I tried installing the M7 strut bar tonight. First I tried it on my MCc. Couldn't close the hood. I thought it was the battery so I gave up and tried installing it on my MCS JCW. Same thing. The bar clears the ECU and the intake, but the hood wouldn't close. Well, it did close once I slammed it, but it was sticking up about 1/4 inch near the windshield.

Any one have any suggestions?

Peter, Randy, Will?

 

I remember reading something about removing the insulation under the bonnet or wetting it down and compressing it.. Wish I could be more help but I'm sure that they will reply with more info.

 

Sell it and buy something else.

 

This is a known issue. One of the M7 guys mentioned that their own bar causes the hood to stick up.

Some of the solutions mentioned elsewhere were to remove the blanket completely or soak the part that touches the bar with water to compress it.

 

One can also buy the earlier, thinner insulation and retrofit it to your bonnet. Do a search to find more info - it gets better as the bar presses the insulation down, but some report a 1/4" higher rear of the bonnet. I'm sure that you can carefully cut some of the insulation away as well.

Can't wait to get mine!

 

Anybody have pictures of the black one?

 

Paging joker... you mentioned machining down an M7 strut bar for lower profile (https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=61108). How did that work out?

 

Just take the insulation out. It makes the top of the hood look very cool.

 

Any negative effects to taking the insulation out? Noise, paint damage, etc.?

 

I had the same exact problem when I installed my M7 bar. I cut the part of the insulation that was in the way.

 

I've been running without insulation for a few thousand miles and can't tell the difference except when the hood is wet and it's cold outside, it steams.

Steve

 

You need to remove the fire blanket from the hood of the car for it to close nicely! This is what I had to do and everything is great! Oh yea, for anyone worried about paint damage, someone on here mentioned that the sun will cause the hood to be hotter then what the temps of the engine would do to the hood. Keep that in mind!

Garrett

 

I just hate to start cutting things out of the car with only 87 miles on it.

 

Trust me, the insulation only detracts from the look of the engine bay.

 

drive it some more

 

"I just hate to start cutting things out of the car with only 87 miles on it."

ANYONE can restore a car-it takes a REAL MAN to cut one up!!

actually to try and be more helpful-i just cut a slot the width of the bar in my insulation pad, where the bar marked it being closed a couple of hours, and that cured mine and retained 90% Of the pad. probably oughta just remove it like the others posted.

 

Ya. YOu will need to cut so deep into the pad, you might as well just remove it.

 

We all start sometime.

 

carefully remove not cut, then if you change your ming you have it. Hurry up and get through that break in!

 

any pics of these cuts in the pad?

I'm in the fence as well and would like to see
someone that has done it before I order.

thanks,
Charles

 

Remove the pad and if you feel that you want it back on take the strut bar off and re-install the pad! I keep all my parts and if I need to I will re-install them! I was the same way, but I am slowly opening up to it all. Heck I just had Eric @ Helix install a 17% pulley and that was not even planned! I just went up to the shop to talk to him!

Garrett

 

I'm not sure I would buy that argument unless someone actually stuck a thermocouple on the hood and did a whole test series on that. Anyone got any numbers on that? WHen you stop and turn your car off, the heat is going to rise, so I would imagine the hood's heat shield keeps you from getting a hot-spot at one region on your hood.

I think that WorldOnePerformance sells a slimmer, replacement pad for the engine compartment if you want to swap out liners. Definitely the more protection you have in there the better (for things like paint), plus I would imagine your engine would warm up faster... at least in theory...

 

I found that the bonnet shakes like crazy without the insulation.

Yet another strut bar that won't fit in a Cooper...

 

And you call your self a modder....................

 

Have anyone else noticed this? This is primarily my wife's car and she is a stickler for the little things.