Heat Shield Under Hood

[Mustangl3]

is the heat shield under the hood need or can it be removed without causing any problems?
thanks

 

[mpcv2000]

Mine was removed the first month I bought the car.

It's there to keep the engine warm and reduce engine noises and that's about it.

When you'll remove it, you'll see that under the hood they did not painted it, so it's not very pretty but it's not that bad.

Also remove the seal(see photo) above the fire wall, it will help the hot air to escape, the seal is there to keep the hot air inside the engine bay so by removing it it will flow.


Seal is on top of the picture (on the photo it's there but I don't have a pic. without)

 

[Mustangl3]

The main reason i wanted to do this is b/c i heard you can remove the plastic honeycomb isnert from the hood scoop. Is this true? I was planning on removing it so there would be some cooler air circulating under the hood

 

[Ghost001]

The main reason i wanted to do this is b/c i heard you can remove the plastic honeycomb isnert from the hood scoop. Is this true? I was planning on removing it so there would be some cooler air circulating under the hood

I wouldn't do it, because you'd also have to cut a hole in the hood, underneath the hood scoop, and then water might get in if you drive in the rain. Even more important, the plastic hood scoop is held on by 7 flimsy screws, that are screwed into plastic sockets, so I think that this arrangement might lead to the hood scoop being blown off.

I myself made my hood scoop "functional" by drilling lots of little holes in the honeycomb, and then cutting a large hole in the hood and heat blanket. However, I made the mistake of also cutting off part that bolts the top of the honeycomb onto the hood scoop (I was thinking of removing the honeycomb), and now it seems to vibrate a lot, more than I'm comfortable with. Also, I don't think much air really gets in or out.

Someone on one of these Mustang websites did what I did, but actually removed the honeycomb, and said that the hood scoop "puffs up" when driving fast, which sounds really bad to me.

So now, I have the Steeda 1995 Cobra R style hood, which has a truly functional vent in the back, to let hot air out and cold air in, does not let rain in, and has no heat blanket. I'm just waiting 2 months for the paint to finish evaporating, then I'll Zaino it and put it on.

 

[claytucc3]

It also as a metal backing that grounds to the passenger side of the car that is supposed to reduce motor noise bleeding into the stereo

 

[CdnNavybob]

The 'heat shield' under the hood is actually a fire blanket. The plastic pins that hold it on are desingned to melt at high temperatures, dropping the blanket over your engine at theoretically smothering an engine fire. I haven't heard any stories of Mustang engine fires so I wouldn't worry about taking it out for that reason.

 

[jadesville]

The 'heat shield' under the hood is actually a fire blanket. The plastic pins that hold it on are desingned to melt at high temperatures, dropping the blanket over your engine at theoretically smothering an engine fire. I haven't heard any stories of Mustang engine fires so I wouldn't worry about taking it out for that reason.

thats what its "suppose" to be for, but it ends up burning/deteriorating over time before you have an engine fire

 

[NiteMareGT]

Actually guys, the biggest job of the blanket is to keep heat off of your hood because without it over a relatively short period of time, your paint will begin to fade terribly, and if you still have the stock hood scoop, the scoop itself will begin to turn to a different color altogether from the rest of the paint job. That blanket is there to protect the hood and scoop paint mainly. Do what I did......take it out and paint it a color that is cool to you, then paint the pony a different color. It looks pretty good in my opinion !! I did the blanket chrome and the running pony black. Click on the link below for a pic...........

http://www.nitemaregt.stangnet.com/images/dcp_0004.jpg

The gray area actually has more reflection to it than appears here. It looks way better in person.......

 

[StangClear]

That looks cool.... What kind of paint did you use and how hard is to get those clips out and back in?

 

[NiteMareGT]

That looks cool.... What kind of paint did you use and how hard is to get those clips out and back in?

I just used some high quality paint from any auto parts store(can't remember the brand) but it's holding up well not to be for high heat applications.
As for the clips, they just pop in and out.....biggest problem is not dropping and losing them !!(LOL) When I did it, I laid on a picnic table bench, on my stomach, and slid it underneath so you can reach the center comfortably enough to tape off and paint the horse. Careful you don't fall asleep though !! hehe

 

[Wills Black 98]

could you just use regular spray paint? wouldnt that work or would it get too hot?

 

[FastRedPonyCar]

My belt came to pieces and shredded my blanket last year so I yanked it out. I've heard of people saying that it leads to paint fading but never seen proof of this

Oh and if you take off the blanket, be sure to leave the little ground wire strip attached...or is it a leash to keep the hood from flying away if it somehow comes off? hahaha

 

[StangClear]

My belt came to pieces and shredded my blanket last year so I yanked it out. I've heard of people saying that it leads to paint fading but never seen proof of this

Oh and if you take off the blanket, be sure to leave the little ground wire strip attached...or is it a leash to keep the hood from flying away if it somehow comes off? hahaha

Yea, I was thinking the same thing. How could the heat from the engine be any worse then the heat from the sun? Anyway, if it does fade, good excuse to get a Cobra R hood.....