Me and a Friend are working on an FC rebuild. My friend bought a new Reman from Atkins rotary and we are about halfway through (Or more) the process but have hit a stumbling block:

The Stock exhaust manifold that bolts onto the engine has several screws that hold the heat shield in place. These screws "lost their head" and have the screw tips stuck in the manifold, and the heat shield is pretty busted.

We lost 3 Easy-outs trying to get those bolts out so we can use this manifold on the new engine and bolt it to the good-condition exhaust that is on the car right now.

We've looked into getting an aftermarket Header but they are exponentially longer than the stock Manifold and require different piping so that seems like a lost option.

What should we do? Ignore the lack/loss of a heat shield (Important?), buy a used sheild/manifold, or buy new stock mani/shield?

Thanks.

 

Don't give a second thought to the heat shield. Consider it one less rattle on the car, and go on about your business.

 

Throw it away.


-Ted

 

agreed

 

let the heat flow free!


pardon my ignorance but don't you want to try and keep that heat in the manifold or towards the bottom of the car?


if it's an N/A it wouldn't be a huge deal but a turbo with the intercooler piping there i would think it would be counterproductive to the intercooler system. anyways, without knowing if it is an N/A or a T2 i figured i would ask anyways, though it isn't a big change but keeping your exhaust heat in and your intake temp as cool as possible is what you want.

 

Yes, you do want to keep the engine and bay cool, but after about 20 minutes of run time, the whole thing is heat soaked well enough that it is no longer a factor. I don't have any real world test numbers, but I'd bet the difference would be less than 5% worth of intake temps. Keep in mind that when driving, air from the bottom of the car is swirling around the engine bay, constantly pulling some heat out.

 

just get a new aftermarket manifold and ceramic coat it, add in a huge turbo and be done with it.

 

Thanks for the replies fella's.

The car is an NA and won't be seeing any huge power outputs in its lifetime. Seems likely that it can do without one, and save us the hassle.

 

exhaust wraps do the same thing. Isn't too pricey either.