Removing Old Engine Room Sound Insulation Adhesive...

[Suijin]

I am engaged in the unenviable task of replacing the engine room sound/heat insulation on my boat. The original insulation had started to fall apart, the foil falling away and the foam underneath disintegrating into a disgusting black "dust" that needless to say needs to be kept out of the engine.

I've got the bulk of it out, but much of it tore/fell off leaving a varying layer of foam and adhesive behind, stuck tightly to the wall. I am now faced with removing this crap and was hoping someone had some experience getting it off. Going at it mechanically with a still scraper seem fruitless so far.

Thanks in advance for the help.

Oh, and if anyone has some suggestions for what to use to reinsulate it, I'd love to hear. The cost of this stuff is exorbitant, and and I'd like to know what works and what will last.

[neilpride]

I use a stuff from 3M called Adhesive remover surface cleaner, is very toxic keep in mind, put some stuff in a plastic can , use a brush to spread the product in the old glue, foam or rest of insulation , wait few seconds, use a scraper for the rest, i use acetone for the final whiping... Without this stuff or similar is a pain in the ass to clean it,,, btw the cost of new insulation is like you say crazy.... cheers...

[neilpride]

Nice stuff, expensive...

[Delancey]

Yuck, not a fun job.

The adhesive removers mentioned are great for getting the adhesive residue off, but they are offensive smelling and only get the adhesive off, not the foam. The foam still in place can serve to protect the adhesive and the remover can only affect the adhesive around the perimeter of the foam. By working in from the perimeter, with enough time, you can get the job done using the remover.

Based on what you said it sounds like there was as much foam left glued to the boat as came off in your hand when you pulled the insulation out. The foam being all rubbery and resilient is hard to scrape off.

An alternative approach might be to try and use a heat gun to soften the adhesive to help make scrapping the foam off easier, then get at it with the remover to clean the residue off. No matter what, that stuff is a bummer to remove. Good luck!

[Cheechako]

Yeah, that foam is the pits for sure. A big wire brush with the vacuum going may be the best option. YOu only have to get off the real loose stuff right? you are going to cover it back up with new insulation...?

[HopCar]

When it happened to me I used one of these to knock the remaining foam off them used the solvents and scraper.


Rig a fan to blow fresh air into your work space. Those acetone fumes can get bad.

[Cheechako]

Be very careful..... solvents like acetone in the engine spac could be deadly... one little spark will do it.... just turning on the vacuun might! (I've seen a vacuum explode from acetone fumes!) Why remove the goo? arent you just going to re-goo it?

[Suijin]

Thanks guys. I'd call the extent of foam "patchy"...none of it is that thick; as I was peeling the stuff off, either it came off clean or the foam parted close to the adhesive surface.

I definitely want to pursue mechanical means first...the engine compartment is very small, with a door into it the size of a kitchen cabinet door, and pretty much zero ventilation. But I have to actually be in the compartment to get the work done. The less solvent I have to use the better.

There is really no way to get good ventilation in there, and I can already feel lightheaded and headachy just thinking about using solvents in there. About all I can think of is putting my monster shop vac on blow and running the hose to the far corner of the compartment.

So it's wire/nylon wheel, then heat gun (wish it was November lol), then solvent as a last resort.

[HopCar]

I imagine that Cheechako is right, Any glue left after the wire brush could just be glued over. It's got to be pretty well stuck.

I like your idea of the nylon wheel. It is probably more pleasant to work with than the wire wheel was.

By the way, I think that the newer black foam stuff won't fall apart like the old stuff did. At any rate that's what the manufacturer told me. Time will tell.

Be sure to use mechanical fasteners on the pieces that go overhead. The glue alone seems to work well on vertical surfaces but I like to back it up with mechanical fasteners on the overhead.

Will you be using the kind that is self adhesive or a spray on adhesive?

[scoobert]

to get it off: sandpaper.

i am in the process of removing and replacing mine as well.
the first layer will be
Dynamat Xtreme
then over that will be
Hoodliner

[neilpride]

Originally Posted by Suijin

Thanks guys. I'd call the extent of foam "patchy"...none of it is that thick; as I was peeling the stuff off, either it came off clean or the foam parted close to the adhesive surface.

I definitely want to pursue mechanical means first...the engine compartment is very small, with a door into it the size of a kitchen cabinet door, and pretty much zero ventilation. But I have to actually be in the compartment to get the work done. The less solvent I have to use the better.

There is really no way to get good ventilation in there, and I can already feel lightheaded and headachy just thinking about using solvents in there. About all I can think of is putting my monster shop vac on blow and running the hose to the far corner of the compartment.

So it's wire/nylon wheel, then heat gun (wish it was November lol), then solvent as a last resort.

Trust me i use before the wire brush and the nylon one, if the old insulation is glued what you can get with the wire brush is a mess , first you heat the glue with the brush, later the brush is full of heated glue sticked to the wire, and lots of small glue balls flying around landing everywhere and get stick it to.. it happen with old glue from headliners to, a mess, but make a try.... Edit: the best way to atach the new insulation is a special cement glue resistant to hig temp, Bostick made one if i remember, never try the other way, but if someone use another way could be good to know.. i have some insulation to do in my engine room to...

[banjoship]

Multitool with scraper blade might be worth a try. carpet layers use them for removing old glued down carpet.

lee

[Roy M]

Here's a twist: Consider this a wakeup call that things get old and need replacement. Pull the engine out of the compartment, place it in a large, open space and look at it critically. Perhaps do the deferred maintenance that will obviously (and eventually) come into focus. While the engine is out of the compartment, rip out the insulation, any way that works, and replace it, whatever the cost. Improve the lighting, ventilation, structural and electrical support for the engine while the compartment is open and available. Or don't. Just let trouble compile and develop, using more resources and effort than would otherwise be exerted.

Wake up. Do the right thing. Now.

[barnakiel]

Not sure if someone mentioned but some glues give in to chemical paint strippers.

Beware strippers damage gelcoat.

b.

[Suijin]

Well the wire wheel worked great. Chewed the old foam off in no time flat, right down to the adhesive, and did not gum up at all. I had assumed it would get totally fouled so quickly as to be useless, but it's not picking up the adhesive at all. I think I am going to go right over the old adhesive and probably put a few additional mechanical hangers on the vertical surfaces as precaution.

Scoobert, I think the insulation you picked is ill suited to your application. It's a damping material to lower the sound transmission of metal panels, it's not a sound insulation material per se. Boat engine compartments are full of low frequency sound waves which require a different material for sound absorption. Basically, thick and spongy, not thin and dense.