Hi all,

2007 Hawk STi.
I've recently had a mouse under my bonnet. When I lift the bonnet up now, I get a load of nuts and shells rattling down and landing on the scuttle panel.

I've traced it to the shells sitting in between the bonnet and the lining, plus it stinks of pee....revolting, but I couldn't see any turds.

Question is, can I just rip it out and run without?
Sure, I may hear more but that's ok, I'm just more concerned of rising heat after switching off the engine will potentially damage the paint finish on the outside of the bonnet....or am I just being totally paranoid? I don't want any paint discolouration caused by heat (Crystal Grey)

Then I have the issue of frosty mornings....the lining I guess helps insulate slightly.

Couldn't see the mouse dead or alive, but did have my alarm go off yesterday for no apparent reason, I hope no wires have been chewed etc.

 

Imo get a new one it must be there for the reasons you say as they make sense

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284043901219

 

I may just do that, it's been sagging a bit for years, looks awful....and now smells pretty bad too.

I guess a new one won't have the sag, so nothing will be able to get in there and set up home!

 

the points you made about the frosty weather, paintwork make sense to have one

you thought about the other shiny stuff you can put/stick on as insulation?

i was toying with the idea https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/303536156685
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/322410736120

 

Spec C hatches don't have a lining, but paintwork is fine after 56000 miles.

 

Older scoobs don't have them, I guess they were only there to damp engine noise a little.

Rip it off, you can get self adhesive noise/heat insulation on amazon/ebay etc.

Edit:. If you have a standard air filter housing /resonator. Check inside that too -Squirrels love nesting/storing nuts in them!

 

You sure it was a mouse mate, could be a rat they love it. Have a look in the boot, check for rat poo, bigger the poo bigger the rat.

 

Just realised you said nuts etc, doesn't sound like a rat but rat **** sticks so bad.

 

I think it’s more noise suppression than heat protection , mine broke up over time , no paint issues after the car did 198k miles , the stick on stuff could be an option , but i don’t think it has any significant heat or sound properties , i wonder if they can be bought brand new ? but more realistic would be stick on insulation 20£ or so for a pack of it , i put some insulation in the boot and wheel well which did quieten things down a bit

 

Something I've heard, which could be total BS, is that it's meant as a fire suppression device. If a fire starts it melts on top and smoothers the flames.

 

I was going to post this, but if u think about it, how effective would it actually be in an engine fire ?

 

probably make no difference in a fire , brake fluid is often the worse culprit along with fuel lines , brake fluid ignites if it comes into contact with a heat source rather than a naked flame , on a scooby two reservoirs directly over the turbo 😕

 

Oh yeah I highly doubt it's effective, especially when so many get soaked with oil and whatnot making them more flammable. Still doesn't mean that it can't have originally been designed/engineered for that purpose.

 

Believe it or not its true.

 

It is true , the clips melt and the liner smothers the fire giving time for occupants to exit the vehicle .How effective it is ,idont know and wouldnt want to find out .

 

Any I've had in a car, a few different manufacturers (Seat, Subaru, VW) all have been in such a bad shape that if the clips were to melt in a fire it would turn to dust.

 

How old, as all my classic's have had them and ripped them all off.

 

I took mine off because it was minging about 12 months ago. No probs at all. Do have a turbo blanket though.

 

Have had mine off for ages, done loads of track days and had a small engine bay fire and no problems with the paint!

 

Not required, it's for sound proofing primarily.

 

I take them off all my Subaru's i buy.

 

pre My97/96 UK?

I think its presence was one of those oddities that maybe due to which country version/spec the car was...like the aerial being by the windscreen and not on the boot, 2pot front brakes, tweed seats, rear wash wipe etc.