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  1. #1
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    Heat shield issue

    At 1500 rpm there is a vibrating sound inside my car, I'm pretty certain it's the heat shield that's attached to the underside of the car, above the Y-pipe. There is also some kind of bracket that looks like it's supporting the Y-pipe itself. Before I go ahead, is it OK to remove these items?

    The bracket appears to be a possibly unnecessary extra bit of support, but I'm not sure about the heat shield either, is it protecting something that I can't see?


    Cheers

    Mike.

  2. #2
    Spaz is My Mentor SMWS6TA's Avatar
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    Heat shield on the driver's side is protecting the hydraulic clutch hose that comes from the master to the slave cylinder. If it is removed it will heat up your fluid and an cause issues. Even with headers they are needed. Passenger side I believe is protecting some wire harness that are in that area. Both also reduce the heat transfer from the CATs into the floorboards.

    If you have a problem with the screws vibrating out, use a little lock tight to keep in place.


    The bracket does support the Y pipe. The OEM pipe is a heavy sum bitch and will also vibrate. The bracket is to keep it from drooping down and slapping the floor boards.

    If you go to an aftermarket ORY, most are very light when compared to the stock ORY. Some get an after market kit to do like the stock bracket does.

  3. #3
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    Thanks for the input I really appreciate it.

    Quote Originally Posted by SMWS6TA View Post
    Heat shield on the driver's side is protecting the hydraulic clutch hose that comes from the master to the slave cylinder. If it is removed it will heat up your fluid and an cause issues. Even with headers they are needed. Passenger side I believe is protecting some wire harness that are in that area. Both also reduce the heat transfer from the CATs into the floorboards.

    If you have a problem with the screws vibrating out, use a little lock tight to keep in place.
    I'll be leaving them alone then. I'm pretty sure the screws are firm in place, but I need to figure out how to stop the shield itself from vibrating or maybe packing some kind of sound deadening behind it.


    Quote Originally Posted by SMWS6TA View Post
    The bracket does support the Y pipe. The OEM pipe is a heavy sum bitch and will also vibrate. The bracket is to keep it from drooping down and slapping the floor boards.

    If you go to an aftermarket ORY, most are very light when compared to the stock ORY. Some get an after market kit to do like the stock bracket does.
    I will be going to an aftermarket system eventually, I'll try it without the bracket first and see from there.

  4. #4
    Spaz is My Mentor SMWS6TA's Avatar
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    I'm not using a braket and my ORY is tucked to within 1/2" from the floorboards. When I used the U clamps it would vibrate and rub. But since I've welded my ORY all together - no more issues.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by SMWS6TA View Post
    Heat shield on the driver's side is protecting the hydraulic clutch hose that comes from the master to the slave cylinder.
    I somehow missed this part.
    My car is an A4, does this still apply to me?

  6. #6
    Veteran pajeff02's Avatar
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    The heat shield screws are very tiny, but have a coarse thread. If the holes aren't stripped or rusted, you can install a fender washer (large washer with a tiny hole) for more clamping force on the heat shield. If the holes are stripped, simply buy a larger sheet metal screw and run it in the hole. Chances are it dropped a screw or rusted through and that is why it is vibrating.

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    Quote Originally Posted by pajeff02 View Post
    The heat shield screws are very tiny, but have a coarse thread. If the holes aren't stripped or rusted, you can install a fender washer (large washer with a tiny hole) for more clamping force on the heat shield. If the holes are stripped, simply buy a larger sheet metal screw and run it in the hole. Chances are it dropped a screw or rusted through and that is why it is vibrating.
    Thanks very much, I'll get under there and check it out.

  8. #8
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    Been under the car today, all the bolts are nice and tight - I even packed some pieces of rag where one section of heat shield meets another and in sections where it has flexibility.

    Rattle/vibration still not gone.

    I'm baffled, anybody got any suggestions?

  9. #9
    ʢ ൧ ൨ ൩ ൪ ൫ ൬ ൭ ൮Ր Ց Ւ Փ Smittro's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SS Camaro UK View Post
    Been under the car today, all the bolts are nice and tight - I even packed some pieces of rag where one section of heat shield meets another and in sections where it has flexibility.

    Rattle/vibration still not gone.

    I'm baffled, anybody got any suggestions?
    Are your catalytic converters by chance after market units, possibly with a heat shield around them of their own?

    I ran an after market cat on my 01 v6 Camaro that had a heat shield of its own,

    and after about a year the shield started to rattle.

