Rattling catalytic heat shield questions.

[crholliday]

Howdy,

Last week I took delivery of a '94 LC I poached on eBay. Happily, a local mechanic gave it the "its in amazing shape for having 150k miles" dance. Unfortunately, said mechanic was unaware of the HG problems commonly found in 80s. In fact, he went so far as to guffaw with denial that such a preposterous thing could ever happen to a Cruiser. NEXT! Anyone know of a solid cruiser mechanic in Oklahoma City area?

So... the one problem that I do have is a rattling in the Cat or the heat sheild. Having been lurking here for a few weeks, I have decided not to make any rash decisions without first consulting with the sage board of advisors on this... um board. The rattling happens pretty much all the time but is more detectable at lower revs since the motor is making less noise. The bonehead mech said he could make it stop by clamping the heat sheild but a muffler shop would be better suited to fixin it.

Anything I should know about? OEM heat sheild?

Thanks,

Chris

 

[Doc]

Mine does the same thing. You know how I fixed it (well, of course you don't- I haven't told you yet...)?

I ripped that sucker off of there.

No more heat shield rattles.

A more civilized solution would be to take it to a muffler shop and have them weld another heat shield to the body so that your floor doesn't get hot, and remove the old shield.

It makes a BIG difference. Also check the heat shields on the header just behind the passenger's front tire, there should be two clamps holding them tightly. Mine were long since rusted away, I used two 3" hose clamps to eliminate the rattles from them.

 

[jesterb]

JB Weld baby!

 

[Beowulf]

>> The bonehead mech said he could make it stop by clamping the heat sheild <<
>> but a muffler shop would be better suited to fixin it. <<

Chris,
He wasn't such a bonehead as clamping the heat shield is a common way to fix the rattling and a muffler shop would do a more expensive and more permanent fix by welding new brackets.

If you've been reading for weeks then maybe this is redundant information but one of the first things you should do with a new-to-you FZJ80 is to make sure the cooling system is in good shape. This is especially important at this time of year. The cooling system inspection should include all the hoses; especially the PHH. (Search will give lots of info on the PHH and pics are on Christo's site.)

-B-

 

[GXO]

sounds like the bonehead wasn't such a big one...

I would get a chuckle if said mechanic was a regular here though hehehe.

 

[ginericLC]

I ditch the heat shields. And really a 94 might not be so prone to having a head gasket problem. My 94 has 190,572 miles on it and I think the only thing that has been opened up on that motor is the valve cover. I did seperate the intake to clean it, but no head gasket or seal repairs. I'm going to need to do a rear main seal eventually, but even that leak is very minor.

As for the cat covers, I would remove them entirely and build a shield for the floor. How they are designed they are prone to getting weeds caught in them. When they heat up all of a sudden you are liable for the fire that just started. The huge band clamp can remedy it for awhile. The better the band clamp you buy the longer the fix. Also I'd wear a mask when working on this as there is some nasty fiberous stuff between the shield and the cat. Who knows what kind of cancer causing agent is in that stuff?

 

[crholliday]

Thanks for the suggestions and comments.

<snip>
He wasn't such a bonehead as clamping the heat shield is a common way to fix the rattling and a muffler shop would do a more expensive and more permanent fix by welding new brackets.
</snip>

The mech wasn't a bonehead for the clamping_the_shield comment, he had already achieved boneheadedness from the HG comment - he was adament that no cruisers ever had HGs blow. He may be a dang good wrench, but I am really hopin to find a dang good wrench who also knows cruisers.

Gracias,

C.

 

[crholliday]

Took it to the muffler shop after work. The heat shield was missing the front passenger bolt and the hole was kinda torn up. The guy welded the shield closed and that fixed the noise.

Total cost $10

C.

 

[semlin]

I would not take the heat shields off a 93 or 94. The side by side cats generate a lot of heat which you can really feel in the passenger floor on long drives. That may be one reason the cat desighn changed in 95.

my experience is that many "landcruiser" mechanics still know absolutely zip about the 80 series which are still being serviced by deakers. They are used to older cast iron motors and part time front birfs on the earlier part time 4wd models, so they have no clue about the two main weaknesses of an 80. What he says is maybe true applied to a 3FE or ealier motor.

 

[scottm]

prone to getting weeds caught in them --snip-- there is some nasty fiberous stuff between the shield and the cat. Who knows what kind of cancer causing agent is in that stuff?

Gee, I wonder what that fibrous stuff could be???

Clamps have worked for me for the past year on both trucks, had to move one once.

 

[Dan_J-spec_fj62]

if you are looking for mechainic or just wheeling friends the guys in this club are really cool and all around a great bunch of cruiser heads

www.greencountrycruisers.com

dan

 

[nyk438]

I had an exhaust leak after the cat and I had that banging noise or whatever and I just ripped off the heat shield and have been running it like that since. Any long term effects this could have on me that would make me run outside and bolt it back on?

 

[landtoy80]

I used one hose clamp and one muffler clamp. The hose clamp is rusting. The muffler clamp will last ALONG time.

 

[NovaFZJ80]

have the rattling cat/heat shield as well.. looks like one of the fasteners rusted/snapped off...haven't had a chance to look at it yet. but might try the wire hanger first to tie it down, or use the rad clamps mentioned...

 

[landtoy80]

I now have 3 muffler clamps and one hose clamp holding the heat shied on the pipe before the cat. I have wire holdiing the top heat shield on as I need to get harder grade SS bolts that are on the cat flanges. I used hardware store SS bolts to hold the cat on. I don't know the grade. They have THE on the head. They held up a year and they made removing the cats "more better" as they didn't rust and freeze up.
SS bolts on the cat heat shield help for removal too.

 

[landtoy80]

Pic update. Added pic to last post.