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YOUR RESEARCHExhaust manifold noisy heat 'shield'
Leading reported evidence
Replace last week
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
Put it all back together and took the car in to get the catalytic converter replaced last week.
Leading evidence: 'Replace last week' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Replace last week' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
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3 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Porsche Forum Australia: 1 discussions
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Question:
I have a 1988 944s that makes a rattling vibration noise at 2850 to 3000rpm in all gears.
Some have said my timing belt has slipped a tooth, its my catalytic converter or muffler heat shield. Or a lose bag of nuts in the drivers seat.
I have had my kid hold the rpm to 2850 and I’ve looked under the bonnet & under the car to try and find the rattle. I put a metal rod on all sorts of parts to eliminate potential culprits. I believe its a heat shield under the exhaust manifold which protects the oil filter & power steering reservoir at the front and the universal joint in the steering shaft in the rear at the bottom near the structural cross member.
There is very little reference to the heat shield it in the Porsche workshop manuals or PET other than one diagram which says "shield". It is very concealed & difficult to see, let alone touch. It has one attachment point, that I can find, behind the power steering reservoir, a 8mm? hex head bolt, to the hard coolant tube which feeds or returns from the cabin heater. There is 2 hex head bolts in the middle of the shield which I believe may bolt 2 halves of the shield together. Or is this another attachment point?
The rear bottom half, is lose and vibrates at the 2850 rpm. The whole back half is unsupported as far as I can tell. I can move the rear half of the heat shield when pushed with a finger or screw driver, when the motor is cold.
So I believe my attachment in the rear/bottom of the shield is broken, fallen off maybe not re installed after maintenance by a previous owner.
Now my question: Does anyone know how the back/bottom of the heat shield is attached
?
Looking up from under the car, near where the steering shaft is, I can see a couple empty, I think, threaded holes in its aluminium engine casting. Is this where a bracket attaches to the back half of the shield?
Very difficult to take any pictures, as its very crowded in there.
Reading on the Rennlist site, it was mentioned that the shield is different between different 944 model/years. Some turbo owner have removed the shield, due to noise, and wrapped their exhaust manifold in a glass weave insulating tape.
I am not sure how you would do much to this shield without pulling the motor.
Any advise would be much appreciated.
Just like to add a conclusion to this post.
Pulled out the heat shield under the manifold which allowed me to fix a couple coolant leaks on old hoses at the same time. Got the heat shield out but was unable to see any contact scratches or bumps where it was contacting. Part of the problem is that it was a PITA to get out so I added lots of new scratches to the heat shield. Put it all back together and took the car in to get the catalytic converter replaced last week. Well that eliminated 98% of my rattle! I'm estatic. The 2% left is a very small contact on the heat shield, & I know where its contacting. Sorry very tight confines so no photo available at this point.
Now onto my next project.
