What to use for heat & sound insulation

[Maggie01]

I have a front engine flatnose 37' International with the big engine cover right next to the driver. Of course it has the plastic cover over it, for which I bought a new gasket (to help seal some of the heat off). But it is hot and loud right there by the driver. I plan to build a wooden cover over the plastic cover and would like do something to make it cooler and quieter. I've read the reviews for Kilmat and Thermo-Tec but don't think either of them are exactly what I'm looking for. The Kilmat seems to be mainly for sound deafening and doesn't stick well with high heat. The Thermo-Tec seems to work for both heat and sound, but also doesn't stick well if it gets too hot. I read one review where someone's vehicle caught fire after the Therm-Tec's adhesive melted. What product would work for noise reduction and heat, under and over that plastic engine cover and also over the wheel wells? Also where else might I need it? The bus will have 1" insulation in the floor and ceiling and 2" insulation in the walls.

[mcduffieja]

Try this: https://lizardskin.com/

[rossvtaylor]

EHP Rollboard or, at less than half the price, the CeraTex product from Minseal.com in Tucson. It's exactly designed for engine compartment insulation. https://minseal.com/ceramic-fiber-paper/

It will do a lot for both heat and noise. The only challenge is attaching it in a curved space like a doghouse. It's super easy to use in lining a rectangular generator bay, but on a firewall or doghouse it takes some cutting and overlapping. You can use screws and fender washers to hold it in place.

Then, if you want more for sound, you can use the Lizard Skin on the inside.

[s2mikon]

Try laying wool army blankets on it, or u haul moving pads or sleeping bags and keep piling them on to get an idea of how much padding you will need. Now don't go to the homeless park and take theirs.

[fo4imtippin]

I just ordered some CertaTex blanket (not the cloth) in 1in thickness to recover the inside of my doghouse. I also have my radiator out, so i have ripped out the factory pool noodle material surrounding that and going to replace with the CeraTex blanket (like to insulate a boiler). I have also noticed that some of the Thomas buses have a steel heat plate over their turbo and manifold. I'm going to fabricate one up and line the top with CeraTex blanket as well. Is this a mistake over the 1/8 cloth? I have room for a full inch so i figure the blanket should be better overall right?



For noise, i have noticed most of my current noise comes from the turbo exhaust outlet into the stairwell. I think i'm going to add butyl mat to the metal and then cut XPS Foam to line the outside of the stairs.

[Albatross]

It's hard to go wrong with some basic old Rockwool, but I'd bet there's probably some better material around these days.

[Rochey6957]

https://www.secondskinaudio.com/shop/

i was really looking hard at the secondskin line of products.
The sprayable sound damening product - spectrum- is like lizardskin
they have dampening mats - like dynamat (kilmat)
they also have a line of noise absorbing foam mats - like studio foam. This is the stuff that will eat up general noise. The deadener just adds mass to lessen panel rattles and such. The Deadener matts and spray handle your Vibration and harmonics. Sound absorbing matts get the Noise. Need like a 2 or 3 part system to properly tackle NVH (Noise, vibration, Harmonics). They you need that third layer of heat blanket for that issue.

[GillyGoGo]

How did this material end up working out for you?

[cadillackid]

I use hushmat.. I buy it in what they call "door kits" which are 12" x 12" squares.. it is a peel and stick product so I clean the area real good and even paint it.. let the paint cure and thern apply it and trust me it aisnt coming off.. it is more of a sound deadener HOWEVER its most excellent for covering over the inherent empty bolt holes, loose grommet holes etc of the firewall so it stops the hot air from coming in those holes where wires go through etc as you can push it up around those..



for heat I use a reflective foil backed insulation that I spply with spray glue right over the hushmat.. the flat part of my bus floor where you stand in the driver area etc were plywood so I replaced that wood over the hushmat that I put on the flat parts where you put weight... up the firewall I used this foil backed product and then installed standard heavy school bus rubber floor over it... in my DEV bus I cleared out the doghouse and applied the same stuff on the underside but along with the spray glue I used some black screws and little discs that are essentially a "hat" type thing (im not near the bus now).. to also hold it up.. I didnt want the insulation falling off onto the hot engine..


this helped keep me cooler upfront.. my Dash air didnt stand a chance now im nice N cool even on the hottest days..



ive been doing similar on my Loadstar Superior and its helped that bus immensely just covering the firewall with the hushmat closing up the air gaps.. I still put up a clear shower curtain behind the first row of seats and anyone riding in that row of seats can feel the cool A/C from the dash now..



of course we really dont get summer in Ohio anymore (just lots of cool rainy depression) so no idea why I bother with A/C and such..

[GillyGoGo]

Thanks for that. I just got my bus, and the initial drive made me realize a few things. No built in AC is brutal. I did not pay much mind to it at first because I was going to put mini split in on my build out and avoid high temps, but life happens and plans change, my build out location is going to be in Louisiana instead. It is now fairly obvious to me that no AC just will not work while in transit. So I am trying to figure out what I can do with sound and heat from the engine while I also try and find aftermarket engine driven ac solutions.

We have to get it back across the country to my folks house in louisiana from where we are now in California. Texas is hitting some temperatures that just flat out unsafe or deadly for the family without AC.

First steps are just putting UV filters on all the windows, Covering up windows that are not needed, going to partition off the interior to make the living space half of the bus, since the other half will be a pseudo moving truck.

Going to see if I can cool it off with just a window unit or mini split, but from all the posts I have read of yours, Nothing is going to really cut it except a proper 50k engine driven unit while in motion. Not trying to get it frigid cold temps, just trying to lower the heat/death/oven threshhold a bit.

Mind you this is to bring it to the new build out location. So other than installation of a retrofit / aftermarket AC(Which I am willing to do/payfor), most other solutions will be temporary because we will be gutting the bus.

Is it worth trying to wrap the muffler/exhaust system with something?


2001 International/Amtran 3800 Dog Nose Mid Size with DT466E Engine

[Booyah45828]

Native did something similar to what you're doing. He used a bus to move from TX to FL a few times. He used a rooftop AC unit powered by an inverter and 2nd alternator on the engine. You can read a summary about it here https://www.skoolie.net/forums/f51/a...tml#post379858

It won't give perfect climate control. But if you insulate well enough, use curtains/uv tint, and partition off only where you and the family will be riding, you can make it "tolerable".

This can likely be done cheaper and quicker then buying and installing a factory engine powered AC system.

If you want to cool the entire bus, then the factory systems are the only way to go.

[GillyGoGo]

I am fine with trying to put in a factory AC because it will be used later. At least a factory Dash Unit if I can find something like that. I have been looking for things, but my google search terms seem to be off and many of the links that cadillackid has posted previously are from a company that seems to have filed Chapter 7 and are no longer functioning links.