Engine Drivetrain 1st Gen Cooper S Most liked posts in thread: M7 Aerogel EX

I used one for about 20k miles. Burnt it to a crisp due to aftermarket headers and probably burned up a starter since it kept heat in that area. I'll have to see if I still have it out in the garage for my Wall of Shame.

 

Ugh, aerogel. Fantastic insulator, but nasty, nasty to handle. We use it for cryogenic insulation at work. I hate working with the stuff, as the aerogel gets on your skin and is difficult to wash off. It is so hydrophobic that water just beads up and runs off your skin as if your body has been thoroughly waxed.

 

I think Nathen's experience is worth looking at

You want to lower underhood temps, thermal barrier coatings and wraps are a much better way to go about it.

Matt

 

It seemed like this was a good idea for sitting under the DFIC and the Alta flowthrough intercooler, but not so good over the header

 

Same experience here.......under hood temps actually went up. No airflow.

 

I, myself, have never been thoroughly waxed. Therefore, I'll have to take your opinion on this one as fact.

 

I have had the AEX for a couple years, no problems at all. Steve from CMS has had his forever, no problems at all. Maybe you guy's all installed it wrong :smilewinkgrin:

 

Peter and Steve installed mine....it was one of the very first at AMVIV 07.

I'm thinking the header design combined with the heavy track use at 4-8k rpm steady just made the part not right for my application. There was an issue of a second starter making bad noises on hot restarts. Pulled the shield and the starter stopped squealing.

 

I'm sure you know I was saying in jest about installed wrong, as there really is no install. Yea, it might not be right for your application. But higher the speeds, the easier it gets pushed down and allows the air to escape, kinda like a flapper check valve thingy :lol:

 

It was a good idea to try...

but not the right way to skin the cat. To keep the heat down, you want to keep the heat from coupling to the air. This product doesn't do that. It restricts the hot air from rising, and the heat has to go somewhere (just ask Nate's hot starter).

Ceramic coatings and header wraps keep the air from getting hot in the first place. This also means that the heat stays in the exhaust pulse, improving scavaging. This is the correct way to skin this cat.

Matt

 

For my header...

I bent the stocker a bit and left it in place....

Matt

 

Exactly! I trimmed mine up a bit to make it fit with the Super Sprint header.