"Heat Shields" On A 2005 Accord Problem

Hello,

Not too automotive sharp, so would be grateful for some advice on this.

My son has a 2005 Honda Accord with 175K on it now.

Dealership just told him that the "Heat Shield," and the "Rear Heat
Shield" are 90 % gone.

Guess there are apparently two heat shield in question ?

a. Is this a safety issue ?

b. what are these things, exactly ?

c. If they are 90% gone, I assume the other 10 % will go shortly ?
What's your opinion on this; a few months probably ?

The Dealership wanted $ 500 to replace.
Reasonable, or...?

Much thanks,
Bob

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Bob > wrote in :


>
> Dealership just told him that the "Heat Shield," and the "Rear Heat
> Shield" are 90 % gone.



Typical.



>
> Guess there are apparently two heat shield in question ?



Probably more than that.


>
> a. Is this a safety issue ?



Kinda sorta. If you tend to park over tall grass a lot and you heat-shields
are missing, then there's a slim possibility of setting the grass
a-smolder, or maybe even afire.



>
> b. what are these things, exactly ?



Pieces of thin sheet-metal that are formed to fit closely around the
catalytic converter and some of the exhaust pipes, but just loosely enough
that air can circulate between shield and pipe.



>
> c. If they are 90% gone, I assume the other 10 % will go shortly ?
> What's your opinion on this; a few months probably ?



Can't say. Depends on the specific situation.

Usually they get loose because they get rusty. They will then cause odd
buzzing, rattling, and sizzling sounds as the engine is revved


>
> The Dealership wanted $ 500 to replace.
> Reasonable, or...?


Replacing with new? That's probably a reasonable amount. Go see an
independent garage. The indy place will have options that most dealers
aren't willing to perfomr.

For instance, often you can extend their life by simply clamping them in
place using ordinary worm-drive hose clamps.




--
Tegger

Bob > wrote in :


>
> Dealership just told him that the "Heat Shield," and the "Rear Heat
> Shield" are 90 % gone.



Typical.



>
> Guess there are apparently two heat shield in question ?



Probably more than that.


>
> a. Is this a safety issue ?



Kinda sorta. If you tend to park over tall grass a lot and you heat-shields
are missing, then there's a slim possibility of setting the grass
a-smolder, or maybe even afire.



>
> b. what are these things, exactly ?



Pieces of thin sheet-metal that are formed to fit closely around the
catalytic converter and some of the exhaust pipes, but just loosely enough
that air can circulate between shield and pipe.



>
> c. If they are 90% gone, I assume the other 10 % will go shortly ?
> What's your opinion on this; a few months probably ?



Can't say. Depends on the specific situation.

Usually they get loose because they get rusty. They will then cause odd
buzzing, rattling, and sizzling sounds as the engine is revved


>
> The Dealership wanted $ 500 to replace.
> Reasonable, or...?


Replacing with new? That's probably a reasonable amount. Go see an
independent garage. The indy place will have options that most dealers
aren't willing to perfomr.

For instance, often you can extend their life by simply clamping them in
place using ordinary worm-drive hose clamps.




--
Tegger

On Fri, 29 Aug 2014 11:56:53 +0000 (UTC), Tegger >
wrote:

>
>Bob > wrote in :
>>
>> Dealership just told him that the "Heat Shield," and the "Rear Heat
>> Shield" are 90 % gone.
>
>Typical.
>
>>
>> Guess there are apparently two heat shield in question ?
>
>Probably more than that.
>>
>> a. Is this a safety issue ?
>
>Kinda sorta. If you tend to park over tall grass a lot and you heat-shields
>are missing, then there's a slim possibility of setting the grass
>a-smolder, or maybe even afire.
>
>>
>> b. what are these things, exactly ?
>
>Pieces of thin sheet-metal that are formed to fit closely around the
>catalytic converter and some of the exhaust pipes, but just loosely enough
>that air can circulate between shield and pipe.
>>
>> c. If they are 90% gone, I assume the other 10 % will go shortly ?
>> What's your opinion on this; a few months probably ?
>
>Can't say. Depends on the specific situation.
>
>Usually they get loose because they get rusty. They will then cause odd
>buzzing, rattling, and sizzling sounds as the engine is revved
>>
>> The Dealership wanted $ 500 to replace.
>> Reasonable, or...?
>
>Replacing with new? That's probably a reasonable amount. Go see an
>independent garage. The indy place will have options that most dealers
>aren't willing to perfomr.
>
>For instance, often you can extend their life by simply clamping them in
>place using ordinary worm-drive hose clamps.

Huh. Even though I live in Los Angeles and with no salt on the roads
I guess they mostly last forever, I had one get bent by road debris,
went to the dealer because of the rattle, and the guy just bent it
back by hand and sent me on my way for free - best service I've gotten
at a dealer in a long time!

But why aren't these made of some better material if this is a common
problem, I mean it's not like the exhaust system rots and falls off in
the same time frame? Seems like ten dollars in material could prevent
a nuisance and $500 repair in, well, nine year old cars?


J.

JRStern > wrote in
:

> I live in Los Angeles and with no salt on the roads
> I guess they mostly last forever,



It's the salt that kills them.

If you've never lived in the north-east, then you've never experienced
the hell that is rust.


>
> But why aren't these made of some better material if this is a common
> problem,



I've wondered that myself. How much extra could semi-stainless cost over
mild steel?



--
Tegger

On Sat, 30 Aug 2014 00:02:50 +0000 (UTC), Tegger >
wrote:

>JRStern > wrote in
:
>
>> I live in Los Angeles and with no salt on the roads
>> I guess they mostly last forever,
>
>
>
>It's the salt that kills them.
>
>If you've never lived in the north-east, then you've never experienced
>the hell that is rust.

Hah, I did for most of my childhood, then moved back for a couple of
years as an adult. And heck, back in the day even average cars in
California commonly rusted through after ten years or so, I've had my
foot through the floorboards on several. I guess things are somewhat
better these days.

When I had to drive for the first time on snowy roads every day, I
wondered how the natives avoided accidents. I learned: they don't!

J.



>
>
>>
>> But why aren't these made of some better material if this is a common
>> problem,
>
>
>
>I've wondered that myself. How much extra could semi-stainless cost over
>mild steel?