Koolmat 2018

[derickreid]

hi, great forum and first time using this. i can see koolmat is preferred choice and trying to find a supplier in the uk to purchase. Unless theres a new product advisable to use. We have the full kit on stand by and once shes out the painters here in scotland were ready to move with the interior. thanks

[cactusman]

Welcome....can't help with koolmat but do pop your model and name in the signature bit of your profile...

[derickreid]

Great thanks. Hopefully it’s on now.

[Heuer]

You have to order Kool-mat from the USA but it arrives quickly. I suggest you avoid the pre -cut kit and go for the roll which is cheaper.
Bulk roll: http://www.southgatebritish.com/koolmat ... erial.html
Kit: https://southgate.mpxam.com/cgi-bin/or1 ... =southgate

[cactusman]

[derickreid]

Thanks David.
I was searching for a few hours for a uk supplier. So I can save time now knowing US supplied.

By any chance has anyone measured the S2+2 before. We can’t get to the car for another few weeks as she’s in primer and in and out the heated paint shop in a distant village.

I’m sure there’s room for error too much is better than too little.

We have had an interesting restoration and happy to share any knowledge we have learned along the way. I wish I used this forum sooner. Still. A way to go. But most of the dirty work completed. I think we put more hours into the bonnet than renovating the upstairs of the house. Looking great - eventually

[AshM]

Hi Derick

Welcome and good luck with the on-going restoration.

Whereabouts in Scotland are you? Edinburgh-based myself with a S2 FHC 1970. Not an off-the-road restoration but more like 'major winter jobs' for mine.

Would be nice to meet up maybe - nice to have some contact North of the border.

cheers
Ash

[lowact]

By any chance has anyone measured the S2+2 before.

The things u learn from this forum - i have just learned about koolmat. Checking out one of their their websites, for s2 2+2's u would need kit #97231?

https://www.koolmat.com/heat-resistant- ... rotection/

[Heuer]

You can download the cutting pattern so buy in bulk off the roll. I bought a "kit" but every single piece required trimming to fit and there were bits missing.

[rswaffie]

Hi David,
Where can you download the pattern from?

Cheers, Richard.

[Heuer]

On the Forum: viewtopic.php?p=823#p823

and here: http://www.muncie-imports.com/Restoration/koolmat.php

[rswaffie]

Thanks David,
I had found these before, but thought there might be some with measurements already on them! I'll get my tape measure out.

Cheers,
Richard

[derickreid]

Thanks

@Ash I sent a pm, we are in South Ayrshire , not to far from edinburgh. Please feel free to reply anytime

[ysmalkie]

This may sound like a dumb question, but what do you want to use Koolmat for?

[Heuer]

Heat and noise insulation. It is a very effective barrier to conducted heat and reduces noise caused by vibration (e.g. drumming, vibration and conducted noise). Materials like Dynamat having a silver reflective surface are good for radiant heat but need to be installed on the outside if the cabin between the body and engine/gearbox. They are designed to reflect heat away from the cabin so pointless lining the inside of the car with it.

[ysmalkie]

Well,
I installed it in my Healey, and maybe it's good for noise, but heat... not really. I think it may be designed for sound isolation, but the silicone transfers heat fairly well.

On top, to be honest noise in a OTS is not too important ;-) -- heat is.

I have discovered something else, and I think it's much better - it's called Aerogel Pyrogel. It's used primarily to coat heat pipes but also used in the automotive industry business.
They say that 10mm of this has the same insulation as 10cm of styrofoam.
I installed it in my XK120 and have a feeling the results are much better.
It has to be sealed though, so painted with some sealant prior to installation.

[Heuer]

I think the clue is in the name!

From their web site:
"Koolmat is a high temperature composite insulation, consisting of densified silicone, cured directly into the surface and weave of a fiberglass mat. The materials are mechanically and permanently joined together during the manufacturing process without any adhesives. This technique makes Koolmat a truly homogeneous one of a kind product, which will not separate, tear, or easily puncture. Koolmat is so unique that a U.S. Patent protects it."

It is rated up to 600 °C, used in NASCAR race cars and only about 3mm thick. You can take an off-cut of Koolmat in your hand and wrap it around a hot manifold without burning yourself. We have had it in OTS for about 10 years and it kept the car interior cool even when we were stuck in traffic in Biarritz with temperatures of 41°C. For it to work it has to be glued down to the floor and the edges of each piece bonded with silicon to form a complete 'tub'. This has benefits of not only heat and noise resistance but means if water enters the car it will just puddle on top so easy to remove the mats/felt and dry it out.

Many people make the mistake of not gluing it down firmly to the floor, sills and gearbox tunnel and then wonder why it does not work very well - the instructions are quite explicit

[ysmalkie]

David,

The key question here (I believe) is not really how well it it glued but what is its thermal conductivity.

I was trying to find the thermal conductivity of Koolmat, but without success.
Styrofoam is about 33-50 mW/m-K (at 0C)
Pyrogel is 20 mW/m-K (at 0C)
(The thermal conductivity of course increases with temperature.)

If you tell me that Koolmat is better, I will believe you :-).

[Heuer]

Koolmat being an American company use 'R' values for resistance to heat flow, which is the ratio of the temperature difference across an insulator and the heat flux (heat transfer per unit area): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R-value_(insulation)

The standard 'R' value for Koolmat is 1.6. Many companies (e.g. Dynamat) are reluctant to publish figures and very careful not to claim anything about heat insulation properties. You will need to find the R value of Pyrogel to make a comparison. Koolmat also has a noise reduction rating of 23db which Pyrogel may/may not be able to equal. It is thin so it fits under OEM carpets, abrasion resistant, mildew resistant, waterproof, will follow all contours, flexible, easy to cut, easy to install with glue, available in bulk material or pre-cut kits. The material won't crack, won't peel, won't dry out, won't curl up or shrink - not sure what other products compare favourably with it.

Note: the standard R-value is expressed as "per inch" thickness and often it is not clear whether the stated R-value in a spec sheet is the standard value or the actual one taking a different thickness into account.

[Heuer]

Here are the Koolmat specification test sheets: