My lower exhaust heat shield was all over the place: the rear bolts were both gone and it was just sliding up and down around the exhaust and bouncing and rattling all over the place.
I have now removed it, but how urgently does it need to be replaced and what are people's recommendations?
If it doesnt bother you just leave it, will be fine without it.
Quote from: Iain on November 12, 2024, 12:50If it doesnt bother you just leave it, will be fine without it.
Thanks - I was worried about it accelerating wear on the rear subframe, other than that, I'm just happy that it no longer sounds like I'm dragging a metal bucket of bolts behind the car!
Quote from: BahnStormer on November 12, 2024, 12:55Thanks - I was worried about it accelerating wear on the rear subframe, other than that, I'm just happy that it no longer sounds like I'm dragging a metal bucket of bolts behind the car!
Easiest thing to do if it does worry you is get some exhaust heat wrap round it. But i doubt it'll cause any issues like it is
Quote from: Iain on November 12, 2024, 12:59if it does worry you is get some exhaust heat wrap round it
I was considering that... I think I'll aim to do that next weekend if it isn't raining.... it'll be a PITA to do on the car, but possibly worth it in the long run.
Assuming it fell apart in the end due to rusty fixings disintegrating. Clean up, bolt back together with some new stainless nuts n bolts.
Do you still have the semi circle spacers or have they been lost along the way?
As
@Ardent says.
I did mine some years ago when I removed the pre cats, when that was the thing to do. My heat shields, top and bottom cleaned up very well with a powered wire brush and matched the new stainless fixings.
Still baffles me now. High quality stainless steel heat shields that are tickety boo condition 20 + years later held together by the cheapest nastiest tin worm ridden fixings. Go figure.
The bolts and fixings had almost all gone.... I've got the wrap (same stuff I used on the Toyosport manifold), just need an afternoon when it's not p!ssing with rain.
The welds broke on our Y pipe shield many years ago, and it was removed. We don't use any wrap - no issues.