» Site Navigation | | » Recent Threads | | | | | | 04-20-2005, 07:15 PM | #1 | Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 28 | Rattling heat shield I'm sure some of you have had this problem with your heat shield covering the cat in the mid-section of the undercarriage. The rattling sound has been bugging me for months since I got it, and last weekend while putting on my summer wheels, we decided to check it out. We didn't really know what it was so we began unclamping the metal folds around it, guessed it was the cat underneath, and had to re-clamp it. We tried using some wires to secure it to keep it from shifting around (thus rattling) but i seem to have made the sound worse. Before it would only rattle between 2k-2.5k RPMS not it does on idle and at other rpms/speeds. Anyone have a good trick to secure it in place? Thanks in advance. | | | 04-20-2005, 07:44 PM | #2 | I miss my Ti....... :( Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 828 | Are you sure it's a heat shield? Quote: Originally Posted by luckyboy984 I'm sure some of you have had this problem with your heat shield covering the cat in the mid-section of the undercarriage. The rattling sound has been bugging me for months since I got it, and last weekend while putting on my summer wheels, we decided to check it out. We didn't really know what it was so we began unclamping the metal folds around it, guessed it was the cat underneath, and had to re-clamp it. We tried using some wires to secure it to keep it from shifting around (thus rattling) but i seem to have made the sound worse. Before it would only rattle between 2k-2.5k RPMS not it does on idle and at other rpms/speeds. Anyone have a good trick to secure it in place? Thanks in advance. | Most of the hest shields on the E36 cars were like a metal covering vs. a plate that is bolted up. I am thinking that it is detonation that you are hearing in the low load sections. -Chad | | | 04-20-2005, 08:47 PM | #3 | Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: San Diego Posts: 142 | The heat shield in my car is what looks to be some flimsy tinfoil just moulded to the underside of my car around the cat. I however got those same noises that your describing in the low RPM ranges. In my case it seemed that replacing the cat solved the issue; it seemed to have broken up on the inside. Hope that helps. __________________ "You want to know me? Well so do I." 97' naked 318ti | | | 04-20-2005, 08:56 PM | #4 | Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Wilmington, NC Posts: 641 | that ripped off of my car somehow.....it was terrible -chris __________________ 18'' Ace Wheels • Pirelli P7000 SS Tires • Bosal Brospeed Exhaust • B&M Short Throw Kit • H&R Sport Springs • Euro Clears • cat delete • Rogue Engineering Clutch Stop • Modded Airbox • blacked out kidney grilles • Suede Headliner/A Pillars S52 CONVERSION UNDERWAY | | | 04-20-2005, 09:20 PM | #5 | Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Western New York Posts: 31 | I had the same problem. Both the catalyst cover and the heat shield between the fuel tank and exhaust were rattling. Rather than buy a new shield, my mechanic re-bolted it with larger washers to keep it in place. For the catalyst, it looked like he wedged a nut between the two pieces of shield around the catalyst to keep it more rigid. It has definitely helped. Not the most elegant solution, but it has worked a charm on my car. Cheers, Paul. | | | 04-20-2005, 09:30 PM | #6 | Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Great White North! Posts: 701 | I kept hitting it while creeping over speed bumps in parking lots until it also decided to start rattling. SOLUTION: wire snips. I proceeded to cut it off and sprayed a coat of high temperature paint on the cat. cheers, | | | 04-20-2005, 10:28 PM | #7 | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: madison, WI Posts: 402 | yeah I ripped all that crap out when I changed my clutch __________________ Mods: clear turn signals, Silverstar headlight bulbs, k&N custom CAI, removed A/C, lightened crank pulley, painted brakes, custom clutch stop, custom strut bar, x-brace, custom solid tranny mounts, Memphis sound system, Sachs sport clutch, B&M short shifter, lightened flywheel, redline MTL .... Emberrassing honda owners one drive at a time http://members.cardomain.com/mghockey | | | 04-20-2005, 11:04 PM | #8 | aka Stabby Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mead, CO Posts: 5,336 | i need to resecure mine ... again. what is the purpose of this cheap little p.o.s. anyway? to keep things away from the potentially very hot cat? that's my guess so i don't really want to eliminate it completely. although, if it keeps rattling after another attempt to secure it, it may just go into the trash pile. __________________ 1996 318ti, California package, 267k miles current mods: bilstein sports, bavauto springs, e30 m3 LCABs, solid metal ball joints, bavauto RSMs w/reinforcements, e30 3.73 LSD & halfshafts, supersprint cat-back exhaust, turner rear sway bar reinforcements, IE poly subframe & RTABs + camber/toe kits, powdercoated e36 32x front calipers, sport mirrors, H&R 28mmF/19mmR sway bars, x-brace, auto solutions SSK w/poly bushing upgrade, BMW CD43 head unit, DICE HD Radio w/iPod integration and "stealth" HD antenna, staggered style 68s, orange electronic TPMS, leather arm rest, JT Designs metal undertray acquired and awaiting install: heated seat kit, cali top switch relo, lumbar support kit, park distance control kit, heated washer nozzle kit, m-coupe rear subframe, trailing arms, differential, and halfshafts, m-coupe front/rear brakes with master cylinder, under hood light kit, mud flaps, rear sun blind, auto-dimming rear view mirror, tilt steering wheel retrofit, apexcone 5000K HIDs with 55W ballasts 2002 X5 4.4 Sport Package, 53.5k miles Current Mods: e46 m3 steering wheel | | | 04-20-2005, 11:15 PM | #9 | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Brecksville/Cleveland Ohio Posts: 259 | ya you need to put it on a jack and look at it mine came lose because the screw hole rusted a little bit but I just put a washer and a new screw in and it was good as new. | | | 04-21-2005, 12:32 AM | #10 | Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: state college, pa Posts: 3,431 | your exhaust actually needs to be hot to operate correctly, especially the cat. since there's quite a bit of air flowing underneath the car, the engineers needed a way to keep the cat at the right temperature to burn off excess fuel in the exhaust gas. it also helps to speed up the velocity of the exiting gas. you can remove it and use the fiberglass wrap or whatever, or just remove it. you may experience a drop in gas mileage or power without it. if you live a cold part of the country, it's more important you do something to keep the heat around the exhaust than if you live in a warm part of the country. | | | 04-21-2005, 05:19 PM | #11 | Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 28 | thanks guys. i'm going to think about checking the dealership for a new cover, it should be cheap since it just two plates of metal. if that doesnt work, i'll have to try bolting it down, or securing it better with the wire. There are two slots in the undercarriage cover towards the back of the cat. i'm thinking of getting some stronger wire/straps to run through the slots, but i don't know what i'm going to do about the front. | | | 05-14-2005, 12:37 AM | #12 | Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Northern New Jersey Posts: 395 | Mine was dragging underneath my car... or well half of it was, so i spent about an hour in my friend's driveway with a screwdriver and pliers ripping the rest of it off. The car was off for about three hours, and that thing was still hot. When I finally got it off, me and the ground i layed on were covered in rust and soot. The fiberglass stuff was orange from rust, and the aluminum metal cover was mangled. | | | | Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | | Posting Rules | You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts HTML code is Off | | | |