Heat shield

[95gstdd]

So I cant stand the manifold heat shield but was told by someone to leave it on because removing it causes issues to the alt. is that true? I really dont like it but if removing it causes issues down the line I guess I'll be stuck with the uglyness

 

[turbosax2]

Definitely leave it on. No question about it.

Edit: You can try to polish it with some Mother's mag polish. This might make it look a little better so it's easier to stand to look at.

 

[GofaST4life]

i to was thinking about doing that, ive seen built motors that dont hav ethe heat sheild on anymore and was goign to take mine off...i dont think it would be a problem really, as long as you can keep eveyrthing cool and what not...

 

[res7bequ]

I had mine off for two days and my alternator died. But yeah if you want it to look better polish it or paint it with some engine paint.

 

[GofaST4life]

guess ill keep mine on...hahaha

 

[turbosax2]

as long as you can keep eveyrthing cool and what not...

You're driving a DSM, right? These cars don't stay cool. They get hot. Real hot.

 

[GofaST4life]

yeah, i retract that statement...

 

[DsmDave95]

I dont think taking off your heat shield should have any affect on the peformance of your , but y would it affect your alteantor?

 

[TSiAWD666]

I dont think taking off your heat shield should have any affect on the peformance of your , but y would it affect your alteantor?

The alternator is right next to the manifold. Guess the excess heat radiating from the manifold when the shield isn't in place has an affect on the alternator.

 

[Gstclipse69]

Slowboy racing has a polished heat shield for about 45 that looks a lot better than anything you could do to the stock one. http://www.slowboyracing.com/estore/home.php?cat=4616

 

[DsmDave95]

^^ yeah i would suggest this, but still i know people who haven't had there heatshields on and never had any problems i guess thats there luck though.

 

[crimsondragon]

JM Fabrication also makes polished heat shields. You can always take it off, prime it, and spray on some high heat engine paint. Defintely leave it on though otherwise your alternator will fry and radiator fan blades will melt.

 

[Dragon TalonTsi]

Those aftermarket heat shields are for guys running the stock mani or an Evo 3... I have yet to see one for aftermarket tubulars... I gues those are going to be custom made. But then again, I still don't see why people always complain about the heat either. EGT helps, plus you aren't in the engine bay driving either. Well, look at it this way, the fact that HEAT rises, and the alternator/generator is on the lower part towards the oil fliter housing, the heat will only reach a small part of it. The PS pump is right by the manifold, and the alternator is more towards the O2 housing/downpipe. The most heat is coming from the cylinder head, then the manifold, then the turbo, then the O2/Dump, then downstream from there. I'd keep the PS heat shields on, and make one for the alternator. Or even make one for your turbo.

BTW, I haven't had mine on since I had my aftermarket Mani, and I have yet to fry an alternator or my fans, belts, whatever. Its all stipulation to me. Until it happens, which it has yet to, its hearsay...

 

[gsttuner22]

I agree with everyone that said to keep the exh. manifold shield on. If you don't like the way it looks then just do what the other say as well, take it off, prime it, throw your favorite color of engine paint.

If you really don't like it. Buy aftermarket exhaust manifold and heat wrap it with what they sell in advance .

Good luck with that =]

 

[DsmDave95]

BTW, I haven't had mine on since I had my aftermarket Mani, and I have yet to fry an alternator or my fans, belts, whatever. Its all stipulation to me. Until it happens, which it has yet to, its hearsay...

exactly what i was saying, but even on my car when i purchased it there was no heat shield and it hasnt had a problem so far

 

[ricktb]

I just bought tubular headers, does anyone think I can use the existing heat shield, or would I need one custom made?.. Can I just coat with ceramic paint, and wrap. Will that be good enough?

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[turbosax2]

I just bought tubular headers, does anyone think I can use the existing heat shield, or would I need one custom made?.. Can I just coat with ceramic paint, and wrap. Will that be good enough?

Coating it and wrapping it will be fine.

 

[2gGSX]

I didn't have the one on my old car bolted in for well over 2 years and ~16,000 miles. Alternator was fine. That's not to say you shouldn't use yours if you can, the previous statement was just to provide some more data.

 

[95gstdd]

Thanks everyone, looks like I'm keeping it on, maybe I'll just take it off, prep it and throw some black engine paint on to kinda make it less visible. When I was told I thought it was pure bs, since heat rises and the alt. is off down to the bottom. Totally saved me from going through an alt. and asking questions later.

 

[TSiAWD666]

The situation of a heated manifold in air is not as simple as "heat rises". You're talking about general convection but ignoring the fact that the source of the heat is radiant. Some of the heat off that manifold is getting to the alternator if air is the only medium in between. Air's a decent insulator but not perfect.

Common sense just does not cut it sometimes, and this is one of those cases.

If anecdotal evidence helps though, I can say with an uncovered stock manifold I've not personally had my alternator fail completely, but have melted the stock fan on that side of the radiator.

 

[99gst41]

Thanks everyone, looks like I'm keeping it on, maybe I'll just take it off, prep it and throw some black engine paint on to kinda make it less visible. When I was told I thought it was pure bs, since heat rises and the alt. is off down to the bottom. Totally saved me from going through an alt. and asking questions later.

I would strongly recommend that. I just replaced my alternator about 4 months ago and decided to take the turbo heat shield off while I was in there, and now its time to replace the alternator AGAIN!!!!! I wish I would have read some of the posts on here before I did that because now I have no mode of transportation and my car died on me 50 miles from home. One big headache!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[corsair231]

I was just considering getting rid of mine but now you've got me thinking about it. The only thing is that everyone that replied has a 2g. Is it the same advice for the 1g or is it only for the 2g's? Mine's not pretty but I sure don't want to melt my fan.

 

[Ravenous]

Mine's been off for over a year now and my alternator is fine, I also removed the lower heat shield (which I think would effect the alt. more) and am running just fine so far.

 

[wangboy925]

I dont think aftermarket heat shields such as does sold in JMF and Slowboy Racing work to protect the alternator since the aftermarket ones dont come with the lower heat shields. They just cover the top of the manifold and that's it.

But yet I'm still deciding weather to buy one or not.