Ok, so I started getting this annoying sound a few months ago, and after a while I finally figured out that it is the heat shield above the passenger side cat. It rattles when there isnt enough weight on the passenger side (ie. somebody isnt sitting in the passenger seat), which happens to be a lot for me, or whenever i hit some bumpy patches of road. To make a long story short, it annoys the heck out of me. I have come to the conclosion that its only there because of the cat, because it is absent from the driver's side (the cat on the driver's side is pushed up farther on the manifold). My idea is that since Im removing the cats in a few weeks anyways, it shouldnt hurt anything if I go ahead and rid myself of this dreadful piece of metal should it?

 

I haven't had any heat shields on my car for over a year now, no problems.

 

Sounds good...I think I will definitely be removing those this weekend. Were you able to get them off with the stock exhaust in place, or did you already have aftermarket exhaust?

 

same here......almost 2 years for me

 

i just removed the small portion of mine on the passenger side...it did reduce that stupid rattle...but i think i might also take the rest of it off...especially since i have a ceramic coated ypipe...i dont think you will have a problem...my buddy has had all of his off on his z for about 2 years and he has had no problems whatsoever...and there is no rattle either

 

Awesome...exactly what I wanted to hear. Nothing will make me smile more right now that to get rid of that evil rattle!

 

How many heat shields are under the car total?
That's a good weight savings that I never thought about.

 

took mine off too! never had a problem. also there is no problem getting them out because it is just thin metal you can bend it anyway you need to. I think I took off about 4 diffrent pieces, but left the one guarding my fuel lines.

 

Mine came off as the the stock exhaust came off and the aftermarket headers went on. I had planned on keeping them on, but during the header install, I suffered one to many cuts on my hands from the heatshields, so in a raging fury, I yanked them all off and threw them into the street.

 

Hell yeah those damn things are sharp!

 

Did any of you guys remove yours because of rattling or were they removed for other reasons?

 

well the part i took off was because of the rattling..i originally had no plan to take them off, even when i changed my headers out, but like i said my friend has had his off since he got the car and he hasnt had a problem...