Fire blanket for engine insulation
 

I have been reading a bunch of the threads about engine insulation to keep the engine warm. I have seen FrankLee's cardboard and foil backed foam ones and a few of the other's that were posted.

I am wanting to do this, especially now that the freezing temps are here, but I really don't want to risk a fire underhood, so I don't want to use cardboard, and am hesitant about the foil back foam. This would be going onto my Civic, and so keeping it away from the exhaust is tough because the manifold is pretty high up, and front/ center of the motor. So I am thinking about using a fire blanket.

Something like this:
Safeli Out | Safeli Out Fire Blanket | Home Depot Canada

Unfortunately that one doesn't show the unfolded dimensions, but assuming it is big enough, would that work? I would do what I could to make sure it doesn't directly touch the exhaust manifold.

They are rated to 100% fireproof to 550*C/ 1020*F, easily hot enough, right? I'm not sure where the EGT (exhaust gas temp) can get up to, especially during prolonged lean burn. I regularly drive 55 miles on the highway, so the motor would be at full temp and in lean burn most of the time. How hot do you think it would get?

Is there a difference between short and long term heat resistance? I know these are designed to go on a fire, but I have no idea how well it would hold up to being put on something hot, and left there indefinitely.

What do you think?

The exhaust gas gets up to around 500-600 C, but exterior to the pipe nowhere near that hot. I put a K-type thermistor inside the cat shell, for my curiosity, on my Corolla which has the cat located under the floor. My highest reading was 260 C, IIRC. Inside the engine bay with grille blocks it could be hotter, but I'd bet against anything much over 350 C, even touching the exhaust manifold.

I remember someone around here having a fire blanket attached to the hood. I can't find the thread or remember who it was.

EDIT: I remember now:
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post333037

Sweet thanks! I have no idea how hot the exhaust gas is, especially during lean burn. But it makes sense that the pipe itself wouldn't be that hot.

And it's still possible to wrap some thermal insulator to reduce the heat radiation around the pipe, or to get it ceramic-coated.

If you're worried about it, whatever material you choose could perhaps be kept away from the hot bits with chicken wire fencing or some such. Or, tightly attached to the hood.

I'm using fire blanket for many years to keep engine warm in winter. It's doing a great job and I haven't noticed any damage or other unwanted signs of destruction even if it was touching exhaust mainfold. So you may go with it for sure.

Awesome thanks! Do you keep it in the summer as well?

Yes I do, engine is warm in an instant and it's making my diesel less noisy as well :)

That's great! I had never considered engine noise, I guess it would make it quieter, cool! :thumbup:

Yes it's much quieter if you wrap your engine in a fire blanket :)