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Re-insulating engine compartment Lid
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mightyart
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 19, 2006 7:53 am    Post subject: Re-insulating engine compartment Lid Reply with quote

I recently took care of a little thing that's been nagging at me ever since I've had the van. That is the old ratty looking insulation in the engine compartment cover.
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Someone had added a brown plastic garbage bag over the one side, the other side was coming apart in small bits that I kept pulling out of the fan cover. I had added my own wood "brace" so even if it was ugly at least it was tight.
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I was amazed at how heavy these pieces of insulation are. I wonder how much 25 years of dirt and grime have added to their weight?
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The next thing that was needed was a good cleaning.
Be Careful! the edges of the recesses are very sharp, I got a few small cuts on my hand from it.
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For the first layer of insulation I chose B-Quiet Ultimate used B-Quiet sound dampener in the front of the Westy before:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=112637
I was very happy with the results the first time so I stuck with the B-Quiet brand, but used the Ultimate for the engine cover as it has the highest heat rating.
I used one of the old ratty pieces of insulation as a pattern, I layer it out on the B-Quiet with a black Sharpie marker, and cut it out with a cheap pair of scissors. I used this as the template for the rest of the stuff and didn't have to use the old dirty insulation again.
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For the next layer, to insulate from the engine heat, I used "Quality Heat Shield" or NASA insulation:
http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/ItemBrowse/c-10...0000328425
I bought a roll of it as this is what I will be replacing the fiberglass junk that Westfalia put in with.
I bought a can of the adhesive with it, and figured I'd try it on the engine cover first.
I used my of sound deadener template and layer out two insulation inserts. The stuff was not that easy to cut, very durable, but also light weight.
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The rest was pretty simple, start with your two pieces of sound deadener. I used the Roller that came with it to make sure it was nice and stuck to the cover. Again watch out for those sharp edges, I had put my fingers under them to make sure all the edges of the B-Quiet sound deadener where nice and tight.
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Next came the two pieces of NASA insulation. I just followed the instructions on the can of adhesive.
It did a very good job, the toughest part was keeping it from getting creases in it. Once you put it down it was not coming back up easy the stuff was very tacky. I also cut a couple of "notches" for the latches in the top piece of insulation.
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Here it is all done, the roller that came with the sound dampener came in handy with the NASA insulation to. I've had it in for about three weeks now and it's still in tip top shape.
I really can't tell if it's any quieter, it doesn't seem to be any louder.
The is a definite decrease in the weight of the cover it seems very light now, and it sure is allot cleaner.


Last edited by mightyart on Sat Mar 21, 2009 5:18 pm; edited 2 times in total
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weinerwagen
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 19, 2006 8:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Your air cooled and the waterboxers are not as loud as the diesel. The diesel motor really makes a bunch of roaring sound from "way back there....".

I pulled the metal cover off the diesel. I replaced it with one of the fiberglass units from a wrecker late model. Actually did lower the roar a bit.

The vans tend to be a big old tunnel which radiates the sounds towards the front. My youngest twins when they were in grade school use to complain about all the sound from the diesel at highway speeds.

Now it seems with their R-32's they need headers, Techtonics exhaust and of course the ever present ghetto boom box in the trunk...
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lovedavdubs
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 19, 2006 9:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice job Art Wink Maybe I'll give that one a shot to. It seems that a PO put a carb on my engine, and the lid wouldn't fit so the dumb ass cut the sheet mtl. out of the center of the lid Evil or Very Mad Sometimes it amazes me the lengths people will go to rig something.
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Dogpilot
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 19, 2006 1:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you ever pass through Flagstaff, on your way out of NY (permanently, according to your posts), I have a spare metal lid, uncut by stupid PO's. I thought a metal one would be better than the plastic one. My god! It weighs a ton, I think they used neutronium as a sound deadener. So it sits in my hanger, as a testiment to leaping before you fully investigate.

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weinerwagen
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 19, 2006 5:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I used the old metal one off my 80 air cooled van as the cover that leads to the underside of my house...covers that little crawl hole nicely, AND I can drive my van tire up and over it safely without falling into the PIT.

Yeah they weigh 100 lbs or more. US Army is looking at using them to secure the HUMVEES in Iraq from IED explosions
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lovedavdubs
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 19, 2006 7:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was saying....

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airkooledchris
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PostPosted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 9:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

so using a plastic one on an aircooled vanagon wouldnt be a bad thing?

they don't get hotter and melt the plastic or anything?

if so, im off to pick and pull to get one!
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singlewc
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PostPosted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 2:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

airkooledchris wrote:
so using a plastic one on an aircooled vanagon wouldnt be a bad thing?

they don't get hotter and melt the plastic or anything?

if so, im off to pick and pull to get one!


