Hey Guys,

I am looking to do some "cleaning up" in the engine bay. I was going to install the seals for the exhaust manifold on the driver's side but realized they already have them. And since I am not getting leaks from that side, I decided to let it be.

The question revolves around the heat shield on the driver's side exh. manifold. Is this needed? The passenger side doesn't have one and the shield made it very difficult to get to the bolts to remove the exh. manifold.

I will have to remove it when I remove the AIR pump and associated systems so I needed to know if should go back on. Plus, if I remove it, that means that aluminum foil coil thing sticking out of the front of it won't be connected anymore (which after looking at it, I don't see what it really does).

Thanks.

 

that's your heat "stove " and we are not talking manifold cooking , your original air intake system should have a valve on the inlet of your filter housing, which closes and forces the air to be drawn through that silver duct. Which makes it draw the air from around your exhaust manifold which obviously gets warm quicker than anything else around there , and so helps warm up your motor quicker


I suppose that would come under the "associated systems" ,if the rest of it is going then no point in keeping that (on the motor anyway)

 

That aluminum foil coil thing connects to your stock air cleaner and if I remember correctly transfers hot air to the carb and again is part of the emission control system!

I know that mine runs perfectly without all that stuff!

 

The things they did to burn off emissions. That is really not fixing anything, but more like preventing people from noticing during tests. lol, Volkswagen anyone?

I wanted to make sure the shield wasn't protecting anything.

 

Basically helps prevent carb icing.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carburetor_heat

 

That gave me a chuckle.

 

Helps your car run well in cold situations. Its not a power robber in any way.

 

I didn't think it was. Just trying to clean out and remove clutter. I only drive the car in the nice months, so I really don't need to worry too much about cold weather and needing to heat up the engine quicker.

The previous owner disconnected the heat riser, so at this point I think most of the smog and warm up the engine quicker stuff is pretty much just taking up space.

 

If you don't think you'll need it, take it off and if you start running into issues then put it back on? No harm in that.

If you don't run in colder weather where this is an issue, then clearly it isn't going to impact you.

 

Don't throw the stuff away. It would be considered part of emissions control stuff in some places. I'm guessing you don't have smog checks where you live since you are asking the question.

 

No, not in Indiana or in Maryland after a certain age.

 

Makes the engine run rich too. Only turn carb heat on below 2000 rpm's.

 

If I am not mistaken...and I might be.....but to remove the steel housings of the stove shield...you will need to remove the exhaust manifold from the engine. Because that half of the housing might not be easily pulled up and out due to its shape. I might be having a 'brain fart' and thinking of another year model.

Also...not that this may matter to some people ...which is fine. BUT having stove shields on the exhaust does prevent or inhibit the immediate radiant heat from the exhaust manifold from effecting the components.

And just look at new Corvettes and how stove shields are used to inhibit this radiant heat. I can say that I have seen an increase in numerous heat shields being added on these Corvettes. Some C4 Corvettes do not have a heat shield for the fuel filter...but later models do...and so on. I always look at the benefit of the part provides before I remove it...but that is just me.

DUB

 

Hey DUB,

Totally agree. That is why I started this thread. The passenger side didn't have one so I didn't know if there was some part(s) on the drivers side that needed to be protected from the extra heat, but it seams that is not the case. It has to do with funneling heat into the intake. I think most agree that is not necessary since I don't drive this car in the cold months.

What do you think?

 

I say take it off! As you suggested earlier, it's clutter! It was totally a 70's emission gimic..."get the motor to operating temp as soon as possible".

 

"aluminum foil thing"?

 

lol, yup. That white/grey tube coming out of the shielding. It felt delicate like aluminum foil.

 

During your start of descent, don't forget the flaps once you're in the white arc!

 

**** SORRY...long reply*****

I honestly feel I am the wrong person to ask.

Doing what I do...and seeing the changes in many areas of these Corvettes has allowed me to realize one thing. That improvements have been made and also there have been some bad design mistakes.
But one thing holds true for me.

IF a component has a value and can provide a benefit...I leave it on. ESPECIALLY if the reason for it being removed is ONLY due to visual appearance.

I am all for customizing a car and letting person make it their own. But I feel that some people do not stop and take the time to consider variables that in time will show themselves and then they realize a mistake has been made. One example: On a 1985 the owner wanted to remove the facotry valve covers due to looking weathered..and wanted to put chrome ones on instead..and I let him know that these chrome valve cover will get hot as all get out due to not having the coating GM applied to the aluminum valve covers to help keep them a bit cooler. I installed one chrome valve cover and drove the car and you could easily feel the difference by touching them....and he still wanted the chrome ones on the engine....instead of doing a little bit of work on the originals and make them look good again. His choice.

One example is an EGR valve. Some take them off due to they do not like how they look. But an EGR does provide a benefit in regards to emissions and do not rob any power of any magnitude that by removing it the owner is now going to have an engine that can smoke the tires.

And then the same thing holds true for those areas that NEED added components to make some of the cars systems perform better. And one example can be... Due to no stove shield on the right exhaust manifold...on Corvettes with A/C...it is wise to make or add some type of heat deflection material on the 'doghouse' of the evaporator case so that area does not get hot and you struggle getting your A.C to really work well. And some will comment.."That is no factory."

I do what I want for me..and I never care about what other people think. And no matter what you choose to do on your car...it isn't up to me to give approval....or anyone else. If it makes you happy...and you weighed out the variables in what you choose to do and if it can come back and bite you due to the benefit of that specific component you removed actually provided...then that is on you. BUT if how good something looks overrides any function a component has and it is going to be removed for appearance only Then make it look how you like it to look and live with the outcome.

And YES...knowing that the tube provides heat to the carb for the colder months...and you are not driving it in the colder months.,..you can do as you wish because other than it being a part of emissions. (which I can not alter due to being in a business)...you can do as you wish.

I just heard (and have not confirmed it) that a north eastern state has instituted emission testing on older cars....so... from what I heard there are some people hunting for the parts that ripped off that are now required.

DUB

 

I'm pretty much in agreement with you on this, DUB. It seems that the stuff people want to remove are those things of which they have little knowledge and/or understanding. Thus, it doesn't seem useful to them.

When thinking about such removals, it's best to first determine what it does...and why...before ditching it. But, that's not very convenient for most owners. Appearance and weight seem to be more important than function.

The fuel vapor collection system is a prime example. It takes no power for it to operate, it has almost no weight, and you can't really see it; but it does keep fuel vapors contained and even burns them later to gain a little energy that would have wafted off into the atmosphere. But, folks still want to discard it. Go figure....