Hi,
My ST170 started kicking up a nice plastic-burning smell yesterday. A quick look under the bonnet and it seems some of the plastic fastening plugs have gone awol allowing the under-bonnet insulation lining thingy (what is the real name for that thing??) to sag and touch the top of the engine.

Does the ST170 really need this lining or can I whip it out rather than repair it? Will the bonnet heat up too much and damage the paint?

Anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks