[Smoky]

BTW, a note for what I guess applies to 07 owners at least, regarding the heat shield...

I've read many posts about the heat shield being very difficult to remove. I did not find this to be the case on my car. On 07's at least it pretty much comes right out.

Pretty much.

As has been described about removing the header, it is like a "puzzle". First you need to be wearing Mechanix gloves or something similar, something thick and tough. I got through this entire install with ZERO scratches and cuts, if you can believe it. I cut myself more on the inside of the dashboard!

Basically what I did was remove the "panel" on the passenger's side, as per babak's writeup (stickied). After the exhaust is removed, continue removing the other 8mm bolts..2 on the rear wall, 5 on the front wall.

Then, since the exhaust is removed the passenger-side heatshield "mount" or bracket is already loose (the 4 hanger bolts you removed here also loosened this bracket). Now you just need to remove the four bolts on the other hanger mount, above the u-turn pipe. It's a tight squeeze but actually pretty easy to do with a ratcheting closed-end wrench.

With both left- and right-side heat shield mount brackets loose from their bolts, and all other bolts removed you can begin removing the shield. Mine was not "glued" to the floor of the trunk or anything. Once the bolts came off, the head shield was completely loose.

Now comes the puzzle part: you will need to bend parts of the heat shield, primarily the pieces around the toe links and around the back of the cat and u-pipe. Just a bit here, and then a bend there. You do this one little piece at a time as you maneuver the heat shield around from the form-fitted areas. The large flat panels in front, top, and rear do not need to be bent much, if at all. They will mostly be flexed.

The trick to the puzzle is that you are just rotating the heat shield out of the area. If you were facing the rear passenger wheel from the outside of the car you can imagine that you are rotatating the entire shield counter-clockwise out of the car.

Once you get the key areas worked out it comes out quick. Start with the toe link area and get them free, then rotate a little. Then the u-pipe will be the next hangup. The u-joint heat shield and larger heat shield get caught up. Just work one piece loose at a time, rotating more and more each time, until the whole thing comes free.

Reinstall is 100% easier, especially once the heat shield is trimmed!

I used a cut-off tool for trimming the panel. There are some solid bars running through it that need to be cut (right next to the heat shield mount brackets). Real easy to do though. Very straightforward. Don't use a dremel! This stuff is too thick.

Cheers