Is no muffler heat shield ok?
 

My '93 CYM (purchased from Fritz Flynn) is running great, except for a ridiculous buzzing from the rear at 5500 rpm on up. I tracked it down to a broken flange on the muffler heat shield. I am currently working about 100 hours a week, and spend my "free" time working on research, writing papers, etc. I am too lazy to fab up a new shield/bracket, and was planning on just cutting off the shield. Is this going to be ok, or will I melt the area around the gas tank and exit this world as a CYM fireball? My mods (intake,cb, mp, dp, ic, y-pipe, pfc) and stock boost have me throwing flames on downshifts. Will removing the heat shield be safe?

Stew

FD01-56-450

take some time and get it welded back together.... local muffler shop should be able to do it cheap.

get it rewelded, it should not take over a minute to do if you prep the area before hand, put a peice of tape over the weld area after you clean it really well and drive down there and have them just tack welded back together fast.

Thanks for the replies, fellas. Its torn all the way around the front bracket, and the metal is pretty thin. I doubt rewelding it will last long. I have some sheet steel...maybe I'll just fab a new shield. Crap. I was hoping to spend some time driving instead of working on the car. (sigh)

Stew

Well, I just removed and butchered the faulty heat shield. I cut out the cracked area, including the RH half of the shield. This left the shield between the muffler and the fuel tank intact, with three bolts to hold it in position. The outside of the muffler (next to the tire) will now be uncovered, but I can't imagine this will cause a problem. I'll check tomorrow to see if this cured my high rpm buzzing.

BTW- welding would not have worked, as the heat shield is a sandwich of metal and some sort of cardboard (fiberglass?) type material. Pyrotechnics at the muffler shop = not cool.

LOL, you own an FD, my man ;) :D