I started hearing a little bit of rattling in my car yesterday. Then, today, I heard a great deal of rattling and noticed that there was a semi-cylindrical thin metal piece that was dangling midway down the undercarriage of 1996 toyota tercel at the very beginning of the exhaust pipes. It then fell off and I put it in my trunk and drove home. It is about 8 inches in length, 5 inches in diameter, ribbed, and has 33 holes in it. The four corners where it was bolted had rusted off. I can’t find out online what this piece is. Help! Also, do I need this piece and how hard (and expensive) is it to replace myself? Thanks.
it sounds like the heat shield for the Catalytic converter.
this converter gets red hot down there. the shield keeps stuff (like tall grass, paper etc) from touching it when you park so that there is no fire.
if you never park in high grass, and don’t park in areas where garbage is blowing around, then in all likely hood you would never need the shield.
HOWEVER, they put them on there because… you never know.
if it were ME i would attach it with a couple hose clamps so it is back around the converter.
upload a picture.
with 33 holes in it, i would bet it is not from the space shuttle!
Here’s an attached picture. There are scrape marks on the right side from where it was dragging on the ground. 
If it is the heat shield, I would be very happy to attach it back with hose clamps!
nice pic, as mentioned above thats the cat heat shield,and ford has great clamps ,they ues for the shields in the trucks,for the mufflers.
just do as mentioned put it back.
excellent pic.
out
yup heat shield.
buy two long stainless steel hose clamps. you may have to buy a couple and attatch them together to get them long enough. DO NOT use plastic ‘zip ties’ they will melt.
the length needs to be long enough to go all the way around what is left of the other half, and what you have there.
in all likely hood the corners of your shield were spot welded, and the wleds just rusted out. it should fit together pretty snuggly, and then just clamp it together.
awesome. thank you so much for your help!!