Summer car heat protection starts with shielding vulnerable components from engine and exhaust heat. Before heading out for cruising or car shows, consider your fuel lines, wiring, spark plug boots, battery and starter. Thermal barriers and insulation can help reduce heat exposure and support reliable summer driving.

Thermal barriers and insulation can help:

• Prevent reliability problems caused by excessive underhood heat
• Protect components from being damaged by constant high-temperature radiant heat exposure
• Save money by reducing heat-related maintenance costs
• Improve component and system function

Heatshield Products offers insulation and thermal barriers for several common heat problems. Many install with basic tools, making them practical additions to your summer maintenance plans. Here are six options to consider.

Thermal Barrier Sleeves

Installing thermal barrier sleeves helps protect fuel lines, fluid hoses and wiring from radiant heat. On carbureted engines, shielding fuel lines from nearby heat sources can help reduce vapor lock problems.

Sleeves also help protect power steering hoses, coolant hoses and brake lines from external heat. This limits additional heat reaching the lines and the fluids inside them.

Finally, protecting wiring harnesses and connectors helps reduce heat damage that can cause electrical problems.

Lava^TM Tube, Cold-Gold^TM and Stealth^TM Sleeve products offer high levels of protection against radiant heat exposure. Built-in high-temp hook & loop fastening system makes installation easy and typically doesn’t require disassembly/disconnection of components. For sensitive wiring or fluid junctions, Utili-Shields^TM are designed specifically to fit these connections and protect them from heat.

Heatshield Armor^TM Exhaust Insulation

The exhaust system generates a lot of radiant heat underneath a vehicle that can heat soak fuel lines and other components. This constant heat exposure can eventually lead to reliability issues or outright component failure that will leave you stranded. Installing Heatshield Armor^TM (and related exhaust insulation kits using the same material) significantly reduces the amount of heat the exhaust system radiates. This helps limit heat exposure to nearby components. As an added bonus, reducing exhaust heat reaching the floor can help keep the passenger compartment cooler. Heatshield Armor^TM kits insulate the exhaust pipes, catalytic converter, muffler(s) and even exhaust headers to cut exhaust radiated heat. Any of them can be installed by the owner with simple tools and without having to remove the exhaust system. You can see all the details in our blog using a 2016 Jeep Wrangler for a before/after test.

RV Dog House and Floor Heat Shield

If your summer plans involve an RV, heat around the dog house and front floor can make the trip uncomfortable. The RV Dog House and Floor Heat Shield kit helps reduce heat entering these areas. Its thin insulation fits beneath the carpet and dog house cover on supported applications. Check your chassis and model year before choosing a kit.

Pro-Boot^TM Spark Plug Boot Protector

A melted spark plug boot can ruin a fun run in your car or truck real quick. When spark plug boots sit close to exhaust manifolds or headers, Pro-Boot protectors help shield them from radiant heat. Sealable ends not only help keep heat out, but also dirt and debris that can get inside the protector and cause damage to the boot. Protecting the boots from heat damage helps maintain reliable ignition. Our blog shows the before and after using a C7 Corvette as a test subject.

Lava^TM Battery Shield

Excessive underhood heat can shorten battery life and lead to an inconvenient replacement. Lava Battery Shield helps protect the battery from radiant engine-bay heat. It comes in multiple sizes, so match the shield to your battery’s dimensions and group size. Battery protection is another part of summer car heat protection worth considering before a long trip.

Lava^TM Starter Shield

Excessive heat can also affect the starter, especially when you restart a hot engine. Repeated heat exposure can contribute to starting problems and premature failure. Lava^TM Starter Shield wraps the starter in a layer of heat-deflecting protection made from our specially-formulated volcanic rock-based thermal barrier material. On most applications you can install Lava Starter Shield without having to remove the starter. Check out our before and after test using a 2012 Camaro SS here.