    I gave it a quick wack with a rubber mallet and the rattle went away.

    Just a thought..

  10. #10
    Veteran pajeff02's Avatar
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    Could be something other than the heat shields then. When our catalytic converters go bad, they will sometimes "rattle". The substrate in the cases breaks up and pieces of it will cause this sound. Another culprit is the heat shield on the underbody where the exhaust goes up over the rear axle. Noises can be very difficult to locate and it sometimes helps to have a second set of ears in the car.

  11. #11
    ʢ ൧ ൨ ൩ ൪ ൫ ൬ ൭ ൮Ր Ց Ւ Փ Smittro's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by pajeff02 View Post
    Could be something other than the heat shields then. When our catalytic converters go bad, they will sometimes "rattle". The substrate in the cases breaks up and pieces of it will cause this sound. Another culprit is the heat shield on the underbody where the exhaust goes up over the rear axle. Noises can be very difficult to locate and it sometimes helps to have a second set of ears in the car.
    Yes sir! I have a old thread here about my stock cat doing just that.

    The grid material inside broke in half and rattled terribly. I also dropped a ton of power though.

    How about brake and fuel hard lines chattering against the under carrage maybe?

    Or possibly could even be your parking brake cables.

  12. #12
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    The best way I could describe this particular sound - watch the following video with the guy flicking a metal ruler.

    This is the sound (but sustained) that comes from my car at exactly 1500 rpm

    Video here:

  13. #13
    Veteran pajeff02's Avatar
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    I know you have a problem with your car, but that was not what I expected.

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    ʢ ൧ ൨ ൩ ൪ ൫ ൬ ൭ ൮Ր Ց Ւ Փ Smittro's Avatar
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  15. #15
    Senior Member JayTA98's Avatar
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    Lmao!

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    that's messed up right there......my vote is a cat rattling. Of course that is if it isn't some guy under there playing the ruler.

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by 0rion View Post
    that's messed up right there......my vote is a cat rattling.
    Would that reverberate through the whole of the interior of the car?

    Quote Originally Posted by 0rion View Post
    Of course that is if it isn't some guy under there playing the ruler.
    I've had a look and I don't think there's anything for him to hold on to.

  18. #18
    Spaz is My Mentor SMWS6TA's Avatar
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    Sorry for the long time getting back to you, I was on vacation...



    Do you still have CATS?


    When you say you have a vibration, is it coming from the floor boards by your feet or somewhere else?


    I had a rattle for a few months after I installed my PRO 5.0 shifter, couldn't locate it at all. Drove me nuts some times. Like you it would only rattle at certain rpms. Finally had enough and started taking the center counsel apart. When I got to the screws that are in the spot where the TCS buttons sit (if I had one) I notice there wasn't a screw. I also had one missing on the passenger side where the cup holder is. I tap the counsel in those spots and yep it rattle. Got some screws and put it all back together. No more rattles.

    Sometimes it the simple things that get you.




    <<Not going to ask how/why you found ruler man...

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by SMWS6TA View Post
    Sorry for the long time getting back to you, I was on vacation...
    That's quite alright, everybody needs a vacation.
    Quote Originally Posted by SMWS6TA View Post
    Do you still have CATS?
    At present I do, the previous owner said he'd had stainless aftermarket ones fitted. I will be looking to go to a system that has removable cats. As long as you can pass emissions at test time, there's no legal requirement to have cats fitted the rest of the time.
    Quote Originally Posted by SMWS6TA View Post
    When you say you have a vibration, is it coming from the floor boards by your feet or somewhere else?
    The sound fills the whole interior so it is very difficult to pin-point exactly where it's coming from.
    Quote Originally Posted by SMWS6TA View Post
    I had a rattle for a few months after I installed my PRO 5.0 shifter, couldn't locate it at all. Drove me nuts some times. Like you it would only rattle at certain rpms. Finally had enough and started taking the center counsel apart. When I got to the screws that are in the spot where the TCS buttons sit (if I had one) I notice there wasn't a screw. I also had one missing on the passenger side where the cup holder is. I tap the counsel in those spots and yep it rattle. Got some screws and put it all back together. No more rattles.
    I've got nothing to lose (besides the ratttle) by trying this.
    Quote Originally Posted by SMWS6TA View Post
    Sometimes it the simple things that get you.
    You got that right.
    Quote Originally Posted by SMWS6TA View Post
    <<Not going to ask how/why you found ruler man...
    YouTube sure is full of strange stuff.


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