Clam shell plastic liner cracking

[MTDGT]

I'm noticing quite a few small cracks in the rear clam plastic liner. I checked with my Ford dealer and they say you can't purchase a new liner you need to buy the whole and complete clam? If this is the case does anyone know of a glue(adhesive) that a person can use to prevent the cracks from getting worse?
I have been careful to open the hood and allow the heat to dissipate when stopping for any period of time. Has anyone else seen this problem developing?

 

[Tomcat]

Can you post a few pictures of where they start to show up?

 

[Specracer]

The liner of the clam shell is carbon fiber. Its not easily recognized, as it doesn't use a woven mat. Some prototype cars have a woven mat liner, that looks much more "carbon fiberish"

 

[fjpikul]

To be more specific, monolayer carbon fiber. Perhaps you are slamming it too hard? Something out of alignment? Never heard or saw this before.

 

[Kayvan]

Taking a guess....perhaps the opening /closing while hot

I have never done this and even park it in an enclosed garage after 2hr / 100mi. runs with garage door left open about a foot and hear snap, crackle, pop from all areas of car while it cools (not just metal exhaust).

The Carbon Fibre is massively rigid and any crack is most likely random CF surface weaves

 

[MTDGT]

picture of cracked liner

I'm noticing quite a few small cracks in the rear clam plastic liner. I checked with my Ford dealer and they say you can't purchase a new liner you need to buy the whole and complete clam? If this is the case does anyone know of a glue(adhesive) that a person can use to prevent the cracks from getting worse?
I have been careful to open the hood and allow the heat to dissipate when stopping for any period of time. Has anyone else seen this problem developing?

Here is an example and there are a few more, I'm guessing if it is in fact carbon fibre and they are not actually cracks but discolour of the fibre due to heat? Hopefully someone out there has some idea as to wether this could turn into a serious problem!

 

[MTDGT]

Definately don't slam it closed, nothing binds indicating an alignment problem

 

[fjpikul]

Are you sure this was not like this when new? My trunk lid looks a little like this, but that is since new. Many of the trunk lids look entirely different when you line cars up and compare them. Just from your picture, it looks like something is rubbing. Maybe an unfinished edge with some roughness? Hard to see what part of the liner this is.

 

[Xcentric]

That's where the one of the vents is attached. Mine has lots of straight lines like that (if the lines are what you are referring to). They look like cracks from a distance, but they are perfectly smooth. Drag a fingernail across and it's smoother than Dr. Frank's mankini.

 

[MTDGT]

You guys may be right, were on the verge of snow up here in the mountains today but it's supposed to warm up again tomorrow. If it does I'll take her out and get her hot just to double check on the situation to see if they are cracks. At a glance you swear their cracks but they don't feel that way when cool. Thanks

 

[B.M.F.]

It's not cracked. There were 250 pieces of Uniderectional carbon cut to make the clambshell i believe. That is just a seam for the materials. I have not seen or heard of a clamb cracking on the bottom unless it was in a accident. You would have to give it some serious drama to make it crack!

 

[Ed Sims]

Good place for a sticker!

Ed