I've been debating removing my hood insulation since it's seen better days. It's not terrible tho. Anyway, just wondering how many people removed theirs and if there are any tricks to removing the clips that hold them in without breaking them.

 

Can use a pair of dikes to remove the clips - just don't accidentally cut through the plastic. They are basically the plastic "christmas tree" clips but with a larger head on them - should be able to snag extras at any local parts store in the HELP! section.

Don't know any reason to not remove it - alot of cars anymore don't have it. Only reason I left mine was because of new paint and paranoia of hot engine cooking my new paint - but my paint is a year + old now, probably no need for me to worry.

 

The insulation is supposed to do two things. 1) Cut down on hood heat. Does not do much. 2) Help quiet the engine noise with the hood closed. It works fairly good for that.
If the second isn't a problem then go ahead and remove it as it does very little for the first.
As for the clips they may be useless after being pulled out but with care can be pulled exeactly as Camaronewbie said. That is how I did mine.

 

I've had mine in and out several times without issue.

JamesC

 

Out it comes then. Tho, at the risk of sounding dumb, I have to ask what a "pair of dikes" refers to exacly? There are two things that come to mind when I hear the word dike and neither can be used for this job.

 

A tool used to cut wire. I'd use a pair of long-nosed pliers myself.

JamesC

 

DIKES can also pull out an old class ring found inches deep from any rectum...if ya ever need that!

 

please.

JamesC

 

Ah! I know what you're talking about. They work well on smaller "Christmas tree" clips but I think the pliers will work better on these. Thanks guys

 

I wonder if the term "dikes" came from "diagonal cutters" - which is what I should have called them