What is the purpose of the engine firewall in a car?
Unless your feet are getting warm from sitting on hot exhaust pipes, your car has a firewall. Firewalls do exactly what they sound like they should, but are more complicated than most might think.FunctionA firewall’s basic function is to separate the passenger compartment from the engine compartment, but serves a few others as well.ProtectionIn addition to protecting occupants from napalm-like oil in the event of a fire, firewalls form a crucial part of a car’s unibody crash-protection “cocoon.”Impact DispersionApart from protecting passengers from a dislodged engine, firewalls are designed to channel frontal impact energy around the passenger compartment and into the roof and door panels.InsulationFirewalls usually have between 1/2″ and 3/4” of fiberglass insulation that keeps heat and sound out, and cool air in.Quiet SteelMany newer cars use a firewall made of “quiet steel.” This laminate steel contains a layer of visco-elastic material that keeps interior noise levels to a minimum.S
