Taking off heat shield on 2000 Honda CR-V to fix dip stick tube. Do I really need to replace it, or are nearby components safe if I leave it off?
Mark, Why do you think Honda installed it in the first place? To keep nearby stuff cool.
Yes, it is needed.
It was there for a reason and it can’t be that difficult to put back . And think of yourself as a good citizen by keeping the heat shield out of the landfill.
Yep, needed. The engine compartment is the last place you want to dump excess heat.
Sometimes under-car heat shields aren’t really needed and are put there more as a way to insulate against lawsuits.
But the manifold shield should always be used. See that rubber hose right above the manifold? Yeah, it’s glad the heat shield is there. 
2 Likes
Yes you will want to retain that shield… It does come off however, when the bolts cooperate.
You might not need to remove the shield or the exhaust header actually… You need to study whats going on down there…from UNDER the vehicle, because from where you are looking currently you cant make that decision.
You can also detach the down pipe from the exhaust header for more room… Time to get under there and have a looksie…to see if you can do all this without removing header (which you should not be so eager to do)
Yes, you need the heat shield. Years ago my brother in law had a Ford with a problematic Catalytic converter. He lost the heat shield and just kept driving until on a hot day his floor carpets caught fie!!! An expensive lesson no covered by insurance ow warranty!
1 Like
Yes and thanks Shadowfax. The low pressure hose of the AC.
Also thanks texases and V70 (good point about not contributing to landfills).
As always, I appreciate all the advice and will put it back on after the dip stick tube repair.
1 Like