Heatshields with catless headers?

[M3mike]

Just finished installing catless headers. People running catless did you reinstall both heatshields? Didn't feel like messing with them for now so currently running with them off.

Side question - After installing my catless headers with no post-cat 02 sensors and SAP deleted I have no check engine light. Does this mean a previous owner already coded out?

[clawhamm3r]

Both? I left the main one off but might put it back on. Wondering if heatsoaking my AC lines is a good idea. What other shield is there. The one on the AC line side? I bent that one up over my lines but like I said rethinking that approach now 5 years later lol.

It takes a while for the light to come on. I would get it every few days and clear it.

[Obioban]

I’m running both, despite the headers being swaintech coated. The less heat in the engine bay, the better.

[DiscoWagon]

They're a bitch to get back on, but definitely worth the additional heat protection. The factory wouldn't put them there if they weren't crucial.

How long have you driven with the headers? The CEL might still come on a little later.

[Sharocks]

I didn't throw mine back on because I wanted to see them. I'm swaintech coated but idk if they even do a damn thing lol

[Triqzy]

I didn't put my heat shields back on and I got state reffed when I popped the hood in CA. With the shield on, there's almost no way CHP would've see the catless headers and it would've saved me a LARGE headache and hit to my wallet. Food for thought. I live in California though so YMMV.

[bigjae46]

I have heat shields on. I’d be more concerned when you park the car and then all of that heat rises...expansion tank, coolant hose, SAP...I’m sure the radiant heat from the headers doesn’t help.


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[M3mike]

Glad I don't live in California, sounds like a huge hassle. Looks like ill be putting them back on.

CEL came on today. So far I'm loving it catless, I bought an Ar-20 resonator but unsure if I'll put it on.

[Exclusivs]

I have heat shields on. I’d be more concerned when you park the car and then all of that heat rises...expansion tank, coolant hose, SAP...I’m sure the radiant heat from the headers doesn’t help.


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Exactly! No clue why you would not run them. And people seem to think the expansion tank is REALLY far from the engine, therefore doesn’t fail. I respectfully disagree with this, it’s still very close and takes a ton of heat already.


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[R1pilot]

Running all heatshields with euro headers.

[Johnvu]

I am running heat shield with Megan Headers. I personally wouldn't want all of the heat in the engine bay.

On another note, has anyone put a thermal blanket in the area to prevent heat from rising? This thought just popped up in my head while I was reading LOL.

[rbg]

What do you guys think about wrapping them to even further reduce engine bay temperature?

[Sharocks]

What do you guys think about wrapping them to even further reduce engine bay temperature?

Nah because if oil drips on them and you have a spark of some sort, now M3 is very hot.

[Darbshaw]

Personally I wrapped my headers with no heat shield and the temp reduction over the stock setup is unreal.

As for the oil dripping on it and some sort of spark. I could see this being some kind of issue if the exhaust wrap wasn’t heat resistant as is. This would make me to believe these are highly flame resistant as well. I imagine if I took the time to reinstall my old heat shield with the wrap that engine bay would be extremely cool.

If you haven’t wrapped yours I would def look into doing it, made engine bay temps way cooler. More like stepping into the warm sun rather than a brick oven when opening the hood.


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[Cubieman]

I managed to installed my Euro headers without removing the heatsheild around the AC lines, probably why I kept messing my up my hands though.