Belanger Heat Shields

[DanielR]

I contacted dave6666 a few months back to get his CAD file after seeing his custom Belanger heat shields. I decided to take a shot at it and I think I actually ended up with something usable. I did not know how they would turn out, since this was my first time working with any kind of sheet metal.

Big thanks to dave6666 for supplying the CAD file.



Design proofs using paper.

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Shields with bends.

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Painted parts. The finish came out a bit too glossy on the shields. The brackets are just flat with no clear. The shields were finished with a satin clear.

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Installed.

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[GTS-R 001]

Great job!

 

[eucharistos]

well done

 

[EllowViper]

I think you will have a strong market for those! Let me know when you are going into production. Great job!

 

[plumcrazy]

dang nice job.

me personally, i dont like the rivets and id be worried about the paint lasting.

 

[LifeIsGood]

Do you still need heat shields with Belanger headers? I thought Lou Belanger or JonB told me that the increased air flow decreased the temperature enough to remove the shields...my memory isn't always the greatest and I may have wanted to hear this since I hate the looks of the heat shields .

Adam at Quality Wires did tell me that his spark plug wires didn't need the header shields for protection...

My wires are designed for heat like headers, turbos, SC and so on. I would recommend getting the additional option of hi-temp socks that are fitted on the end of my boots. $15 buck option. Many major tuners use my wires because of the heat protection of my wires for their turbo set up.

 

[Detlef]

It does look nice and what Ken said is what I understand as well. I've run with Belangers for the last 6 years without any adverse effects.

 

[Steve 00RT/10]

9 years / 85,000 miles (37K with Roe blower). No heat shields / No plug tubes...zero issues

Just make sure you're power steering cap is tight....which should be looked after regardless of heat shields. Get the HiPo engineering vent kit (although he got out of that product). I believe others continue to make them.

Steve

 

[Simms]

Awesome job!

They look just like the Edelbrock ones you can buy.

Question, how do they attach?

 

[SA HEAT]

9 years / 85,000 miles (37K with Roe blower). No heat shields / No plug tubes...zero issues

Just make sure you're power steering cap is tight....which should be looked after regardless of heat shields. Get the HiPo engineering vent kit (although he got out of that product). I believe others continue to make them.

Steve

No issues with heating the power steering reservior or melting the heater box? The main thing that's kept me from pulling the trigger with the Belangers is the fear of heat damage around the motor....and though these heat shields are nice, I would hate to cover up aftermarket headers (especially art work like the Belangers) unless I absolutely had to.

 

[sniper1]

I have had ceramic coated EB headers for some time now and even thou EB sells some similar to those, which those are really sweet BTW, I don't have heat problems bad enough to need them.
Must be my 3" cat delete system that flows so well that keeps mine cooler, I'm guessing...

 

[Steve 00RT/10]

No issues with heating the power steering reservior or melting the heater box? The main thing that's kept me from pulling the trigger with the Belangers is the fear of heat damage around the motor....and though these heat shields are nice, I would hate to cover up aftermarket headers (especially art work like the Belangers) unless I absolutely had to.

None. Plug wires are completely intact at 20-25K miles when I change them. No plastic damage of any sort. Our car does track days (90-100 miles per event). We have seen basically every weather condition that exists. We do multiple parades a year, idling for an hour or better in 80-90 degree temps. The SC adder in 03/06 could only have added heat to the equation.

The only thing I didn't mention above is that we are catless since the headers were put on at 6,800 miles in 4/01. We will likely turn 100K this coming season. I consider that mileage a pretty good long term test for going sans heat shields.

Steve

 

[DanielR]

Do you still need heat shields with Belanger headers? I thought Lou Belanger or JonB told me that the increased air flow decreased the temperature enough to remove the shields...my memory isn't always the greatest and I may have wanted to hear this since I hate the looks of the heat shields .

Adam at Quality Wires did tell me that his spark plug wires didn't need the header shields for protection...

I've heard the same thing, but when I ordered my header gaskets from Chuck before my install, he had a few stories for me. He said that he has had customer cars come in showing signs of heat damage that he pointed out to the owner. He recommended adapting the stock shields, but I have seen others struggle with this and I did not want to try it.

dang nice job.

me personally, i dont like the rivets and id be worried about the paint lasting.

I am interested to see how the paint holds up as well. I used VHT flameproof primer, color, and clear. Then, I heat cycled the shields to cure the paint per their instructions. The coating is ceramic based, so it may endure better than standard high temperature paint. I guess I'll have to go another route if the paint does not last.

Awesome job!

They look just like the Edelbrock ones you can buy.

Question, how do they attach?

They attach to three steel brackets on each side. The brackets use the existing studs from the OEM shields. The brackets have a rivet nut that the shield screws into. I did not take many pictures of the brackets, but dave6666's post has very good detailed pictures of the brackets.

http://forums.viperclub.org/rt-10-g...-belanger-heat-shields-update-few-pics-2.html

 

[Simms]

They attach to three steel brackets on each side. The brackets use the existing studs from the OEM shields. The brackets have a rivet nut that the shield screws into. I did not take many pictures of the brackets, but dave6666's post has very good detailed pictures of the brackets.

I assume you are saying the brackets use the stock manifold bolts (with stud) to attach?

 

[SYNFULL]

Some say you need them some say you don't. All I know is after a couple of drives after installing the headers my airbox was melting. I have seen pictures of severe damage form running without the shields.

 

[DanielR]

I assume you are saying the brackets use the stock manifold bolts (with stud) to attach?

Correct. The stock manifold stud screws through the header flange into the head. Then, the bracket goes over the back half of the stud and the stock heat shield nut is screwed down to hold the bracket in place. The other end of the bracket has a rivet nut that the heat shield screws into.

I found a picture of the drivers side during mock up. This picture shows the shield assembled with brackets.

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[ScottB7133]

I have Belanger headers on my 2001 GTS and I use Inconel heat shields from DC Performance. They fit and work great with the Belanger headers, plus they look cool too.

DC Performance: Proven Performance

 

[01ACR/VIPER]

$650.00 come on.

 

[Rich Link]

I've had Belanger headers on my '97 RT for 5 years with no shields, have tracked the car numerous times, and of course we run in the Phoenix summer heat - NO problems at all!!

 

[Simms]

Correct. The stock manifold stud screws through the header flange into the head. Then, the bracket goes over the back half of the stud and the stock heat shield nut is screwed down to hold the bracket in place. The other end of the bracket has a rivet nut that the heat shield screws into.

I found a picture of the drivers side during mock up. This picture shows the shield assembled with brackets.

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Thanks, but I no longer use the factory header bolts.

Scottb7133, do Dan's/inconel shields utilize the factory manifold bolts as well?

 

[ScottB7133]

Yes, the DC Performance shields use the stock manifold bolts to attach.

 

[Boxer12]

No way would that go on my car.