Hood Blanket

[cobrakarl]

I am wanting to remove my hood blanket, and interested
if someone could comment about the easiest or cleanest way
to remove the fasteners that hold the blanket to the hood.

Thanks.

 

[Sonic 03 Cobra]

Hi CobraKarl,

I removed my hood blanket. Should take about 5 minutes. What I did was pull the fasteners out one at a time around the outside and then pulled out the ones in the middle. You should be able to pry up the edges with your fingers around each plug and just pull it out. Be sure to pull straight out and not twist it, or it might break on ya.

 

[BAD03SVT]

why remove the hood blanket, what am i missing?

 

[slow lane]

#1 - Once water damaged it's pretty ugly.
#2 - It holds heat in the engine bay.

 

[Sonic 03 Cobra]

Originally posted by slow lane
#1 - Once water damaged it's pretty ugly.
#2 - It holds heat in the engine bay.

Definantly #2. My temp needle is visibly lower without the blanket, and I got tired of replacing them from water damage. And I do not believe that it will negatively effect the paint, as many people question. If it does, it's easy enough to repaint (might give me an excuse to upgrade the paint quality on the rest of the car?)

 

[cobrakarl]

Hey Sonic 03 Cobra,
Thanks for the note. I want to remove mine just to let heat escape
from the engine bay faster. I have read various comments about why people speculate the blanket is there and I suspect it helps with noise
reduction is main reason. I am not concerned about protecting the paint, do not think this is issue but time will tell ... if paint is problem I will also do paint upgrade.

 

[03DSGSVT]

I removed mine using a window crank tool, and a piece of rigid cardboard under the tool as I went.

(Basically the tool that you would use to remove the clips that hol d window crank handles on doors. )

This technique worked great.

I was able to get all of the plugs out without breaking any of them.

You may have to use a flat screwdriver for the middle ones due to the contour of the hood...

Also don't forget the bottom pass. side corner with the ground strap. It is connected to the blanket, and not the hood...

Good luck...
BTW, I noticed a lot more of a heat wave effect coming out of the hood vents after the removal of the blanket!
Can only be better for underhood temps...

 

[slow lane]

The blanket does a number of things.

Noise reduction -

the blower is more audible inside and outside of the car without it.


Heat retention -

allows the car to warm up faster, good for both winter driving and emissions quality. Cools down much faster after shut off without it and seems to run a bit cooler, but that may be all in my head. Oh yeah, it took over 20 minutes to warm up when I ran it in the garage over the winter with the damn blanket still there.


Protects the hood from engine heat -

My black hood gets hotter sitting in the sun than from engine heat.


AM radio reception -

This was the most common explanation for the grounding strap and for the foil on the top of the blanket by folks on this board. My AM reception has not suffered noticably by removing the blanket.

 

[HIGH ROLLER]

For the guys who have done this mod are you removing the black plastic grills also or just removing the hood blanket insulator only?

 

[Cobra'03]

The grills block nothing - just the blanket.

The best way to pull them is to use a 90 deg offset long nose pliers.

 

[BAD03SVT]

and this made a noticeable difference on temp?

anybody had this done for awhile and paint suffer.

 

[mosconiac]

I've had my hood blanket off for a LONG time and have suffered NO ill effects. JUST DO IT!

I also applied velcro to the back of the vent flaps, so I can velcro them open for the ultimate in underhood venting. During extended driving, I can actually see heat waves from the heat escaping through the open hood vents.

I'd MUCH rather that heat rise up and out of the hood than be trapped under it.

 

[JB]

Originally posted by HIGH ROLLER
For the guys who have done this mod are you removing the black plastic grills also or just removing the hood blanket insulator only?

the grilles themselves should stay in but many of us have removed the flaps from the grilles to allow more ventilation (or held open like mosconiac suggested)

 

[mosconiac]

Yeah, as JB alluded to...I can close the flaps whenever I want (like when I wash the car). Haven't yet, but I can.

 

[94SVT Coupe]

But the flaps don't really close, there's always a gap that lets the water in.

 

[caveman6666]

Originally posted by 94SVT Coupe
But the flaps don't really close, there's always a gap that lets the water in.

Yeah. Mine haven't been touched, and the blanket's stained to shit. Poor design.

 

[BAD03SVT]

yeah i just really noticed how nasty the blanket looks, its coming off this afternoon and the boost bypass is getting done. anybody see boost gains after doing the bypass.

 

[mosconiac]

I should also caution each of you that if are *considering* this mod...DO IT NOW.

Do not wait like I did. After a period of time, the blanket will rub on the underside of your hood and wear away the paint in spots.

 

[slow lane]

Not one regret taking it off.

If your paint isn't damaged, the underside of the hood should be painted with the same quality as the rest of the body.

Cut off those damn plastic flaps under the vent grills too.

 

[RAP66]

Any one know where to get replacement vents?? So I can have a closed set during the winter?