Wet Blown In Insulation

[schwalby]

Hoping someone will know this, does blown in insulation turn into a rock when wet?

My fiancé hit a bag that fell out of someone’s truck on the highway. New cars being the PIA that they are they need a ton of specialized tools to take them apart. I have removed all the chunks that I can without removing anything and I am sourcing tools but need to know if this stuff gets wet am I royally screwed?

I know there is a bunch in the air box and I got most of it out of the radiator, but it hasn't fallen to the ground because an air damper is keeping it up against the radiator. I need torx bits to remove everything to get to the air box and past the piece or plastic keeping the radiator **** in. And god only knows what other **** I am going to run into once I get this first layer of plastic **** out.

If you can't tell by my excessive use of the word **** I am really hating this and really annoyed.

Oh and anyone have a warm garage with a lift I can work in close to Manchester NH.

 

[Eds Garage]

Sort of depends on if it is fiberglass or cellulose but either way it won't turn into a rock. Once wet both sort of slump into a paper mache' like consistency. Cellulose is probably the worst.

 

[schwalby]

99% sure it is cellulose, it is gray and looks like dry paper mache' now that you made me think of it. So not great but not horrible. If it hardens up and it doesn't come off easily I guess I could wet it again to "loosen" it up.

Thanks

 

[tdkkart]

Lesson #1, don't show your annoyance to the fiance', and do your best not to get annoyed with every little thing that goes wrong. I know, you're not neccesarily annoyed with her, but if you show your displeasure while working on the car she'll assume you're mad at her, and it's a 3 day downhill ride from there.

Just a bit of advice from someone that has been married to the same woman for 25-1/2 years.

Use this as a perfect excuse to buy some tools.......

 

[Bronson]

Can You get a leaf blower in there to blow it out?

 

[schwalby]

Lesson #1, don't show your annoyance to the fiance', and do your best not to get annoyed with every little thing that goes wrong. I know, you're not neccesarily annoyed with her, but if you show your displeasure while working on the car she'll assume you're mad at her, and it's a 3 day downhill ride from there.

Just a bit of advice from someone that has been married to the same woman for 25-1/2 years.

Use this as a perfect excuse to buy some tools.......

This was just one more thing that went wrong after a long day of things going wrong. I am not frustrated beyond control just looking for a break from **** happening.

And she knows I am not annoyed with her, but she is unique and all past girlfriends wouldn't understand.

She already offered to go and get the needed tools. We just don't have the cash to do it. Trying to find a friend with the right size bit.

Can You get a leaf blower in there to blow it out?

I am going to try and use the wet / dry vac to **** it out of the radiator area but now that you suggested that I may try blowing the insulation out with it also. Don't have a leaf blower here.

I can't get anything close to the air box though. Both ends are buried behind tons of plastic. But I may have to get creative if I can't find the right bit.

 

[nehog]

Pressure washer... It is paper, treated (borate?) so to be non-flammable, but still paper. I would try to get all off, I don't know if the treating stuff is corrosive or not.

 

[schwalby]

I don't know if the treating stuff is corrosive or not.

Didn't even think of that, great.

 

[steven083008]

VERY careful if you use a pressure washer. They can do extreme damage to radiator fins.

 

[Highbeam]

She already offered to go and get the needed tools. We just don't have the cash to do it. Trying to find a friend with the right size bit.

Seriously? You have what you describe as a new car and you can't afford a torx bit. A box set at harbor freight is like 3$. Go buy the bits and take it apart.

That wet cellulose will harden into a cast when it dries. Imagine paper mache, it forms a crust that makes it somewhat cardboard like.

 

[nehog]

...
She already offered to go and get the needed tools. We just don't have the cash to do it. Trying to find a friend with the right size bit.
...

Where in NH are you? If you are in the Monadnock area, send me a PM...

 

[schwalby]

Seriously? You have what you describe as a new car and you can't afford a torx bit. A box set at harbor freight is like 3$. Go buy the bits and take it apart.

Now why didn't I think of that. :\

Where in NH are you? If you are in the Monadnock area, send me a PM...

I was able to do a tool rental at Home Depot so I am set now but thank you. I appreciate the offer of help.