What is a Heat Shield on a Car？

A car heat shield, in simple terms, is a material used for the thermal management of automobiles. It can protect well the isolation and loss of heat, and at the same time, it can also prevent vehicle components from malfunctioning due to overheating.

Automotive heat shields are generally used for the engine compartment and exhaust systems' heat insulation.

What is a Heat Shield on a Car？

Heat Shield is a crucial part utilized for thermal monitoring in various applications. Also, their function tends to be similar market to market, whether used on a spacecraft or an auto.

A car heat shield is a thermal obstacle to secure things from excessive heat. In the vehicle industry, they are typically used to separate the engine block to avoid warmth damage to bodywork and interior parts. They can improve efficiency by lowering under-hood warmth and consumption air temperature (IAT), which is vital for ideal engine efficiency.

When do you need a car heat shield?

Select Suitable Heat Shield Materials for Car Parts

(1) Original high-horsepower vehicle

450 Nm of torque at 3,000 rpm is excellent, but the heat from the engine bay can make you think you're riding a Grand Devil.

For the high temperature of the original factory, Heaterk recommends using an insulating fabric made of aluminum foil, which conducts radiant heat back to the cab through heat reflection. This material is suitable for blocking 97% of the heat radiation outside the car.

A typical example is BMW's N55B30 engine, designed to work at a conventional temperature of 105°C, which does not sound high. However, the rubber selected by BMW is NBR (nitrile) rubber, and the maximum temperature resistance is a poor 120°C. When you Turn on the sports mode, step on the accelerator a few times, and the oil temperature will soon reach around 120°C.

Therefore, NBR rubber that has been working in extreme environments for a long time will soon have problems with carbonization and seal failure. This is why old BMWs have oil leakage problems. When you find a burning smell in the cab, please use HNBR rubber parts to solve it.

But please don't ignore that the rubber in the engine compartment is not only the engine seal; the sensor, the water pipe, and the intake pipe are the culprits of the BMW overhaul, so on the heat shield protection, if you are in a similar situation, Heaterk recommends that you repair the engine compartment The internal components and engine and exhaust, the catalytic converter is well equipped with thermal barriers. After all, features such as turbines have no problem working at high temperatures, and the heat shield can better control the temperature of the engine compartment.

Do you wonder why I understand? Because I am the owner of 13 BMW F06. . . .

(2) Vehicles modified to improve performance

A very cost-effective conversion solution is excellent, but remember that while the performance is improved, the characteristics of the internal combustion engine determine the extreme heat brought by this high performance.

Compared with the thermal insulation of the original high-horsepower vehicle, in the modification scheme, in addition to considering the thermal insulation of the vehicle's engine, it is also necessary to control the high temperature brought by the exhaust gas.

There are two solutions for exhaust insulation. One is to wrap the exhaust manifold with silica fabric to limit heat conduction. If the temperature can still be conducted in the cockpit, in this case, cover the exhaust position with aluminum foil glass Fabric.

With thermal isolation + thermal reflection, the temperature control problem in 98% of the retrofit solutions can be solved.

One thing to note is that during the installation process, you must choose a heat shield with the right size; whether it is an improper size or an installation error, it may cause a loose heat shield, and a failing heat shield will cause more problems. That's why it's important to have a professional merchant advise you.

For more questions about retrofitting temperature control, see here >>

Where can I buy Heat Shields?

You can choose the finished product, the general modification website, or Amazon; Home Depot will have complementary effects.

If you have enough hands-on time to avoid the size mismatch, we recommend purchasing the raw materials to make the appropriate Heat Shields.

The insulating fabrics sold by Heaterk are straightforward to cut, And when you don't need to fit, you can remove the heat shield at any time. And we have more than enough options to help you.

How do you choose Heat Shield Fabric?

High temperature: ceramic fiber fabric, high silica fabric, vermiculite coated fabric, aluminum foil glass fiber fabric

Waterproof: Silicone fiberglass fabric, PU fiberglass fabric, PVC coated fabric, acrylic coated fabric

Learn more about Heat Shield fabric properties >>