[WWONG]

Okay. So I got my new 2010 335i coupe today and I'm ecstatic about having such an amazing car!

Since it's my first night with the car, I'm going downstairs and getting in the hot garage staring at it every 5 minutes. 10 minutes ago, I opened the hood. I noticed that it didn't have that cloth thing (sorry for not knowing the technical name) under the hood. Does anyone else have that? Is it something they removed from 2010? Do I even need it?

Oh, and before someone posts that THIS THREAD IS WORTHLESS WITHOUT PICS emoticon group, here you go:

[mechanixhorseman]

I had always assumed it was for noise dampening. Maybe they put it inside the hood? Maybe they thought it wasn't necessary? Or maybe you just got screwed. You're car definitely isn't going to blow up with out it.

[Oulixes]

Congratulation on your car. In case you wanted to trace when the under hood pad disappeared, I have 335i MY209, and the pad you are concerned about is absent. There was at least one thread you can search for where people raved about the pad, most of them assuming that the pad was there as heat insulation and was removed as an economy measure. Another possibility, which I share, is that the pad was deleted to give the car a more sporty voice. It is known that BMW tests their cars in an acoustic chamber to optimize the sound the cars produce. If you wanted to make the car quieter, you can order the pad from a BMW dealer and install it.

[VTECaddict]

Removed as of March 2009 production, along with the smoker package and other little things.

[WWONG]

Thanks, you guys! Do you think if I ran the car without the pad that the paint on the hood might start to... go bad or discolor?

[Weaselboy]

Originally Posted by WWONG

Thanks, you guys! Do you think if I ran the car without the pad that the paint on the hood might start to... go bad or discolor?

I would not worry about it. I think that pad was there more for sound deadening that anything else.

I just traded in a 2007 335i coupe that had the pad for a 2011 335i coupe that does not have the pad and I can't notice any difference in engine noise when driving.

[CollinsE90]

that cloth was if the motor caught fire it would melt the pins holding it up and fall on the motor to put the fire out

[Edward]

Originally Posted by CollinsE90

that cloth was if the motor caught fire it would melt the pins holding it up and fall on the motor to put the fire out

Winner. It's supposedly a fire retardant material for engine fires if that ever happens.

[shifterboy45]

Originally Posted by CollinsE90

that cloth was if the motor caught fire it would melt the pins holding it up and fall on the motor to put the fire out

+1

someones been doing their homework --

[CollinsE90]

Originally Posted by shifterboy45

+1

someones been doing their homework --

that was actually common knowledge, im full of useless knowledge, that becomes useful every once in awile

[nukezero]

Originally Posted by Edward

Winner. It's supposedly a fire retardant material for engine fires if that ever happens.

so after 3 production years, BMW deemed the N54 engine a "fire-safe" engine and therefore removed the cloth?

So for the first 3 years, they didn't know whether or not the engine could possibly catch fire?

[CollinsE90]

Originally Posted by nukezero

so after 3 production years, BMW deemed the N54 engine a "fire-safe" engine and therefore removed the cloth?

So for the first 3 years, they didn't know whether or not the engine could possibly catch fire?

they probably realized that if the motor catches fire it would be to expensive to repair and the car would be totaled on insurance anyways, so it became pointless

[Alchem]

Removed as part of massive cost cutting for 2010 model year. Lots of other parts were also removed or replaced with cheaper parts. Glad I have a '06

[CollinsE90]

Originally Posted by Alchem

Removed as part of massive cost cutting for 2010 model year. Lots of other parts were also removed or replaced with cheaper parts. Glad I have a '06

not this particular instance, that cloth cost them $50 probably. They just realized there wasnt any point to save the engine, if it catchs at all it will be to expensive to repair and might as well just total the car. They also probably did it to make the motor louder to give it a more aggressive tone.

[kvanriper]

I think it saves the paint on the hood.

I noticed a circle in the paint on my Tundra's hood which did not have the pad.

The circle in the paint started to appear after 2 years and it was right in the middle of the hood. You could really see the change looking at an angle when the truck was in the garage with over head lights on.

[chrisE92]

it was deleted as a cost-cutting measure, along with other things.

on a sidenote, glad to see you got a 335i over a 328i (saw your other thread)

[Edward]

They probably decided that they don't need to waste money on this since an engine fire is going to ruin things anyways but the lack of this lining probably didn't do that much to affect the overall safety of the situation or the damage. Hence I'm sure they just ditched it and decided to save $. It probably has the smallest affect on sound dampening after cost cutting and fire containment.

[EZ_TUR90]

My09 doesn't have the cloth either.

[Orient330iNYC]

parking in the sun will get the paint way hotter than heat from the engine bay.....

[WWONG]

Originally Posted by kvanriper

I think it saves the paint on the hood.

I noticed a circle in the paint on my Tundra's hood which did not have the pad.

The circle in the paint started to appear after 2 years and it was right in the middle of the hood. You could really see the change looking at an angle when the truck was in the garage with over head lights on.

THIS WORRIES ME GREATLY

[kvanriper]

No need to worry just get your hood repainted every couple of years

[WWONG]

Originally Posted by kvanriper

No need to worry just get your hood repainted every couple of years

Oh that's real comforting. So what are the part numbers to install the pad? I assume it's a simple fit with no tools required, right?