At the request/demand of my entire family, neighborhood, and the Centerline police department, I finally decided to fix the exhaust leak in my '83 LE. Its had the exhaust leak ever since I bought it, and the noise doesnt really bother me so I never got around to fixing it. So anyways, it should have been as simple as:
1) remove exhaust pipe from exhaust manifold
2) replace broken bolt
3) replace gasket
4) put back together

buuuuut, things are never quite as simple as they seem are they? I go to undo the one bolt thats holding the exhaust on there, and SNAP... bolt breaks just like the other one. Exhaust drops down. Then I look up and to my horror, I discover they are not bolts like my other RX-7, they are studs. Try to remove them with vice grips, no dice. Crap. Off with the heat shield and exhaust manifold. Then decide the only way to fix it is to drill out the old studs and put bolts in their place. That of course should be simple, until you realize they are hardened bolts and almost the same hardness as the dull-*** drill bits you own, lol. Soooo, after almost 2 hours of drilling, and burn marks across my chest from leaning and putting as much force as humanly possible on the drill which became rather hot from running so long.. and finally i got them both drilled out. Put the bastard back together.. started her up, and MY GOD! Its quiet!!! It sounds like a normal car, aside from the heat shield rattling against the exhaust now... lol

So... fix your exhaust and it gets much quieter.

 

heat shield didn't need to go back on there, it's trash.

 

Why do you say it's trash? it's a heat shield, and if in good condition, does a good function and makes a big difference in containing the heat irradiated by the manifold, IMO

 

I didnt put the one back in that i took out. its a different heat shield rattling. I'll remove it soon enough, heat shields are worthless.

 

I need heat shields.

 

Heat shields are good for collecting small rocks. While I was working under my car for the SE swap, I had to bend down the heat shield at one point and GOOD LORD....I thought someone spilled an entire fish tank full of rocks on me.

Boo heat shields.

 

are you talking about the one that seperates the muffler from the fuel tank? I'm thinking that one is maybe there for a reason.

 

no you definetly want to leave the muffler one on but the other you can take off.