Does a Hood Blanket really make a difference?
 

My 85 300D has new (expensive) tires and a well tuned engine and you can barely feel it shift. Road noise is low and the engine purrs like a kitten. The new chain and valve adjustments and new mounts and rehung exhaust(my custom design with a special Heavy Spring flex arm that comes off the transmission to replace the steel bracket Mercedes uses --took it off an EDG that was scrapped at work) exhaust make a difference. I also replaced the rubber thingies on the pilot shaft. and stuffed wads of noise killing insulation into my dash when I remounted it.)The car runs like its fresh off the line.

However I have no hood blanket. Having spent quite some $$$ on this car this year, I have to turn off the faucet sooner or later...the tires, believe it or not, were my best sound reducing item. Road noise is very very Low.

Would a hood blanket make that much a difference?

a hood pad would cover all the underhood skeleton and make it look cleaner/factory ...

It cuts down on noise. Some claim it saves the hood paint from the heat.....

BTW, that Euro W123 250 looked like it never had a hood pad from the factory.

depends on how much you like your paint
 

I have a california version turbo diesel, and the lack of a hood pad has burnt (discolored) a 2" spot on the hood paint, there when I got the car. I put a pad in after I had cleared up an oil leak that was spraying the underside of the hood.

I have the high turbo, as opposed to those with the turbo under the air cleaner, so that may make a big difference. On cold days, with frost on the hood, I can drive a lot farther now before that frost disappears. I'd say the blanket/pad was soaking up heat that is otherwise cooking your paint.

I can't tell how much noise it absorbs from the cabin.

At least for the W201 turbo diesel, the OEM hood pad had a foil section above the turbocharger to insulate from the heat.

In addition to noise reduction and thermal protection, the pad is supposed to be a flame retardant, provided it's not soaked with oil.

The W123 turbo hood pad has the foil section as well.

yep... and i would love a hood pad.. i hate looking at the crap from the previous hoodpad.. and cleaning it will be fun

Cleaning mine off was not too bad, and I got a good price on a new one on ebay. Now I just need it to warm up so I can glue the thing on!

going to remove the hood to do it.. i plan on it..and i need to replace all my window seals... cracking and crap... so much to do

You can get them for $40. Just do it...

My 300SD came with an old pad that was crumbling off. I took a shop vac and plastic scapper to it. Then I took some adhesive remover and worked on it from there. I also used some degreaser to clean all the residue off. Place some plastic over the engine and sides to catch all the crud. I spent an hour or so getting the underside cleaned off and ready for the new pad. When I glued it on, I had my wife help hold one side in place while I worked around the hood. Mine fit inside the lip on the hood so it looks cleaner. Now the hood sounds solid when closed. There is a difference in noise level from the outside, inside the cabin it seemed a little better also. If you are thinking about replacing an old one go ahead and just do it. I think mine was like $50-$60 bucks and I'm glad I did it. You will be happy with the end results. It sounds like you have done a lot of work on your car already, this will be sort of like a finishing touch. Like it's been said it will dress up the engine compartment and you won't have to keep picking out all the loose crap that keeps falling all over the place from the old one!:D

an OEM hood pad?... im not getting one of those waffle looking ones off of egay.. i want the real deal

Get a can of 3M Super Trim Adhesive 8090 and use the whole can to spray the hood and pad. Let it tack for a minute and have a helper lay the pad in place.

I bought the hood pad from the parts guy here for my 300SDL. I think it was $70.00 and $15.00 more for the 3M spray glue. It is not the waffle type. It has a foam center with a sort of Felt on both sides. There is a silver heat shield over the exhaust. I am pleased with it.

As far as noise reduction. I had a crumbling "waffle type" on the car. It sounds the same with the new pad but looks a whole lot better.

Rather than an OEm hoodpad, I had been considering one of the ones made by Dynamat. I'm assuming it's got more sound deadening and heat resistance than OEM, just not sure.
-Zach