretty sure that is asbestos.
It is definitely _not_ asbestos. That would be illegal as hell in the US. You must be in some other country.
DEI tape ? Got links ?
I will place one in the description here in a few minutes. Thank you for watching the video.
Amazon
I was about to throw mines away lol
Don't do it lol thanks for wathcing.
All that does is make a bunch of dirt look ugly and that’s it I rip that shit off all my cars
What about small displacement, naturally aspirated engines?
mazda 3 2.0 sky-g
If a fire is to start at the engine, a spongy cover isn't going to change that... that car is gone either way.
The car might be gone but it can add some extra time for the driver to evacuate.
All cars have it except mine which is a 13 caprice. Old cop cars dont seem to have them.
That interesting. I wonder why they didn’t add it. I think most cars have to have them to provide a fire blanket protection.
Got a 2011 wrangler no blanket never had one
What about engine heat?
Is it safe for engine to not have it because I bought a used car Toyota 2021 Corolla I noticed it didn’t have hood insulation
It all depends on the design. Some people say it is for sound and other say it is for heat related stuff. hard to tell with some many options.
I spent 3k at Tim dhale and every time I took my Nissan Sentra 2012 I left with a new problem. There is a hood pad within the engine I guess and I think it was rubbing up against something because every time I hit the gas in the morning it was soooo loud! I just ripped a lot of it off I cannot afford to take it back and have a new problem
Hi, Crystal, sorry to hear you have been having some car trouble. If the pad was hanging it could make, contact with something but the chances it causing an issue besides getting burnt or making contact with a belt if it is torn a lot is very little. Did you keep the pad or throw it away? What condition was it in?
@@DriversTherapy it had nothing to do with the pad or any belt 😒 I took it to Ken Garff and they saw that the transmission fluid was almost empty… I paid 1800 for Tim dahle to almost destroy my vehicle… they will not own up to it.
@@crystalmendoza5727 I’m sorry to hear that. Unfortunately it’s happens to often. Usually people know good mechanics and you just have to ask around and try to find one.
It will burn your paint quicker without it. I can testify to this
Hello, thank you for your input. What kind of car did that happen to?
2005 toyota tacoma
Hello, thinking of installing it but how long did it take before you noticed that your Tacoma started to have hood paint issue because of the engine heat? Did it come to a point that you had to repaint your hood because of it?
The clear coat on your roof & hood go first because of the sun. I doubt your engine heat had anything to do with your paint fading.
@@markymarc4651al soon as I removed it I took about a year , I live in a hot dry city aswell which made it even worse, aliso you will hear the engine at a much higher decimal, dont do it its not worth it….. my hood was shiny and then after a year it wasnt, I took it to a paint shop to have it completely repainted only to have the same problem again 2 yrs later and as far as the comment about the clear coat, I had them clear coat it 3 layers, it was really shiny only to see it fade, I recently added insulation back and notice a much quieter engine and cooler hood…
Not all cars use plastic hooks to hold it up, some use metal which will not melt and let it drop, and it actually makes a poor fire blanket. If you look under some cars from the 80s and 90s tgey were made from flammable materials.
That is some good info, thanks
That's because this is NOT intended or designed as a fire blanket. Newer was. Fire blanket is a soft cloth material which can softly deform as any other blanket around the object to induce oxygen deprivation around covered object. Hood insulator is a hardened sound insulator which will remain rigid if detached, meaning it would act like an inch lowered hood, that's all. The purpose of it is to make a bit less noisy front end, and that's all. Not a mayor influence in general noise level.
Wondering what its for
Depending on the make and model, it came be used as a fire blanket, engine noise dampener, and or the hood protector from heat. It just depends. On the Supra, it is a fire blanket and it helps reduce some engine noise. Some people state it helps to protect the hood paint but it has been noted that people have removed it and no issues with the hood paint at all.
@@DriversTherapy im going to remove mine on my scion tc
@@valjean2036 OK, just make sure that it is not a vital safety part for the engine compartment such as a fire blanket or such.
Fire Blanket from what the hood catching fire?
The theory is that if the engine catches fire, the pad will smoother it. I am little skeptical but that is what they say it is.
@DriversTherapy that isn't going to stop an engine fire.
fire blanket are fiber glass
Their seems to be some type of fibrous material in the engine pad. I am not sure if it is fiberglass but definitely a fiber.
If you remove it, your car will struggle to put out heat in the winter time while you are traveling down the road
The science is pretty sound on how it would be bad for your paint.
Let's start by building a list of facts.
1. Rain can actually not occur without particulates in the air which fundamentally means that basically all rain is dirty water.
