NissTech: Catalytic converter shield

You're wasting NissTech on questions like this. :)

Yea, that happens. My 240sx doesn't have a heat shield left anywhere on it, AFAIK. Well, maybe the exhaust manifold still has one, I can't remember.

The first time one came loose, I tack welded it back on. Six months later, it was loose again. So, I just started ripping them off as they failed.

I've heard talk that some states (MA in particular) will be starting to check for the shields during vehicle inspections. I don't live in one of those states, so I don't care. Besides, it's an unsubstantiated rumor anyway.

You can not bother :) The shield doesn't serve any purpose except to keep the cat from setting things on fire. So, don't park over a pile of dry leaves when you're done four-wheeling to your remote mountain retreat and you'll be fine.

Thanks. Just wondering--does the shield block any heat that can be felt in the passenger area?

Silly question, but should I remove the plate that now sits loosely on top of the converter? Even though it's not attached to anything, it's in a tight space and doesn't seem likely to fall out.

Dunno, as I said, it's unsubstantiated rumor.

I'll expand a little bit on what I said, so that you can have the same information that I do.

I lived in Massachusetts until about 18 months ago. The information that I offered above came out of a conversation I had with a station owner a few months before we moved away. We were talking about the change that we'd seen in Massachusetts inspections over the last 10-12 years - I can remember when getting your car inspected didn't even involve *getting out of the car*.

I mentioned that it always seemed strange to me that they didn't even pull wheels. I grew up in PA, and (for as long as I can remember) they've always pulled opposite corners every other year.

The station owner told me that pulling corners to check for brakes was coming. He then went on to say that other then-future plans for the inspection procedure would include checking for thrown codes on the OBDII systems. If, for example, you filled you car up with gas at some point without turning it off, you'll fail and pay to have the ecu reset.

He also specifically mentioned that they would be required to check that all of the factory heat shields were still intact.

Are you from Massachusetts, Bob? If you have more current accurate information, I'd be curious to hear it. As I said, I only heard this from one guy around two years ago, so things could have changed. .

| The shield doesn't serve any purpose except to | keep the cat from setting things on fire.

I suspect this shield is meant to protect the catalytic*converter from damage / rd salt, or to keep * hot enough in deep winter for

• to work : the same reason most japanese exhaust manifolds have a glossy cover.

I'll see what I can find out. I've had discussions with certain officials concerning modifications to vehicles (like a sport exhaust) and have been told that as long as you meet the requirements for noise and retain the cats, and pass the smog test, it's OK in MA.

Perhaps they are considering a CA like regulation where you can't change the exhaust system pre-cat and the rumor mill has changed that to "no changes at all to the stock system" and the far fetched "you can flunk if even a heat shield is missing".

I guess the source of that is that some inspection operators were run over by consumers driving into the garage. Then they added the dyno test and they didn't want you lining it up on the platform.

One of the few things they don't check. I think the stations would howl if they required them to do that for $29. The public will howl if they raise the price any more. Since the Fed's don't mandate it, I suspect that no governor will want to be the guy who forces it.

They are checking for codes already. A C/E almost indicates a failure in an emissions related component. The reason for the OBDII check is that some folks get a CEL and then pull the light bulb to pass the inspection. So now they will check the computer itself. BTW - a CEL resets after a certain number of starts and if it does not get triggered again it will be erased from the computer. You won't fail for having _had_ a CEL, you fail for _having_ a CEL.

Bob

I wrote that. Learn how to properly attribute, Sport.

Nope.

And nope again.

| Learn how to properly attribute. OE6 offers users 3 choices to indent original text. Do you prefer this >> ( confuseable with "more than" ) ?

Do you know the minimum exhaust gas temperature required by a *, to work ( convert gases ) ?

Shields do nothing. i have a friend who owns a muffler shop and I see shields removed all the time. I'm sure the shield is intended to keep you from starting a fire if you park in tall grass.

Perhaps. I'll call MA and verify it.

Well, first there's a difference between regulation and legislative action. Legislative action in this case establishes the fees and provides for the appropriate governmental bodies to establish the _regulations_ that will govern the process. It has nothing to do with statutes.

Read 'em and weep:

"March 19, 1999 - Massachusetts Environmental Affairs Secretary Robert Durand today announced proposed rules for the Massachusetts Enhanced Motor Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) Program. The safety tests will take about 12 minutes, the dynamometer test will take an additional 12 minutes."

Bob