When Rebuilding Your Engine Don't Forget To Remove And Clean Under The Intake Manifold Heat Shield!

Sometimes when you are rebuilding an engine you are faced with an intake manifold that has a heat shield that is riveted on from the factory. You have cleaned the underside of the manifold and it looks fine and those rivets are awful intimidating, so why try to remove it - after all, the rivets can break and then what? Well, as basic as this sounds, many people make the mistake of forgoing the removal of the heat shield to clean under it and we are here to say that's not a good idea.  Removing the rivets isn't as difficult as it first appears - they can be popped out with a series of thin bladed screwdrivers, a hammer and some patience. Carefully drive the thinnest blade screw driver under the head moving around the perimeter of the rivet head. Once the rivet comes up some, move to the next thicker screw driver and once you have progressed to the thickest blade most of the time it can be levered up and out. If not, then a pair of vice grips can grab the head and with a twisting motion the rivets will pull out.  Once they are out you will be greeted by something that may amaze (and perhaps disgust) you! It will then become very clear just why you must always pull that pesky heat shield.  As far as reinstalling it some people tap the holes and use a screw with a thread locker. Others will use a threaded drive rivet and some re-use the rivets that came out. In any case it's always a good idea to use a thread locker - no need for the rivets to work lose and end up where they don't belong.