On Mon, 28 Jul 1997, Jason F. Dutt wrote:
> >From what I understand, heat absorbing materials, such as Dynamat, do just
> that: absorb heat, not repel it. I would assume that the dissipation
> would still occur, it just wouldn't make it to your feet, as the material
> would insulate and absorb the heat energy before your soles melted to your
> carpets.
Jason,
Think of insulation as "slowing down the transmission of heat". The
thicker and better the insulation, the slower the heat can go through it.
If you heavily insulate the firewall, the heat travels through it slower
and your feet have to endure less heat in a specific amount of time.
Heat cannot be "absorbed" in the sense of eliminating it. If something
absorbs heat, it will get hot and then stop absorbing heat when it reaches
the temperature of the environment. In thermodynamics the concept of a
reservoir exists (throw a hot rock into the ocean and its temperature will
not change) but these would not be practical to carry around in an LBC.
Carol's concern is a valid one. If less heat can go through the firewall,
underhood temperature will be raised. How much difference this actually
makes is debateable.
On a related note: I figured out that the heat in my footwell was largely
due to the heater! I don't have the big flex hose under the hood
installed, so I can't stop the air flow through the heater.
I don't turn the hot water tap off because supposedly that inhibits
cooling of No.4 cylinder.
I had the flapper doors in the footwell closed to turn off the heat, but
discovered that when I go fast, they leak and heated air enters the
footwell.
The lid of a coffee can exactly fits on the heater fan flange under the
hood.... :-)
Ulix __/__,__
.......................................................... (_o____o_).....
'67 Sprite
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