The hood insulation is not made to prevent the engine from cooking your paint. The insulation is there for noise dampening. You can take it off and will have no paint damage. Most of the paint damage will come from the sun, not the engine heat. The insulation is there the eliminate engine noise, the paint protection is simply a bonus if any. Your engine parts that create the greatest heat are far enough from the hood for it not to matter. I just think it gives it a nicer, more finished look. I like to keep my engine bay looking as clean as the rest of my vehicle. If you're into keeping your truck looking nice and original, keep it on. If you don't really care how the under hood area looks, then rip it off.

 

I don't know. I think I like the look of the hoods underside better than the look of that ratty black insulation. If what you say is true and that the insulation only reduces engine noise, then I'm starting to leant more towards getting rid of it. If I was concerned about engine noise, I would still have the stock air intake and exhast on the truck.

 

even if the paint does go, gives you a good reason to get another hood "viper cowl" cough cough

 

True, if it is ratty then it's an eye sore. You have to remember the auto makers put that there to meet certain noise emission requirements from all the governmental agencies. In some states that may be required to pass inspection. I wouldn't go so far as to ***** nilly ripping it off without checking with your own states inspection rules.

 

The insulation is pretty until a broken serpentine belt takes a bit out of it like it did mine.

 

Back somewhere i heard that hood insulation also was designed with an eye towards possibly smothering some small engine related fires. That could have been shade tree bs from somebody, but I thought I'd offer it for yalls consideration without vouching for it.

 

Thats a good joke. Putting out engine fires!! They go up like a book of matches!!! Seen it.

 

WTL, the insulation hitting the manifolds actually causes engine fires.

meanwhitemopar, header wrap is a bad idea. it may be ok on manifolds but on headers it will make them rust out and they'll eventually look like swiss cheese under it. I wanted to wrap my shorties and when i did some searching i ran across a review that turned me away from the wraps. this guy bought brand new headers, wrapped them and 6 months later he had 2 or 3 holes in each one from rust.

an interesting little tidbit that i found out the other day with my heat gun is that the factory manifolds on a 360 are the same temp at idle as a 318 with headers. somewhere around 350-400º.

 

If you are interested in a quiet ride in the cab you want to replace it. If not, then no worries. I replaced mine with the extra noise absorbing liner that I put under my carpet and behind my door panels. Made a big difference. Now those Hookers don't bother my wife when we are heading to the Sunday ice cream social.

 

Um...I meant Hooker Headers.........