the metal shield covering the catalyst converter, right under the valve cover, I'm not much into engine stuff.. there's a wire connected to the motor which feeds through that.. could I remove that to take the metal piece?

I'd like to paint that part cause it's all rusted up

 

The wire thats going into it is the o2 sensor and you will have to remove it before you can take the heat shield off (you might be able to just unplug it from the harness and slide the heat shield over the plug). Be sure you paint the heat shield with Hi-temp paint so it won't burn/flake off.

 

Yeah you can remove it no problem. Just make sure you give it time to cool down cause that thing gets HOT

 

Great thanks!

Yep I've done my research for the painting, I'm pretty much set for it
just one more question, when using high temp paint, is adhesive promoter really necessary? The high temp paint has adhesive already in it.. and I've seen some DIY's on brake calipers done without an adhesive promoter

Any thoughts?

 

Just a heads up for Cashis_EG8, the link in your sig for the wheels special doesn't work

 

Just sand it good or take it and have it glassbeaded to get any dirt/oil off of it before you paint it. You don't need the adhesive promotor on it as long as you prep the surface.

 

you can take it off, but i've heard mechanics talk about how it might warp the radiator or ac plastic fan blades over time from the heat. however, i've seen plenty of hondas running big turbos where the manifolds almost touch the fan shroud and haven't had any probs. go figgure.

 

When you take that o2 sensor out of the bung, don't do that with the engine cold. Drive it real hard right before you pull the sensor. 2 reasons... 1) much easier to get the thing out when it's hot. 2) the manifold is cast iron, so the threads won't strip out like they will with a hot head and spark plugs.

You really need an o2 sensor socket and a breaker bar. You can buy them at Pep Boy's or Sears if you don't have them.

Also, soak all of the bolts and the sensor down with PB Blaster every time the car is driven for 24 hours before you remove it. Doing this stuff should save you an assload of back problems, because they don't easily budge when the engine's cold.

When you paint that thing, just remember that even Hi-Temp paints will burn off, and that thing will very quickly return to its previous appearance. If you were to have it bead blasted, it will take it down to bare metal. But if you touched it with your hands afterwards, you'd see those places corroded by the next day. The only right way to do it is to have it coated, but you could replace it with an aftermarket header for about that much money. My favorite is Jet-Hot. http://www.jet-hot.com/

PS: use a new exhaust manifold and catalytic converter gasket when you reassemble it, and don't leave the heat shield off unless it's jet-coated.

 

I've been getting away with no heat shield on my civc, but my D15B7 doesn't really radiate that much heat... that, and the radiator and fan isn't close to the exhaust manifold. It's in front of the transmission. But the real reason it's not on my car is that I found my motor in the dirt, and it didn't have one on it, and I'm too lazy to frequent the junkyards to look for a heat shield. I just deal with the rustyness.

so... That's why I say it will rust back almost immediately. I had painted and baked mine. 9 coats. I watched it rust back almost as bad as it was within 4 days, right through the hi-temp paint. It's a cast iron part and those rust really easy. Hi-temp paint really ain't worth a shit.

 

new exhaust manifold and catalytic converter gasket? not that much of an engine man could u fill me in on that?

I was just thinking of removing it, paint it well, and replacing it.