what good is the hood heat blanket

D

DrSmith

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Sep 2, 2004

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Maine

Jun 19, 2010

#1

• Jun 19, 2010

• #1

Mine keeps allowing mice a nice place to rest...I got to thinking: If we want cooler air to our cars, why do "they" insulate the hood? I keep wanting to pull my off, but I know it will screw it up when my son or daughter shows the car in 2060.....
Doc

 

Sparty92

Member

Jul 30, 2007

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Detroit Burbs

Jun 19, 2010

#2

• Jun 19, 2010

• #2

Think of all that heat....baking the underside of your hood....and the paint on the top, just cracking and peeling away.

There's your answer.

 

arcwcb

Member

Oct 26, 2009

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Pennsylvania

Jun 19, 2010

#3

• Jun 19, 2010

• #3

If I'm not mistaken, the firewall is painted as well and it doesn't flake or peel... I'm sure it's good for the paint if it's on there, but aftermarket steel hoods do just fine without it, I'm sure the factory hood will too.

 

AvalancheSVT

10 Year Member

Jun 12, 2005

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Jun 19, 2010

#4

• Jun 19, 2010

• #4

sound dampening, heat dissipation, and aesthetics are all viable purposes.

 

walter

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Aug 13, 1998

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Houston TX

Jun 20, 2010

#5

• Jun 20, 2010

• #5

I think its to keep the paint from messing up on the hood from prolonged exposure to heat.

 

T

The Fang

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Sep 11, 2005

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Tallahassee Fl

Jun 20, 2010

#6

• Jun 20, 2010

• #6

Yeah that engine can get pretty hot. The bean counter said it would reduce the hood repairs under warranty.

 

Sparty92

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Jul 30, 2007

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Detroit Burbs

Jun 20, 2010

#7

• Jun 20, 2010

• #7

arcwcb said:

If I'm not mistaken, the firewall is painted as well and it doesn't flake or peel... I'm sure it's good for the paint if it's on there, but aftermarket steel hoods do just fine without it, I'm sure the factory hood will too.

Click to expand...

Heat rises. The firewall gets some cooler air from below the car, whereas the hood sits right on top of the engine.

Take off your hood blanket (they've been in use for the past 50+ years...and see how things work out for you.

 

04GreyGtUSAF

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Dec 10, 2007

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KS

Jun 20, 2010

#8

• Jun 20, 2010

• #8

I'm not disagreeing with any of the previous posts -

I had to take mine off 3 years ago because the previous owner had put a tear in it that bugged me. Its been in 100+ degree california heat for 2 summers now and no problems yet....... Just my 2 cents.

 

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mustangdave

My rearend needs a stud and two nuts.

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Feb 26, 2002

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Jun 20, 2010

#9

• Jun 20, 2010

• #9

Another reasonis if there is an underhood fire,the plastic pins would melt and hopefully the blanket will fall smothering the fire...or maybe I'm making that up.

 

arcwcb

Member

Oct 26, 2009

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Pennsylvania

Jun 20, 2010

#10

• Jun 20, 2010

• #10

Sparty92 said:

Heat rises. The firewall gets some cooler air from below the car, whereas the hood sits right on top of the engine.

Click to expand...

Heat does NOT rise, it radiates, hot gas is what rises. The firewall by the engine will be ALMOST as hot as the hood, only a couple degrees difference. What you are referring to is convection, which still does not say that the hood will be a large measurement higher, convection is the natural circulation that gas (air) makes, going from higher temperature to lower temperature, keeping the air underhood moving and keeping the hood and firewall at a close temp.

I'm not saying that the hood finish will be perfect if you remove the blanket, I'm just making an observation on something I noticed. Paint isn't my expertise, so take my advice with a grain of salt, but I'm a senior in Mechanical Engineering with an emphasis in Thermodynamic properties, so how heat moves IS what I'm studying. And I just wanted to point out that the firewall is painted and does not appear to have problems. But then it could be a different paint or cleared differently or treated somehow, I have no idea...

 

AvalancheSVT

10 Year Member

Jun 12, 2005

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Jun 20, 2010

#11

• Jun 20, 2010

• #11

oh and i've had multiple cars without the hood blanket without any negative effects. its pretty much useless in the day to day. some engineer thought it'd be a good idea so im sure there's some reason for it but your paint wont crack and fall off if you remove it.

 

D

DrSmith

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Sep 2, 2004

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Maine

Jun 20, 2010

#12

• Jun 20, 2010

• #12

Wow, good to hear all of your thoughts. I guess I am thinking about all the cars I've had over the years, without heat blankets. I also had a carb fire in one, you knew that there had been a fire, but it still passed the 20 foot test.
I'm not going to pull mine off, but I am sick of all the mice crap, they are all over the place. I found a french fry on the engine the other day...
take care,
Doc

 

R

Rob72

New Member

Jan 2, 2010

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Jun 20, 2010

#13

• Jun 20, 2010

• #13

Could the fact that the hood is aluminum and the rest of the car is steel have something to do with why there's insulation under the hood. Different metals disperse heat differently. I know one thing for sure. If you take off that insulation and the paint on the hood flakes Ford will not cover it under warranty.

 

FreeRider

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May 4, 2010

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New Mexico

Jun 20, 2010

#14

• Jun 20, 2010

• #14

WHAT?! If we are talking about the lining under the hood it is to help snuff out an engine fire...

 

T

thezfunk

New Member

May 23, 2010

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Jun 21, 2010

#15

• Jun 21, 2010

• #15

mustangdave said:

Another reasonis if there is an underhood fire,the plastic pins would melt and hopefully the blanket will fall smothering the fire...or maybe I'm making that up.

Click to expand...

No you are not. That's exactly what it is for.