joseph_99tl

i got these megan headers.
they've been rattling since i got them.
i took off the catalytic conv cover.
now the rattling is gone.

HOW LONG CAN DRIVE WITH THE CAT HEAT SHIELD OFF?.

acutee

It is a heat shield. You can have it off indefinitely, but make sure nothing is too close that can get melted.

sbuswell

I would just a new heat shield and bolt it back on tight, then it won't rattle. Mine heat shield rattles too and I found out it was a bolt that rusted off, so tomorrow I will use a steel clamp to fix it, no big deal.

Kyle8705

dont waste your money on another heat shield its unnecessary

Pure Adrenaline

iTrader: (2)

Don't park over leaves, grass, or anything flammable. Other than that, no risks to the car.

joseph_99tl

yea, 1 bolt was gone and 1 snapped when it took it off.
thats prolly what was rattling.

loving my megans a little more, now.

t0ast

Should be no problem if you're driving since the wind will cool everything. Just be wary of idling and the leaves thing.

benzo555

The problem can be solved with 2 big oversize hose clamps.

sbuswell

The heat shield is there for a reason. I personally want it there, especially in the fall when leaves are everywhere! I have an oversized hose clamp I will be installing today to get rid of the rattle.

ResidualFreedom

Put spacers on the cat bolts.. Here's what I did..



The key is finding four bolts that are approx 2 inches in legngh.. inch and a half would work but it's easier with two inch.

1. Remove the bolts holding the cat cover on .

2. Get four new, longer bolts to use in place of the stock cat cover bolts.

3. Attach the new bolts to the one side of the cat cover,

4. Now on the opposite side of the (first) cat cover, attach two nuts to each bolt..

5. Then put the (first) cat cover onto the cat under the car.

6. Now attach another two nuts onto each of the bolts holding the (first) cat cover to the cat.

7. Attach the (second) cat cover to the cat, you may need to drill out the nuts welded to the (second) cat cover. Depending on the replacement bolts you choose, the ones I had lying around in the garage had a different thread pattern then the stock nuts so the replacement bolts would not properly screw into them. I quickly drilled out the center of the nuts to fix that problem.

8. Finally, attach another nut to each of the bolts, thus keeping everything, each cat cover and the cat, properly secured together, and spaced (by the nuts in steps 4 and 6) apart enough to clear the flange causing the ratteling.


Tada... Your cat cover is now properly on your car, spaced away from the cat, and it only took an hour MAX of your time..

sbuswell

very detailed DIY for such an easy task. I said screw it and just took mine off today. All the bolts were rusted and ready to fall off, I know because when I took my raquet to them the heads on the bolts broke off very easily. I will probably get a new cat sooner or later anyway as mine has 116+k miles on it and the flanges are very rusted also. The rest of my exhaust looks great, but the cat is nasty looking. No more rattles now either and after a little over a year my Stones are looking great and not that much resonsnce at all.