Firewall and Trans Tunnel Heating up!

[msweb]

I hope to make the switch to an EFI motor soon and while I'm doing it would be a good time to insulate the firewall and transmission tunnel.

I'd like to insulate the engine and trans sides because I don't use any carpet inside (all rhino lining).

What's available to use for insulation that won't fall apart or swell if it gets wet??

 

[Apogee]

I'm not that big of a fan of the insulation mats. They just don't like what off-roading does to them and once they've got water in them, they conduct heat great, defeating the purpose of having them there to begin with.

Have you cosidered just creating some heat shields attached to the firewall in the critical places with stand-offs? I would think some 16-22 GA 304 stainless steel sheetmetal and a 1/2"-3/4" air gap would do the trick. Plus, there'd be no maintenence to speak of and it won't be affected by water, vibration, etc. I've got something similar around my motor mounts on my truck to keep the exhaust heat off the rubber...has seemed to work out well for me. ;D

 

[pooterpot]

everytime i drive my bronco for over an hour my firewall gets so hot that my radio starts skipping. ive been thinking about doing what Apogee said, but now i have both sides of my firewall bedlined so maybe thatll help

 

[feitctaj]

I had a similar problem and hated my HOT floorboards, put a different carb on and it quit getting hot floorboards, mustve been running rich

 

[pooterpot]

i was running rich last time that happened to me. that might be the cause. but in a few weeks ill be done with the EFI and hopefully i wont have that problem

 

[coachbarnes]

I hope to make the switch to an EFI motor soon and while I'm doing it would be a good time to insulate the firewall and transmission tunnel.

I'd like to insulate the engine and trans sides because I don't use any carpet inside (all rhino lining).

What's available to use for insulation that won't fall apart or swell if it gets wet??

http://www.heatshieldproducts.com/
Go to this site and click on the Petersen's 4 Wheel logo on the left. It will lead you to a tech article on a '71 Bronco that's pretty decent, and deals with your issue.

 

[msweb]

Heat shields - yeah, that's the ticket!

Pooterpot - Maybe some bad news. If the bedliner is like Rhino or Linex, it holds in heat. It's also VERY flamable. Be careful.

 

[Mark]

Pooterpot - Maybe some bad news. If the bedliner is like Rhino or Linex, it holds in heat. It's also VERY flamable. Be careful.

Rhinolining is not very flamable - that's a wives tale.
If you put a torch to it of course it will melt and hold flame, but it's not combustable

 

[pooterpot]

i did alot of reading before i decided to line it. i made sure none else whos done it has had any problems

 

[msweb]

Rhinolining is not very flamable - that's a wives tale.
If you put a torch to it of course it will melt and hold flame, but it's not combustable

My Bronco is sprayed inside and out. It's caught fire more than once with the most recent being from weld splatter. The slightest flame, let alone a carb fire or electrical fire, will send it up in flames.

EDIT: I did not mean to imply that merely the engine or exhaust HEAT would ignite the Rhino Lining. It is easily ignited and burns quickly.

 

[SaddleUp]

I had a similar problem and hated my HOT floorboards, put a different carb on and it quit getting hot floorboards, mustve been running rich

You were probably running lean. If you run too lean then the exhaust gets too hot. If you run too rich then the exhaust doesn't get hot enough.

msweb, If your floorboards are getting that hot then I would check to see if the carb is running too lean. A quick and dirty check is to run it hard at night and then open the hood and look at the exhaust manifolds. If they are glowing then it is running lean.

 

[msweb]

You were probably running lean. If you run too lean then the exhaust gets too hot. If you run too rich then the exhaust doesn't get hot enough.

msweb, If your floorboards are getting that hot then I would check to see if the carb is running too lean. A quick and dirty check is to run it hard at night and then open the hood and look at the exhaust manifolds. If they are glowing then it is running lean.

Thanks SaddleUp. My bronco was actually running very rich but I do not believe that was causing the trans tunnel area to heat up. I am trying to combat normal engine heat and possibly exhaust heat in the tunnel area. It is not too hot to touch but you wouldn't want to hold your hand there for very long.

Just to be sure though, I think a night run is in order. Anyone want to join me? ;D

 

[SaddleUp]

I run thick rubber floor mats which work pretty good at keeping my feet from getting too hot. That isn't going to help directly over the tunnel but it might help. I recall mine got pretty warm as well until I routed the exhaust outside the frame rails.

 

[ken75ranger]

I did the one inch lift body mounts. It made a difference in the heat coming through the floor.

 

[BoltBuster]

yea its hell with flip flops on. I just use some heavy throw in rubber mats. Was wondering if insulating the exhaust would help?

 

[roundhouse]

I used Hurculiner in mine, then got foil & foam foam insulation from the floor of an 18 wheeler cab, then used the regular rubber EB floor cover.

that cured my heat peoblems.

mine used to get so hot it cooked the paint off the floor right above the ex pipes on the passenger side.

 

[MarsChariot]

I did the one inch lift body mounts. It made a difference in the heat coming through the floor.

Yes, the 1 inch BL does wonders. But this solved the problem, 1inch of hot rod type floor insulation, with carpet on top of that.

 

[76 bronco J]

in the last pic---If there is no bedliner type material or something besides regular paint under that insulation it looks like a rusty nightmare in the making

 

[SaddleUp]

in the last pic---If there is no bedliner type material or something besides regular paint under that insulation it looks like a rusty nightmare in the making

LOL, in mine it would only last until the first off road trip. Then it would have mud packed underneath it.

 

[bluebronco69]

i did the same as saddle up, i found a big fullsize truck bed mat, and me and my dad split it between out broncos, there was enough to do both beds of the broncos, and two mats for the front (driver and pass side) they are 1/4 inch thick, so the heat stays out in the summer, works great