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Drooping Hood Insulation

43K views 51 replies 37 participants last post by  e46orochi 
#1 ·
The under-hood insulation panel on my '05 sedan has started to drop down. There's a total of six tabs that are supposed to fit into slots in the hood, but none of them are staying put. Only the expanding rivets are holding the whole thing in place.

Is this typical? Seems like a really ghetto detail on an otherwise very nicely put-together car.
 
#4 ·
+1

It's just sound deadening. If you take it off I don't think you would be able to tell the difference.

And tons of people will go on about it causing the paint on the hood to peel but they are just making that up. I have had this piece removed on my car for years, paint is perfect. Not to mention E46 engines run pretty cool, and that's why things like the valve cover and intake is plastic.
 
#5 ·
sounds like the tabs are worn out or broken a bit. Either get a new insulator from the dealer or take it out completely. You could also go ghetto and shove something in there with the tabs to keep them in tight, but I would not recommend that.
 
#22 ·
You only need to poke some holes in the insulation. Don't drill the hood.

Mine was shrunken bad when I got this car. I removed it because it was sagging onto the engine and rubbing the cool silver paint off in a spot. I'm probably going to install a Dynamat Dynaliner because I don't care for the increased engine noise.
 
#26 · (Edited)
Well, mine's a vert and appeared to have been garaged most of it's life and low mileage ... 69,000 miles over 10 years ...and has shrunk also. Maybe it has to to with the dark color? Mine is Orient Blue, yours is Imola Red but Mango's is silver. Just looked back and OP's is silver also. so much for that theory! Seems to be no rhyme or reason. Maybe Mango's is still fine because it's scared of him and doesn't want to be replaced. Haha.
 
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