Topic: Catalytic conv. shield?

[dokebee]

hello

I've just purchased a 98 acura 1.6EL.  There's some sort of shield dangling at the bottom of the car (just after the engine at the center).  

I'm guessing it's a shield for the converter.  It's just hangling there while I'm driving.  

Would I be taking a big risk by just ripping the piece off the car?

I will post picture in 5 minutes.

[dokebee]

[barrie1]

Thats the sheild from your Convertor alright. I would suggest tieing it up with mechanics wire and keeping it on there. The convertor will last longer with it in place even with the wire but it is a sign that it is getting near replacement time on it. Welcome to the Forum as well Dokebee.

[dokebee]

hmmm...upon closer inspection, i noticed the area where the part is held on to with a bolt is rusted away.  

arg!! i hate rust.

[Railton]

Drop into your nearest Canadian Tire and pick up a couple of the largest stainless steel gear clamps they have for sale. Put them togther to make the mother of all gear clamps. Wrap it around the shield assembly and tighten.  
No charge.
Railton

[Sterling]

The shield has nothing to do with how long long the converter might last. It is a heat shield to keep the high heat from the converter from igniting grass, etc. under the car.

Do what Railton suggests. Any muffler shop will probably fix that up for no charge. Get it fixed before you hit something that jams it up and causes further damage.

[barrie1]

Clamps of that size will cost you around at least a $1.00 each and you will need 2 or 3 of them to make it reach. Doing both ends will cost around at least $6.00 to $10.00, I can't see anybody doing it for free. Thats why I suggested Mechanic's wire as it is extremely cheap and just as easy to use. This they might do for free.  The clamps are a very good idea but not quite free.  

[Sterling]

I've been to a Midas shop and to a Speedy Muffler shop when I had broken exhaust hardware. Both times it took 30 seconds to fix and both times they did it for free. Even if somebody charges $10, one would have to be the cheapskate of the year to crawl under there and wire that up just to save the money.

[Roadrunner]

Barrie,
I'm not a mind reader, but I think Railton means by 'no charge' is he's Not charging for giving advice.

[barrie1]

OK as that makes sense to me as well. I was answering Sterling's post regarding the repair and the cost of it. There are folks who will do that fix at home to save even $10.00 now-a-days as every penny does count in some households.

[tortoise]

"There are folks who will do that fix at home to save even $10.00 now-a-days as every penny does count in some households."  

A lot of people operate on the "Why get someone else to do it, if I can do it myself" principle.

I just took the heat shield off of my mazda truck when it was rattling. No problems since. That said, I'd tie it up.

[ericthejet]

Whoa, whoa!  That is NOT the catalitic convertor.  Your convertor is under the hood of the car directly forward of the engine block.

What you have there is a heat shield and the mounting points have rusted away.

You can run a couple of stainless steel hoseclamps around the shield (as suggested) and tighten the hell out of them.  The shield will not promote rust as it is galvanized.  You can also do what I have done the same on my Honda and tear it off.  The shield in question is the one for the resonator.

PS Call Honda and see if your car is part of the Manifold recall for minor cracks around the O2 sensor.  It would get replaced if it applies to your car.

[tenpenny]

You're saying the catlytic converter on an Acura is under the hood, in front of the engine block?

I'll be the first to admit, I don't have a huge range of experience with Hondas, but I've never seen a car with the converter under the hood.  I'll have to have a look someday at an Acura.

[Sterling]

Hmmmm, why would a resonator need a heat shield? Resonators don't generate heat. Catalytic converters do though.  

But like Tenpenny, I'm only going by general knowledge. I'm not a Honda expert.

[ericthejet]

My exhaust sysyem from the manifold down to the resonator has shielding around it.( it also has hose clamps and a few bits missing due to the "buzz" from loose shielding, 10 years old now)  With the exception of V6 products most Honda have the cat. convertor under the hood, close to the engine.  Heats up quicker and less likely to rot.

[davidm]

Does this car have multiple cats?  I know some of the Scooby's have a cat right up near the engine as well as one down in the exhaust.

Whatever it is, simplest thing is clamp or wire it back up.  If you hear some vibrating/rattling sounds, that's the source.

On a Miata these things crack and rattle all the time, we just rip them off - no problems so far.

[Sterling]

Maybe Dokebee can verify but it looks from his pics that the shield in question is close to the front end. I assumed that was a front wheel (you can see the mud flap) in the first pic and the second pic was taken from the front of the car. It looks from the second pic that the manifold/header connects to the cat right where the shield has fallen.

[suds]

unless your car has 6 wheels,the pictures show that its at the front of the car.

[dokebee]

Thanks for the support guys.

The tire on the first pic is the front one, and the sencond picture shows the rear tire.  

I tried to take it off by first driving one side of the car on to a curb and getting under it.  The space was a bit tight and having done that right after getting from work....it was kinda hot.  stupid me.  anyway, i'm just gona go to canadian tire.  it's hard saving 10 bucks (two Mac Deals)

thanks again

[HeliDriver]

The 1.6 in the EL is not quite the same as the 1.6 in my '99 SiR, but those photos sure look familiar, and that sure looks like the cat that lives under my car.

AFAIK, there's only one cat on all of the 1.6 litre B-series engines, and it lives downstream of the exhaust header, underneath and slightly behind the engine block.

As far as heat shields go, I know that they are used to keep grass and other stuff under the car from igniting, but I also seem to recall that they are placed around catalytic converters to help keep the heat in. Since cats need high heat to operate properly, wouldn't the shield also help the cat warm up faster, and help to retain heat when idling or operating under light loads?  

Dunno for sure, but you might want to think twice before cutting it off.