2. Removing the hood liner WILL increase the temperature of the metal and the paint on your hood.
3. When water evaporates , the dissolved contents will be left behind
4. Heating and cooling things causes mechanical weathering of the material . There are many examples of this in earth sciences and in chemistry.
5. Water spots can etch into the clear coat of your paint.
Therefore , when you remove the hood liner in your car you will increase the temperature of your hood (2). This increase in heat will result in more minerals being left behind when dirty raindrops come into contact with the now hotter hood (1,3). People call these water spots. Water spots can etch into your paint(5). Furthermore, now that the hood is hotter, its temperature range between hot and cold will be greater which will result in more heat weathering as the hot and cold causes the materials to expand and contract to a greater degree (4).
Sound logic. I can see your point and in fact I sided with caution and added a barrier via heat reflective tape but there are also cases where people removed their insulator, and nothing happened. I think your logic applies to must cases but not all. Paint is good up to around 300 degrees. Engines are usually around 220 degrees with exhaust manifolds exceeding that range. Where people actually see damage is in that area. The only cases I read about damage due to a missing insulator was aftermarket big turbos burning the paint which makes sense due to the 300-degree limit. Your rain theory is solid but if it was raining, most likely the temperatures would be cooler on the paint surface. If you washed your car in the sun and drove it afterwards, then I can see your water theory having a bad impact. I think no one can say with certain since every make and model varies but one thing is for sure, leave it on, or add some heat tape if you do not want to buy one if it falls apart. Thank you for watching the video.
mine was removed and the hood paint started to fade
Oh no, what kind of car do you have?
Chill out u don't usually need it I lost it 2 years ago and I didn't know what it's for so I didn't buy and after 2 years it didn't damage the paint so this is foreblanket and noise prove .
Right! That is what I have been trying to tell everyone but for some reason people think their paint will get damaged. Thanks for checking out the video man.
@@DriversTherapy i have jet black paint on my 2004 e46 and removed the insulator about 7 months ago and i definitiely noticed light oxidation above the engine and bought a new one.
@@diljoe9678 sorry to hear that. But that is good info for any one with the same setup.
@@DriversTherapy yeah it’s unfortunate- everyone on the e46 forum claims you don’t need it but they’re wrong. it’s not too bad though, I think it’ll polish out pretty easy.
@@diljoe9678 I understand. That is why I added in the video that every car is different. Even though I have no heard of a Supra having issues I still put some heat reflect tape on it for peace of mind.
from my experience... if you remove it make sure your engine temps are normal and you dont own a big turbo or V8. IT WILL FUCK UP YOUR TOUAREG V8 HOOD PAINT, and you wont know till its to late....but it was used so idgaf
Oh no! I do mention that in the video as well. Big turbos, high HP, and carbon fiber hoods will see possible damage if you remove the insulator. Of course it varies but I agree that you can see issue with high temp vehicles which are usually high HP. Thanks for sharing and watching the video.
I totalled it… that was the least of my worries but I’m in nice TSI Passat
Took mine off my turbo blow off valve sound s louder
Sooo you spent 400 on a new blanket? Supra tax 😬🙈🙊
Not yet! Maybe later but right now I’m not trying to spend that. Gonna roll gangsta hood for a bit.
@@DriversTherapy oh boy. Gonna listen to those little turbo noises 😋
Gotta make due with what we got. We both have to get our big boy turbos one day.
Really hood blankets are as about as important than TPMS sensors are once there gone you wont care Just another expense so the dealer can cash in
My 2008 honda civic doesn’t have it. Hood paint is fine
Good to know, thank you for sharing that data point.
Down here in South Florida there is no reason to have that stupid, ugly, dirt grabbing pad clipped under your hood.....Non what so ever......
They get do dirty! 😤
BMW uses plastic screws that strip instantly so My pad is in the trash with my old hood
How long ago was that? Any issues?
@@DriversTherapy it really doesn’t get that hot in the top of the engine bay I wouldn’t leave the car at idle for hours on end without air passing thru the hood just to be safe
@@DriversTherapy also for about a month now , it was a completely fresh paint job and I live in Phoenix , az and literally no issues as far as I can see and the hood really doesn’t get that hot
@@dylane2396 u have a hood scoop ? Bro I got a Camaro I want to take it off
@@OMGEB no I don’t have a scoop but air naturally passes through the top of the engine bay as well as the top of the hood similar to blowing on a spoon full soup that’s too hot. I wouldn’t suggest leaving your car running while it’s stationary for many hours at a time but the main factor in paint fade is for a fact the sun and not the engine heat
its not a fire blanket😂
thanks, we are all trying the figure out the mystery here lol
Try burning it dude
That would have been a great test. I threw it away but good idea still.