Running with the devil?

[Mikes91]

The heat shield over my Banks turbo cracked in half, and the tag end was rattling against the firewall so I removed it to see what I could do to fix it.

Was wondering how critical this heat shield is. I've been running without it for a few months, but I have a cross-country tow coming up in a couple months and expect that the turbo will get pretty hot pulling the car over the long grades here in CA as well as AZ and NM.

Can I safely run without the heat shield? Between purchase price of a new one and paying someone to install it, it'll probably cost me a few hundred bucks... but I don't mind the expense if the heat shield is truly protecting things from a meltdown. My good judgment says to fix it. The amount of time I have to deal with the problem, though, is minimal due to other obligations (i.e., school is top priority and the truck cannot interfere with that.)


Mike

 

[akoldnav]

I bought some airplane firewall insulation from an aviation supply store that seems to han dle the heat alright. Just stuff it behind the turbo.

akoldnav

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

If you could remove it yourself, then you have the ability to put it back on.

Have it MIG-welded and put it back on.

No big deal.

 

[Mikes91]

If you could remove it yourself, then you have the ability to put it back on.

Have it MIG-welded and put it back on.

No big deal.

I stuck some JB Weld on it. Hey, it works everywhere else... Probably not good enough for the heat shield, though...

The problem with just putting it back on is, I'm not sure how much of it I am missing... I thought the thing bolted to the firewall somewhere down there... but it looks like mine is ripped clean in half, as I only have a ragged inch or so of tag end below the actual shield portion of the heatshield...

I could probably get it back on there, but wonder if there's more of the heat shield still attached somewhere where I can't see... I'll try to get a pic tomorrow.

Mike

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

How close is the turbo to the firewall??

Mine is within an inch with nothing behind it but firewall metal.

It has been that way for 20 years hard cattle hauling with no negative effect.

You probably can just do without it and never miss it.

A lot of stuff like that is more high-price show than function.