Since a water pump failure the pad/insulator got soaked and sagged. Pulled away from the buttons or tabs. Anyone experience replacing it? Looks like I can get a new one for about $80. Wondering about larger tabs to keep it up better. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

You may be able to score one out of a junkyard from a trashed hood for a few bucks. Mine is long gone and havent really felt the need to replace it. Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk

You're not more likely to fry the paint on your hood? See a lot of these rigs where the paint is failing anyway. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

I would think it shouldn't get hot enough under the hood to hurt the paint. On a big gasser... maybe then. They run a bit hotter than these cummins engines do though.

I can't speak for each individual but mine has not been an issue to date. Of course there are much hotter climates than where I am and that might possibly have something to do with it. I also don't spend a lot of time idling or low speed city driving. Most all of my miles are rural so I've constantly got cool air coming into the engine. For a point of reference, my Mustang GT has never had insulation under the hood, nor has our Mountaineer. I realize the turbo would be the primary area of concern compared to a normally aspirated engine, but it has not been a problem for me to date.Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk

My clear coat on the hood did fail along with the roof of the truck. Me thinks it is more the sun than the heat of the engine. My 02 came with no insulation from the factory.

Alright I will just pull it out and not worry about it thanks guys. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

Oh, you mean that nifty mouse habitat. Make them critters comfy so they can chew your wires & filters. In the end, I ripped it out. I miss the insulation on the cowel area as it made the cab louder (wife wears eat buds anyway). Hood insulation, is no issue.

Never had the pad on my truck but the 96 HAD it past tense. I yanked it all out for exactly what Flagmanruss just mention.

Anyone know the reason for paint peeling/failure on our trucks? Some do, some don't. I'm wondering if waxing on a regular basis would be a factor? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

UV's is my though on that. The 1996 Dodge was left outside most of its life here and the paint that is exposed to direct UV's rays seems to be failing. Roof and top of hood. But the doors and fenders are fine and good condition.

Speaking about mouse damage. When I services my Dodge I found a mouse nest in my factory air filter box.

UV's is my though on that. The 1996 Dodge was left outside most of its life here and the paint that is exposed to direct UV's rays seems to be failing. Roof and top of hood. But the doors and fenders are fine and good condition.

I sanded mine clear coat and applied some from a rattle can. Made the roof much nicer. Gonna do the hood one day soon. I did not fix any of the scratches but it still looks 100% better than it did.

At one point I had screened all my vehicles air intakes with malleable gutter guard mesh. A few self drilling screws. The Dodge cowel drains (where the cabin air enters in front of the windshield) are located behind the hood hinges. I stuffed behind the hinges with SS Steel wool (pot scrubber) and no more mice in the heater either. I found the corrugated air cleaner hose on my 79 Chevy C30 plugged with paper towels... the mice had dragged from the horse trailer we were packing for a trip... blew black smoke like a steam locomotive under load. (Funny it ran fine empty... not enough air for 454 power). I screened my JD410, wife's Subaru, 97 Cirrus. My neighbor lost the heater motor in his wife's new Saturn... to a mouse nest. I screened that after the dealer tagged him ("warrantee does not cover rodent damage") $800. At the same time we found his air cleaner box nearly full of acorns. Both their cars! More gutter guard.

Here in sunny So Cal I wax may truck every 3 months and clay it every 2yrs. The clear coat on the roof is just starting to show signs of failing. I still have the pad under the hood but it's starting to sag above the injection pump area.