Fixing A Heat Shield on a Car

Learning to fix your own car can save you hundreds, even thousands of dollars over a lifetime.  Many repairs are simple while others are more complex and require specialized tools.  A vast majority of repairs and routine maintenance are not difficult, but do require some research and most of all confidence.

I did not grow up working on cars.  My dad is a real renaissance man and a jack of many trades.  He is a regular McGuyver and can really think outside the box to fix just about anything.  He taught me a great deal and has given me the confidence to tackle just about anything.  Since we have been home owners, his expertise has saved us thousands of dollars and bailed us out of several predicaments.  Even though he is very mechanical, he never really got into cars.  Cars were foreign to me.

I started working on cars when I bought my Alfa Romeo a few years back.  I knew owning a 30 year old, Italian roadster would be a challenge.  With the Internet, there is so much assistance available.  You can hop on a forum or watch a YouTube video on just about any procedure.  These guys have forgotten more about cars than I will ever know.  Being a novice the most difficult thing is the diagnosis of a problem.  Google is your friend, put in the model of the car and the symptoms.  You will eventually find the answer.

Let's start with something simple.  This winter has been long, cold and snowy here in Buffalo.  The roads are in rough shape and with the snow being so deep, it took its toll on the heat shields on both of our cars.  Heat shields are thin pieces of aluminum that sit between the exhaust and the car body.  The tell tail signs of a heat shield being loose is a rattling noise that sounds like firecrackers in a tin can.  It can sometime happen all the time, sometimes when you first start up, or at a certain speed.  Typically what happens is the metal wears with time around the bolts that hold them in place.  Then the bolts are no longer holding the aluminum tight to the body.  The heat shield can also crack completely.  Both are easy to fix!

The first type, where the aluminum pulled through the bolt and washer is a pretty easy fix.  You have two options:  1.) Buy some washers big enough to take up the space, or 2.) use some scrap aluminum duct work to make your own washer.  For option 2, just use some tin snips to cut out a square bigger than the hole that pulled through the aluminum.  It does not have to be exact or pretty, no one will ever see except you and the your oil change guy (who you will never visit again after reading this blog).  Then drill a 3/8" or so hole through the aluminum square.  I use a 3/8" spade bit.  Tip: If using the spade bit, punch a small hole as a guide.  Then take off the bolt where it pulled through and use your aluminum square as a washer.

The second type of repair is when the aluminum actually cracks, partially or completely.  For type 2, I needed to go and buy a pop rivet gun.  I have borrowed my Dad's in the past and it always comes in handy.  It was time I bite the bullet and invest in one.  The one I purchased was $18 at Lowes.  The one I bought was the Arrow Rivet Tool Kit.   It came with the pop rivet gun, carrying case and some rivets, though a larger size than I needed.  Harbor Freight has several models to choose from that will save you a few bucks.

The first step is to make some templates for the parts that you need to repair.  In my case, I had damaged areas as denoted with the red arrows.  I needed to model the upper left damage using the bottom left as a template.  For the other two cracks, I just kind of winged it.  Once you have the shapes, use tin snips to cut out the proper shape.  I already had tin snips, so I did not have to buy a pair, you can find a pair at Harbor Freight for $6.  Then, drill holes about the size of the rivet.  They expand when you pop them in.  Once you have the holes through the new piece of aluminum and the broken piece, just keep pumping the rivet gun until it pops.  It is a wonderful tool.  

This was a pretty easy fix, but I did have to buy some tools.  The great thing about tools, is that they pay dividends every time you use them.  

Did I save any money?  The replacement parts for the Subaru was $38 and for the Vibe $45.    $18 invested, $65 saved.

Once you gain confidence with repairs like this, you will work yourself up to brakes, belts, oil changes, etc.  Each saving you money and building your confidence to take on larger repairs.