Stainless or Aluminum?

Thickness?

 

I used 16g SS. a little hard to manipulate.

 

Anything that shiny will do the trick !

 

I used 18ga sheet metal - the front panel from my old furnace. Shot it was some bar-b-q black.

 

 

Sam I love it!!

 

Aluminum is not a good choice for a heat shield.

 

So then maybe some 18g SS...what would you use to cut it cleanly? Keep in mind I don't have a metal shop in my garage

 

Any chance I'll be able to cut through 18-20 gauge with these?

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=92259

 

I haven't made mine yet but I'm using 18ga mild steel and cutting it with some tin snips like the ones you pictured.

 

OEMs all over the planet disagree.

it stops radiation heat transfer since it reflects.

now if you sandwich two thin sheets of aluminum with fiberglass matte in between it's an awesome heat shield.

 

The factory heat shield on my Talons was two layers of baffled aluminum. Pretty much every OEM heat shield I've seen has been aluminum.

However, OEMs all over the planet cut corners for mass production. There are any number of reasons to use aluminum over SS in mass production that have nothing to do with performance. It's a poor choice if you're making one yourself because you can do better for not much more money or effort.

 

Waiting for the rivetted Budweiser heat shields to make a show now.

 

The greddy bowser heatshield works very well with a 1.8 and an hks manifold if anyone was wondering. It even works with my potato. I only had to modify the attachment point slightly. It's also stainless steel.

 

Right. I use this stuff currently:
http://www.thermotec.com/product_detail.php?prd_id=28

It's thin louvered aluminum that's easily cut with simple tin snips or those cheap "cuts pennys" sizzors so it's not as durable as stainless like the Bowser shield. Just don't lean against it and you'll be fine.

It works great; right after beating the **** out of the car I can place my hand right behind the shield (which is about 1-3" away from the turbo) and not feel the heat, while my upper arm and face melt.

Side note: make sure the heat shield blocks radiant heat from the brake master cylinder. I melted one of those already.