I have a few questions about the heat shields on the V6. Both engine and engine bay.

I have rebuilt the engine and I am ready to bolt the exhaust back up to the block (after grinding out the restrictions in them) but I want to make sure I have the heat shields in the right places. I also have a couple questions about the front exhaust heat shield.

The pic below shows the front heat shield (or at least I am pretty sure it is. Tell me if I am wrong please), that I beleive is part of a recall through the dealer. The heat shield, I am pretty sure goes against the block and then the exhaust gasket goes on the outside of that and then the exhaust manifold bolts over the exhaust gasket.

Question 1. Should there not be exhaust gaskets on both sides of the heat shield? I have a lot of burn marks on the heat shield that tells me it leaked quite well when I took the engine out. Should I put exhaust gaskets both sides?

Question 2. Is there a heat shield on the back exhaust manifold as I have had the engine apart for a couple years and I reallly don't remember at all?

Question3. The pic below shows a heat shield I took out to paint the engine bay and I can't figure out where it goes. Any help would be appreciated.

As an aside, I also posted a pic of the new engine. '87 Firebird V6 with about 300 miles on it and all swapping done as per instructions emailed to me by another forum memebr. Thanks again to whomever sent the instructions. I have lost the email but had already saved the instructions. It worked very well.

I wrote this up and then tried PIP for the first time and can't seem to get it working. User error somehwere I am sure. I will go back and re read the instructions and try to get it working.

Questions 1 and 2 might be answerable without pics. Question 3 really needs the pic.

Thanks
Don

I not see any pictures in your post but your right the flat shield goes against eng. then gasket then manifold then shield around outside of manifold I assume was your 3 pic back manifold has no shield the ends get stud on top middle on bottom to hold external shield on

[This message has been edited by Sullivan (edited 05-05-2005).]

Thanks Sullivan;

I still don't really understand why a gasket is not used behind the shield as you would think it would be prone to leaking without a gasket. If it does not need one then okay, But it just seems wierd to me.

I now need to find that external shield as well.

I have been trying PIP for a while tonight and can't seem to get it to work for me. Simple instructions so I think my firewall is causing me grief.

Thanks again.

Good night
Don

Are you sure the # 3 pic you tried to post wasnt external shield

No, I am pretty sure it is a piece that goes on the firewall or trunk area but I can't seem to match up the mounting holes to anything. It is pretty flat overall and doesn't have the rounding that would be on a piece fitting over the manifold.

It is about 12" long and three mounting holes on one long side that have two on the same plane and one that curves forward by about 1" but parrallel to the other two holes. I can't seem to find any mounting tabs that match up.

I don't think that explanation makes sense really but I thought I would try to explain it a bit. Pictures work so much better. It might fit around the fuel filter or on the rear trunk wall somewhere.

I really should have taken pictures before I took these out. The big heat shields are easy to place but the smaller ones are giving me grief. I have found places for every one but this one.

Are there any heat shields on the trunk wall besides the large one that goes up against the muffler area down lower?

BTW: This is an awesome forum folks. I can't beleive the amount of info out there about these cars and the people out there willing to work through problems with you. Plusses for everyone if I was allowed to give any yet.
Thanks
Don

I agree about site only been here a month cant beleive how helpfull everyone is

I have figured out what was wrong with the PIP. I have a firewall on my computer I need to shut off before using PIP. Simple solution but it had me for a while.

I have figured out where one of the shield goes and have that installed but I still have this one below I am not sure about. I was looking around the fuel filter area but I think the other firewall shield covers everything there. It has two mounting holes on the one bent piece and then one mounting hole on the offset bent piece.

Any ideas would be appreciated.
Thanks
Don

I believe it goes against your trunk with your tranny dip stick fitting up through the half round indentation.

Definitely the trunk side,but to protect what is the question. It goes between the muffler and the exhaust manifold, so is it trying to keep the muffler cool?

As for the front heat shields, I kept the top one but replaced the ridiculous sheet metal "nuts" with real nuts.

The lower one, after alot of enquiries, I took out.

Here are the reasons.

1. If a rod came thru the block, no thin piece of sheet metal is going to stop it.
2. A 'for sure' source of exhaust leaks is that little piece of metal cr*p. I simply used a good quality exhaust gasket and left it out.
3. If they were worried about oil dripping on the CAT, then the good valve cover gasket is the better solution.

Cheers
Arn

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Thanks for the help everyone.

I'll go in and find the mounting spots and to fit it up today or tonight. I kept the front manifold shield and will see how it works out. If it starts to leak, I'll just pull it or do the mods like I saw in another thread where sommone cut out around the manifold mounting points but still kept the shield. Everything else is new so I should not have problems with the oil leaks.

Thanks again for the help.
Don

The shields serve to absorb a lot of the heat from the exhaust system and then act as a heat sink to help dissipate it. The ones on the trunk side are to keep the trunk cooler. If they aren't there it'll get hot enough in there to melt the carpeting. Ceramic coated exhaust components help a lot, too, especially coated headers.

[This message has been edited by Denny (edited 06-16-2005).]