Firewall insulation pulling away? No problem!

Post in this forum for topics relating to the exterior. This includes body, windows, and accessories

Moderators: GRNSHRK, ron, bfons

Post Reply
GRNSHRK
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 3711
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 3:24 pm
Location: Gilroy (SF Bay Area) CA

Firewall insulation pulling away? No problem!

Post by GRNSHRK »

In my never ending quest to make "everything" right, I didn't like the fact that my firewall insulation was pulling away from the firewall over time, which was much more visible while I had the strut bar removed :-?

But I also recalled that when things were warm under the hood, say after driving, I noticed that the insulation was much more flexible, which got me thinking :-k

If I could heat it up, I could probably bond it back in place, thinking contact cement would do the trick [-o<

So I grabbed one of the missus' hair driers (she is a hair stylist, after all :roll: ) and gave the insulation a good blast, and sure enough, I could form it back into it's original position =D>

And no, not the $400 Dyson :-({|=

I used Wellwood contact cement, this stuff is awesome, if used properly, which requires applying to both surfaces and letting it become tacky to the touch, after 15 - 20 minutes or so, but can be used up to 2 hours before you have to reapply [-(

Then I heated up the insulation and slowly pressed it back into place, using work gloves, as it got rather hot to the touch 8-[

Here's before and after shots, I do like the results and one less thing bugging me under the hood \:D/
Attachments
Firewall insulation pulling away.png
Firewall insulation pulling away.png (529.54 KiB) Viewed 1742 times
firewall insulation - after.jpg
firewall insulation - after.jpg (836.61 KiB) Viewed 1742 times
:mrgreen:
Bobbo
1980 633 CSi Cypress Green/Pearl Beige
2017 X5 M Sport Xdrive 35i Carbon Black/Ivory White
2005 330 Ci ZHP Cabrio Imola Red/Bone/Black
Image
User avatar
635sharknose
Posts: 513
Joined: Fri Sep 13, 2019 4:58 pm
Location: The Netherlands
Contact:

Re: Firewall insulation pulling away? No problem!

Post by 635sharknose »

Very nice Bobbo.
My car has got the exact same thing, will get the hairdryer to solve it :D
Paul
Image
Instagram: @635sharknose
1987 635CSi Bronzitbeige
GRNSHRK
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 3711
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 3:24 pm
Location: Gilroy (SF Bay Area) CA

Re: Firewall insulation pulling away? No problem!

Post by GRNSHRK »

Hey Paul, you can also use a heat gun of you have one :lol:

I have one but when I turn it upside down, it sounds like a blender full of marbles :roll:

Be careful and work slowly, as you can see that some of my insulation broke off due to being brittle [-(

I bet a lot of our 6ers have this issue and most of us choose to ignore it =;
:mrgreen:
Bobbo
1980 633 CSi Cypress Green/Pearl Beige
2017 X5 M Sport Xdrive 35i Carbon Black/Ivory White
2005 330 Ci ZHP Cabrio Imola Red/Bone/Black
Image
TimU
Posts: 280
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2021 2:16 am
Location: Sydney

Re: Firewall insulation pulling away? No problem!

Post by TimU »

GRNSHRK wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 7:53 pm I used Wellwood contact cement, this stuff is awesome, if used properly, which requires applying to both surfaces and letting it become tacky to the touch, after 15 - 20 minutes or so, but can be used up to 2 hours before you have to reapply [-(
How does the Wellwood contact cement handle the heat of the engine bay?
04/1986 635csi Euro spec
Australian Delivered, RHD
GRNSHRK
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 3711
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 3:24 pm
Location: Gilroy (SF Bay Area) CA

Re: Firewall insulation pulling away? No problem!

Post by GRNSHRK »

Hey Tim, good question :-k

I'll have to check the can for recommendations regarding high heat, but I think it's fine :-"

The supplier of the hood pad I have (classic 9 leather shop) recommended spray contact cement, so I would suspect that heat isn't a concern [-(

Plus some of that did come loose and I used the Wellwood to reattach those portions, and it ain't going anywhere now \:D/

Edit: The container just states for use in high temperature environments, and that it should cure for 72 hours before subjecting to heat over 150F :wink:

Oh, and it's actually called "Weldwood", not sure where Wellwood came from :roll:
:mrgreen:
Bobbo
1980 633 CSi Cypress Green/Pearl Beige
2017 X5 M Sport Xdrive 35i Carbon Black/Ivory White
2005 330 Ci ZHP Cabrio Imola Red/Bone/Black
Image
TimU
Posts: 280
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2021 2:16 am
Location: Sydney

Re: Firewall insulation pulling away? No problem!

Post by TimU »

Ok excellent, thanks!
I am also trying to find a product to re-glue my rear speaker pod vinyl back onto the metal carrier.
Those suckers get really hot when basking in the Aussie sun!
04/1986 635csi Euro spec
Australian Delivered, RHD
GRNSHRK
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 3711
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 3:24 pm
Location: Gilroy (SF Bay Area) CA

Re: Firewall insulation pulling away? No problem!

Post by GRNSHRK »

Interesting, I have to get back there as well, not for the speaker pods but for the cover I made for the parcel shelf :-?

It's vinyl as well, and I used spray contact cement (a 3M product, IIRC) but it doesn't hold as well as the Weldwood stuff [-X

But I would recommend this product for rebonding the speaker pods, apply, let set for a few, and clamp in place \:D/

Here's a couple of pix, one of which is the rear parcel shelf that I need to reglue :-"
Attachments
IMG_0696.jpg
IMG_0696.jpg (957.82 KiB) Viewed 1639 times
Weldwood contact cement.jpg
Weldwood contact cement.jpg (794.34 KiB) Viewed 1639 times
:mrgreen:
Bobbo
1980 633 CSi Cypress Green/Pearl Beige
2017 X5 M Sport Xdrive 35i Carbon Black/Ivory White
2005 330 Ci ZHP Cabrio Imola Red/Bone/Black
Image
TimU
Posts: 280
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2021 2:16 am
Location: Sydney

Re: Firewall insulation pulling away? No problem!

Post by TimU »

GRNSHRK wrote: Mon Feb 06, 2023 6:59 pm Interesting, I have to get back there as well, not for the speaker pods but for the cover I made for the parcel shelf :-?

It's vinyl as well, and I used spray contact cement (a 3M product, IIRC) but it doesn't hold as well as the Weldwood stuff [-X

But I would recommend this product for rebonding the speaker pods, apply, let set for a few, and clamp in place \:D/

Here's a couple of pix, one of which is the rear parcel shelf that I need to reglue :-"
Brilliant, thanks. I'll start searching for it or something similar.
04/1986 635csi Euro spec
Australian Delivered, RHD
Post Reply