550 drooping hood insulation

I had this problem as well. Over time the hood pad does droop and makes contact with the manifold. I got a new pad, and new buttons and replaced them. No more problem. The pad is a bit pricey but it looks oh so good when done. The buttons are the cheapest original factory part you will ever buy from your dealer. Mine cost me 48-cents each !

there are actually two pads, the large one you see, and then a smaller one underneath that in the center. You see this after you remove the large one. The smaller one is a foam one, with a sticky adhesive back. Removing the old one was a pain. Peeling it as much as I could, then also using some solvent to dissolve the adhesive. Have to work carefully, take time, and make sure to cover the engine thoroughly with cloths to prevent the old bits from falling on top of the engine.

Mike

 

The buttons you can reuse. However, they being plastic, I assumed that some of them would break when I removed them. A couple did, but not many. I bought some new ones just to be safe, and to look good. Funny thing, I needed to replace a similar button on the under hood insulation of my Land Rover Discovery. Looked like the same part, and sure enough the Ferrari part fit the Rover. The Ferrari part was also cheaper than f I bought it at the Land Rover dealer.

I think the drooping of the under hood pad is just a natural result of heat and age. It is a fiber product. It is not attached to the center pad via the adhesive. The adhesive holds the center pad to the metal hood surface.

 

When I had my 550 re-sprayed the dealer basically destroyed the hood pad to remove it for the paint job. I ended up buying a new hood pad. So I assume the pad is not only held in place by the plastic bits but also glued into place.

Even the new hood pad is now showing signs of the manifold cover grinding into it.

 

Anyone tried 575M hood/bonnet insulation instead of 550? Cheaper and we do not seem to have the droop problem. Do not know if it will fit or not.

Found the cheapest Ferrari part I have ever seen. The little buttons that hold on the insulation are only $0.18 each.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

I had the same problem with my hood insulation and bought a replacement from an european supplier. No adhesive required, just the buttons, but I broke several of the plastic buttons when removing the old one. Easy job, took about 15 minutes. So far so good - no imprints after about 6 months.

Thinking the imprints on the old insulation were caused by sagging old style engine mounts, I asked the local dealer to check if they had ever been replaced with the new style mounts, they said no. I bought the new mounts and had the dealer install. I asked the dealer to give me the old ones so I could see how they've deteriorated. To my annoyance...the old ones that had been removed were new style mounts! Grr...

At least the dealer gave me new insulation buttons for free. About US$2 worth. So I've got that going for me.

 

It's not that big a deal to be honest. The dealer allows me to buy my parts elsewhere for them to install, which saves me quite a lot of money because the parts department's markup is extortionate. They've also done some free work for me (like refinishing all of my plastic trim to remove the sticky goo) so in the big scheme of things, I'm not going to kvetch too much. That being said, I will use this as an excuse to get the service manager to comp me some other work!

 

On the Ricambi 575M parts site, table 116 (engine Bonnet) it has what appears to be 'under' insulation, but is missing the single piece of insulation under the bonnet(hood).

There appears to be a piece of double adhesive material that holds the outer felt of the manifold
When I open my 2002 575 I see one large piece of (expensive looking) felt with a few lines that have pressed on to it. It appears to have dropped away from the underlying metal/adhesive pad.

FWIW the 550 and 575 tables (115 and 116 respectively) appear to be identical.

Philip C
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There is no adhesive on the large felt pad to support it. Only the clips/buttons. Under the large pad, in the center, about here the imprints show up, is a thin sponge rubber pad that has adhesive on one side to hold it onto the hood. Nothing on the side that faces the large felt pad. It is number 54 on the parts diagram. This is the one where it is a pain to take off the old one.

Mike

 

Hi

Does anyone have experience with installing a non original hood insulation like this ?

http://www.thermotec.com/thermo-guard-fr.html

I think the one side foil (alloy) could be a good solution.
This blocks about 90 % of the heat.
It could be fixed with an adhesive + the original buttons.

Costs about 70 Euro (about 100 $) for 1,25x1,80 meters

Daniel

 

Is the insulation necessary? I imagine it's for sound or do you reckon heat? My 456M has none whatsoever and I figured it was because the CF bonnett didn't require heat protection and the sound wasn't problem...

Maybe not? Curious...

 

that it's like the one on my '98 Merc SL. That thing was just going to pieces. The pad is needed or the paint on the hood will not do well. I'm told the heat is just too much.

I tried using a spray contact cement, but, as I said the thing desintigrated.

If (when) I get to this point on the 550, I will contact cement the whole thing. Barring delamination, end of story. I don't trust those plastic clip thingees. I've heard enough.

Come to think of it, I think it's time for mine as well.

I'll let you all know how it goes.

 

Hey Erik,

I was just thinking. My 456 MGT doesn't have a pad eithert. I've never heard of a problem with the paint on one.

The guys that know SLs say that the pad is needed to save the paint from the heat.

I always thought the pad on the SL was a luxury thing on a once proud sports car that slowly became a porker.

 

It does seem odd that the 456 which is so similar to the Maranello's doesn't require it - so I'm thing the CF is a great insulator that allows us to keep paint on the hood. Or ???

And if you don't like stock- the Dynamat heat insulation is a great product that applies very substantially with self-adhesion and forms nicely. You could paint it black or apply the stock pad with contact cement after the fact and I'd bet it's a way better insulator-

 

you got a spare one?

 

Thanks for that Erik. My car is a chop top so no worries about keeping it correct. I'll go with the improved.

Respects,
Stan

 

Hate to bump this old thread, but mine is sagging a bit and touching the intake manifold. The engine mounts have been inspected and are fine. Definitely feels like it's sagging.

I don't see a new one available online anywhere...anyone have an ideas or solutions?

 

Have you checked eurospares?

https://www.eurospares.co.uk/parts/ferrari/550-maranello/bodywork-lighting/engine-bonnet-19896/64563800

 

Btw, done mine 2,5 years ago, the price was half of the current price...... Some spare parts prices are rapidly increasing...

 

I've noticed this as well. Some parts that I needed to replace showed for example, $250 online...but when I called around they were almost 10x as much since they're NLA and special order only. :/

Thanks for the eurospares link. I think I was looking at the 575 hood insulation before...seems that was 3x as much?

Ordering now. Cheers

 

Can go to Ferrari of Ontario - with freight from EU, vs local - not much diff
Replaced mine last year under $1k Cad