Regular circumstances won't generate that much heat, but a lot of people are quicke to point out that the heavier, metal cover is a better line of defense from an engine fire. I have read of the plastic ones just melting away and flames pouring into the van interior rather quickly.

Not sure which is best, but I do feel a bit safer with the heavier cover, although, if you don't know there is a fire.........

Anyway, just one perspective on swapping the engine covers.

Mark
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Sloth
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 7:01 pm    Post subject: What is the insulation? Reply with quote

Is the original insulation asbestos? How did you get rid of it? Are you still satisfied with the results?
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mightyart
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 7:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

No asbestos in Vanagons, but bay windows had a little bit of it.
The original stuff was like pressed cotton or something, nothing to worry about disposing of.
I'm real happy with the results now, when I first did it, the glue didn't hold as well as I had hoped, so I cut some small 1/2" wood braces and put them in to support the insulation a little better, now it works well at keeping the sound and heat out of the van.
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danfromsyr
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 8:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

LDD I've a near mint baby blue cover here just waiting for ya... just have to figure how to meet again at a show... or I'd guess I could ship it .. but not sure either of us need that hassel... just swap bits during some campout...



lovedavdubs wrote:
I was saying....

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shagginwagon83
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 28, 2017 6:39 am    Post subject: Re: Re-insulating engine compartment Lid Reply with quote

What do you guys think of this for insulating a steel engine lid?
https://www.amazon.com/FatMat-Hood-Liner-Self-Adhe...hood+liner

This is suppose to block heat...where I think the original stuff is suppose to absorb heat. Any thoughts?
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Steve M.
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 28, 2017 10:57 am    Post subject: Re: Re-insulating engine compartment Lid Reply with quote

shagginwagon83 wrote:
What do you guys think of this for insulating a steel engine lid?
https://www.amazon.com/FatMat-Hood-Liner-Self-Adhe...hood+liner

This is suppose to block heat...where I think the original stuff is suppose to absorb heat. Any thoughts?


I would not waste my money on that.
You can get the same looking insulation but with a layer of heavy vinyl sandwiched into it: (lead vinyl it is called).
https://www.jamestowndistributors.com/mobileportal/show_product.do?pid=9345

Works much beťter and some version use a mylar material opposed to aluminum foil for better heat transfer.

What ever you do keep the metal engine cover even though some folks say the fiberglass helps deaden the noise.
My reasoning is that if there was a fire the metal would help slow down the fire from spreading where the fiberglass would burn through into the interior.y 2 cents.
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claydrake
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 20, 2023 12:41 pm    Post subject: Re: Re-insulating engine compartment Lid Reply with quote

I have found that nearly all the links left for the products on this thread, such as "Quality Heat Shield" and several others are dead links, or go to suppliers, such as J.C. Whitney and a search of their site comes up with nothing.

I have the fiberglass lid, and I want to do something about the deteriorating foam insulation that leaves tiny particles of itself everywhere.
Anyone have any product suggestion?

Thanks In Advance
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 20, 2023 3:27 pm    Post subject: Re: Re-insulating engine compartment Lid Reply with quote

I redid mine with "Hoodliner" and taped the seams with metal duct tape.
https://dynamat.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/2003-Hoodliner-Sell-Sheet-Web.pdf
Seems to holding up pretty good. (I also added an extra layer of Hi-heat barrier over the exhaust header of my Bostig/Zetec conversion).
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Really like the idea of getting rid of the old oil soaked foam. I took a small piece and lit it with a lighter, went up quickly in a greasy- smoky flame!
Have to wonder how many Vanagons burned up because of a small engine fire that ignited the old foam?
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pathao
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 20, 2023 4:49 pm    Post subject: Re: Re-insulating engine compartment Lid Reply with quote

claydrake wrote:
I have the fiberglass lid,


Dont know if it the same as a metal one, but I went to a chimney/fireplace shop and bought some "ceramic fiber insulating blanket" ( kind of this stuff) and covered it with a cheap welding blanket (Wait they always come in sale for less then half that price). I think it held pretty good. It does collect dust and I have to wipe it with a damped cloth from time to time. It did stained but I can live with it.
(


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Note : I did all the sewing of the fiberglass welding blanket BEFORE any cutting of it. This thing will fray like hell. I was wearing my paint breathing mask, long sleeves, gloves and kept the beer covered. I think this stuff is probably at the same level as asbestos. Be very weary of it


An added value/use to it, the PO had used that kind of stuff as a engine bay' seal saver.


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I thought the idea good, and since I did found some of it into the barrels' fins, I enclosed mine into a mosquito net that it surrounded by a wire galvanized steel netting 1/2-inch x 1/2-inch mesh' (to keep the desired shape).


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