Has anyone added weather stripping under the hood or know if there would be any concern doing so?

[T.C.]

I'm looking to add a bit of weather strip on top of the headlights and along the back of the engine bay between the hood and the "trough" looking plastic. My thoughts are to potentially reduce the amount of dust that collects on the engine before it gets out of hand and maybe reduce the hood flex that everyone seems to be having at higher speeds. Gone are the days of just hosing down an engine at the car wash with all of the electronics on top. My only concern would be potentially overheating components by reducing ambient airflow, therefore allowing higher temps, around a turbo engine. I'm just looking for some thoughts, opinions, or experiences some of you might have on the subject. Pic attached illustrates the areas I'm talking about. (stock photo) TIA

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[Sagebrush]

I haven't noticed the hood flexing on my TRD-OR. I've read about it and saw the video that the Car Care Nut did about the Pro's hood bouncing. Perhaps it's common with the Sport's hood too?

Most engine dust comes from below, so I'm not sure sealing the hood would do much.

 

[T.C.]

I haven't noticed the hood flexing on my TRD-OR. I've read about it and saw the video that the Car Care Nut did about the Pro's hood bouncing. Perhaps it's common with the Sport's hood too?

Most engine dust comes from below, so I'm not sure sealing the hood would do much.

I get just a little hood flutter on my Limited, but I'm always driving 75 mph as I live out in a rural area. I have a curiosity about how changing the airflow just a bit under the hood might affect it. Call it a science experiment.

 

[TacoFreak]

@Sagebrush Yep - you nailed it, The flexing is mostly seen on the models with hood scoops AFAIK.

I don't think weather stripping will help that either, because it is not the hood bracing that is flexing but the sheet metal on the surface. I also agree that most dust probably comes from the below particularly when you are running off road.

Cool idea @T.C. We can never have too much information about our trucks. I will probably look into stopping the flex once I have my truck, so let us know how your experiments go.

 

[taco_overlander]

I have an OR hybrid and a bit of flutter above 60 mph. not much. but also thinking about weather stripping to dampen

 

[TacoJay]

I'm looking to add a bit of weather strip on top of the headlights and along the back of the engine bay between the hood and the "trough" looking plastic. My thoughts are to potentially reduce the amount of dust that collects on the engine before it gets out of hand and maybe reduce the hood flex that everyone seems to be having at higher speeds. Gone are the days of just hosing down an engine at the car wash with all of the electronics on top. My only concern would be potentially overheating components by reducing ambient airflow, therefore allowing higher temps, around a turbo engine. I'm just looking for some thoughts, opinions, or experiences some of you might have on the subject. Pic attached illustrates the areas I'm talking about. (stock photo) TIA

I had the hood tremors at high speed on my 24 TRD Sport 4x4. I went low tech and used some of the black pipe insulation. Cut it up and squished it into the space between the hood sheet metal and the underside piece of sheet metal (through the cut outs of the underside piece). My truck did not have the insulation blanket piece (figured out only Premium models have it). So after squishing the insulation in there to deaden any vibration, I used butylene adhesive sound/heat insulation sheets (Amazon like $35.00) and rolled them into the underside of the hood. I covered all of the holes and brougt it out to where the factory mat normally would be.
TOTALLY stopped all vibration in the hoods sheet metal, reduced some engine noise and (per my Toyota/Lexus specialist) negated any damage that the engine heat might cause, long term to the hood's paint. The hood is significantly heavier now but again only positive results! FYI, I live in Florida and the sheets are as stuck as they were went I put them on a couple months ago.

 

[TacoFreak]

Hey @TacoJay thanks for posting that info about your hood. I have been thinking that something between the hood skin and the bracing is what it needs to damp down that vibration. It sounds like it worked for you and I like fitting some type of foam in to that space to brace the skin.

I don't have my truck yet, but if it dances enough to bother me, I think I will try your low tech approach.

 

[TacoJay]

Hope it gives you ideas. Toyota wants $474.00 for their OEM hood insulation mat (and the install pins are NOT included). And based on how it installs, I don't believe it would help with the hood "jiggle". Although part of the jiggle might be air buffeting into the hood compartment from underneath whilst traveling at interstate speeds. Congrats on your truck! Mine took about 5 months to get but well worth the wait! I drove F-150's for the last 20+ years and don't miss them at all.​

 

[TacoFreak]

No, the underhood insulation will just damp down engine noise and not help with the hood shake. I have used sound mats for years and I think that is a great solution. Something between the hood skin and the bracing is exactly what is needed IMO to stop the shake.

Good to hear that your move from a full size pickup went smoothly. Tacomas have become popular partly because they give you what you really need in a truck in a smaller and more manageable package. I am really looking forward to getting back in a midsize now that my big truck days are over.

 

[T.C.]

Yeah, I had a full-size truck that was really going to waste so I dropped down to a compact SUV for mpg. Apparently, I over-compensated because that only lasted about a year before I was looking at mid-size trucks and fell for this one as soon as I drove it.

Back on topic. Trying to put weather stripping along the back didn't work out at all. It looks like the plastic there is already against the hood and when I put an extra layer in, it just pushed it out. It is pretty pliable already. I did also put some on top of the headlights more to finish filling the gaps than anything. I think it looks pretty good so I'll leave that. @TacoJay, I'm digging the idea of some kind of support between the skin and the brace of the hood. I may try your pipe insulation idea and stuff some in there since mine does have the factory insulation and it'll never be seen. Good talk, guys!

 

[TacoFreak]

@T.C. I agree that @TacoJay's solution sounds like the way to go. If that shake bothers me I will be doing that to my Taco too. It is still about a month out so I will report what happens.

 

[AZTaco]

The OEM hood insulation is a fiber mat that has heat and noise insulation properties but almost no mass. Using butyl (dynamat) insulation adds mass which, in addition to heat and noise insulation, will affect the vibration frequency.
If you have a Pro or Premium Sport, you could add some dynamat under the oem fiber insulation. That might reduce the vibration frequency and would still look stock.

 

[TacoFreak]

If you have a Pro or Premium Sport, you could add some dynamat under the oem fiber insulation. That might reduce the vibration frequency and would still look stock.

Good idea. I will try the foam under the skin approach or dynamat to damp down the hood skin vibration. I'm pretty sure that one of those will do the job.

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