A few things I know:

- The hood paint is "oxidizing"/turning whitish directly underneath the two sides where the pistons are. A detailer said it was coming from underneath the hood and probably from the heat of the engine. It also looks like the hood may be a repaint.

- The foam underneath the plastic engine cover is deteriorating and crumbling.

So, what can I do to at least prevent this from continuing? A new piece of plastic is $350, which is excessive to replace the two foam pads. Is there a deeper issue here or just a result of a cheap repaint job? Are there any other simple ways to replace the foam?

 

If your hood paint is peeling and you know it has been repainted, then I think it is safe to say that either the paint job was not cared for properly or a poorly done respray. If the rest of the paint job on the vehicle looks fine, then I would lean towards the latter.

In terms of any foam behind the engine panel breaking down, then I would either just:

A) remove it completely if it is just cosmetic

B) buy a used replacement for an online auction house or salvage yard

C) just buy a new replacement part and deal with the price

 

Well, it is not peeling...it is just looks like oxidization, but coming from the paint/metal interface and moving towards the outside (instead of the other way around).

I guess the question is if the foam is just cosmetic or if it has a purpose to prevent overheating of some components or the hood itself? If so, then I need to get it fixed. Otherwise, it may just be a poor paint repair perhaps.