Although a roaring engine can be fun at a car show or a day at the track, it doesn’t mean you want to announce your arrival to the neighborhood every time you pull in your driveway. But insulation and soundproofing isn’t just for your neighbors, the right materials can help you protect your paint and get better climate control in your vehicle.

The hood is often forgotten area when it comes to your vehicle. We get it, no one’s sitting there, none of your stuff is in there, why would you worry about it? Well, think about all that’s going on under the hood, all that heat and sound can easily make it’s way into your cabin - affecting your comfort.

Let’s talk about how insulating and soundproofing your hood can help improve your ride.

Although a roaring engine can be fun at a car show or a day at the track, it doesn’t mean you want to announce your arrival to the neighborhood every time you pull in your driveway. But insulation and soundproofing isn’t just for your neighbors, the right materials can help you protect your paint and get better climate control in your vehicle.

The hood is often forgotten area when it comes to your vehicle. We get it, no one’s sitting there, none of your stuff is in there, why would you worry about it? Well, think about all that’s going on under the hood, all that heat and sound can easily make it’s way into your cabin - affecting your comfort.

Let’s talk about how insulating and soundproofing your hood can help improve your ride.

Car Hood Insulation Will Make YouR Vehicle Quieter

The most obvious reason to use soundproofing materials under your hood is to make your vehicle quieter. We know, we know – some of you are thinking, “but I want my engine to be loud!”. Listen, there’s a time and a place to hear your baby roar and frankly, your daughter’s little league softball game isn’t one of them. Applying sound deadener to your hood won’t stop your engine from strutting its stuff, but it will stop the rattling metal from competing with the engine’s purr. And then by combining sound deadening with foam insulators, you’ll have have more control over the sound leaving your vehicle. Your audio system will sound better. You’ll have less overall noise in your cabin if you want to be heard. And if you still want to hear let that baby loose, pop the hood and let ‘er rip!

Hood Liner Controls Temperature and Protects Paint

Adding thermal insulation has several benefits.

1. Protect your paint by keeping the hood cool and protected from the heat of your engine.
2. More insulation means better heat control. Insulation absorbs heat in addition to slowing its movement.
3. Keep heat from the sun on a hot day from getting to your engine, allowing your A/C to start cold faster and keeping more heat out of your engine bay.

Who Should Consider Under Hood Insulation?

Upgrading or replacing your under hood insulation is a good investment for you if you are bothered by the amount of noise coming from your engine compartment or if you are focused on performance.

• A larger or louder than average engine
• Upgraded engine parts
• Protecting custom paint or decals on the hood
• A hot rod or newly restored vehicle
• A high-performance vehicle
• High average temperatures where you live and you want the A/C to get cold faster
• Excessive heat inside the car cabin (also should consider car firewall insulation)

Try our product recommendation tool and find exactly what you need.

Step 1: Remove

Remove the factory hoodliner. Although you won’t need to reapply it, keep it intact for step 3.

Step 2: Clean

Clean the metal hood with denatured alcohol thoroughly. Getting rid of any dust, dirt, and grime will make the material stick better and be more effective. The adhesive is very strong, but we are always extra cautious when working under the hood. The last thing you want is for something to fall down into the engine.

Step 3: Apply Sound Deadening Material

Use your factory hoodliner to create an outline for your Damplifier Pro sound deadener. You can also choose a spray on sound deadener like Spectrum. The underside of your hood probably contains a lot of dips and divots. If needed, leave your sound deadening mat in the sun for a few minutes to make it more pliable. Use a metal roller to firmly apply your the mat and roll out any air bubbles. Be wary of how much of the hood you cover. Make sure it still closes properly.

Step 4: Apply Insulating Material / Heat Shield

Use the outline from earlier to cut your heat insulation material. We have a ton of options here. Just snag one off the shelf and your hood will be thanking you in no time!

• Mega Block: A premium thermal insulator (1/2” thick) and sound absorber. This is the best performing sound and heat insulation you can put under your hood.
• FireWall Ceramic Coating: A water-based ceramic thermal insulation you can spray, brush or roll onto your hood to protect it from heat. Perfect for if you want to protect your hood while keeping the under hood looking factory. Yes, FireWall is paintable.
• Heat Wave Pro: A 3/8” thick jute material that provides some sound absorption and thermal insulation and is surrounded by a reinforced foil to reflect heat. This is our high performance, but most budget-friendly option.

Use a utility knife or scissors to cut your material to size. Shop the heat shields above as well as our other automotive heat shields at the link below:

Step 5: Tape and Secure

Tape up all seams and edges with a high temperature foil tape, this will help keep everything in place and keep the edges from fraying. This is an especially important step for extreme heat use cases. Use any clips or fasteners under the hood as additional support to support your insulation and/or heat shield. Better safe than sorry!

Is Hood Insulation necessary?

Yes, having hood insulation is very improtant to make sure your car is running at it's safest. The insulation does a great job of absorbing heat and preventing heat related issues in your engine compartment, while also absorbing sound if you pick the right materials! If your insulation is getting old or you're just looking for an upgrade, any of the options we feature here will take your vehicle to the next level!

Every car and every person is different, and the only thing we love more than cars are the people who love their cars. Give us a call and we’ll help you find the right materials to keep you and your car happy.

Call us at 1.800.679.8511