Removing Firewall Fiberglass

[blindmist]

As some have noticed, I was power washing my engine bay last night. I have noticed how nasty and raggedy that damn fiberglass looks. What all does it really take to get it off of there? Is it safe and ok to run it without it there and just bare metal?

[Trab]

I would like to know as well...

[tachyon]

It just sits there, held on by all the crap on the firewall. There's no adhesive or anything on it, at least not on my 1996.

As far as getting it off, well, unless you cut a lot, you're not going to do it without stripping a lot off the firewall. When I pulled my engine, I pulled the firewall insulation and cleaned it, and the firewall, up. That was really only possible (without cuttting) because I'd taken everything out except for the brake lines.

There are holes cut in the blanket for the AC lines, the AC line brackets, the heater hoses, the cruise control box, the shifter cables, the steering column, the brake booster. The clamps for the brake lines also hold it on. Without taking all that stuff off, you have to cut at the holes to get it off. With everything out but the brake lines, I still had to cut it at the steering column and the shifter cables (I left those both alone).

I think it would be pretty hard to get it out, even cutting at all the holes, with the engine in the car. It was hard with everything out to be careful and not tear anything. It's not a real robust blanket, the insulation will pull apart easily and the coverings will tear also.

[Chris@Rvengeperformance]

90% of its purpose is for sound deadening. People have removed it before.

Personally I'd replace it with a new factory piece or use some aftermarket heat shielding, but I don't think the car will catch fire or anything like that without it. You'll probably burn the paint behind the turbo though.

[Mitsuman03]

Imagine how how your feet get now.....wait tell you remove that shit.....

[Austin@STM]

You shouldn't notice a difference removing it, besides the fact that it will look a LOT better without it.

It isn't held on there by anything but all the lines and crap in the way. Its fairly easy to remove even with everything on the firewall. I just used a set of pliers and ripped it out piece by piece, and just watch that you don't scratch the paint behind it.

-Austin@STM

[Hans@GZP]

My feet stay nice and toasty without it.