[mx1]

I tried searching, but couldn't find a good answer. I removed my heat shield about a month ago and had had a Von Hep installed. All seemed ok with the heat.

I had to cry uncle on the Von Hep. It is too loud for me. So, I very reluctantly put my stock exhaust back on tonight. I did a quick 20 min drive around the neighborhood and after parking, the rear clam above the muffler seems really hot. Is this a problem???

I will likley be selling the Von Hep when I have time to pack it up.

Thanks

Rob

 

[5qf3764b]

I have a stage II and a rear panel delete and mine gets hot there too. I have a infared thermometer and it reads around 130-140 degrees on the left side of the clam just above the left side of the plate area. I don't think those temps would hurt anything. I heat wrapped the pipes and put some heat tape on the inside of the clam wall and that helped quite a bit.

This shows some pics of the heat wrap:

http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f154/holiday-mods-66661/

 

[sleepe]

I had mine off about a year and slowly realized it's there for a very good reason. It protects your inner toe-links, paint from bubbling, boot from overheating, and is easy to trim if you have a rear panel eliminator.
-Robert

 

[lotusport]

I tried searching, but couldn't find a good answer. I removed my heat shield about a month ago and had had a Von Hep installed. All seemed ok with the heat.

I had to cry uncle on the Von Hep. It is too loud for me. So, I very reluctantly put my stock exhaust back on tonight. I did a quick 20 min drive around the neighborhood and after parking, the rear clam above the muffler seems really hot. Is this a problem???

Hi Rob -

Any reason you didn't replace the heat shield when you re-installed the stock exhaust? I'd be very fearful of paint damage over time, even if there were no fire hazard. There are very good reasons why Lotus chose to add the weight of a heat shield there.

 

[pwn]

I have a stage II and a rear panel delete and mine gets hot there too. I have a infared thermometer and it reads around 130-140 degrees on the left side of the clam just above the left side of the plate area. I don't think those temps would hurt anything. I heat wrapped the pipes and put some heat tape on the inside of the clam wall and that helped quite a bit.

This shows some pics of the heat wrap:

http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f154/holiday-mods-66661/

You're killing me! What were the temps after the wrap and tape you applied?!

 

[5qf3764b]

Those were the temps after the wrap and tape. The temps prior to those were up around 150 to 160. It does not happen while you are driving as most of the heat is blown out. It is a problem when you park it and all the heat off the cat and exhaust soaks into the clam. As for 130 to 140 hurting the clam, I don't think it would at those temps. I think it might brown the paint at 200+ and melting would be a hell of a lot higher than that.

You see a lot of cars on LT with the stock heat shield off, but very few issues with damage due to heat. The only damage I've seen is from above the diffuser tips that don't stick out far enough so you get direct contact between the clam and exhaust gasses coming out of the tailpipe.

Besides, anyone in Texas knows that just parking your car in the sun on any August day heats the whole car up to 130+.

 

[mx1]

Thanks for the feedback.

The stock exhaust is so big the heat just cooks the back. I can't believe that a company that prides itself on lightness, built that gargantuan exhaust. It is ludicrous. I just ordered some heat shielding from Jeg's and hope that will work.

 

[chapster5]

If not get yourself a really reliable fire extinguisher

 

[charliex]

I've seen some damaged cars with the heat shield removed, you don't want some, you want none, it's not pretty when they go.

removing the car, rear panel, different exhaust and other gubbins makes it better.

they need the size of the exhaust for noise limitations, you can always get the stage ii too.

my exhaust / headers glow red, thats enough for me to want it.

 

[NomisR]

Is there any type of replacement heat shield that we can get for non-stock exhaust and not wanting to cut into the stock heatshield?

 

[chapster5]

Is there any type of replacement heat shield that we can get for non-stock exhaust and not wanting to cut into the stock heatshield?

Maybe you could get another Heat sheild from a totaled Elise/Exige and cut up that then you get to keep your stock one as a spare:shrug:

 

[NomisR]

Maybe you could get another Heat sheild from a totaled Elise/Exige and cut up that then you get to keep your stock one as a spare:shrug:

Great suggestion!