Header Heat Shield Bolts

[Chilli Girl]

One thing that really annoys me when opening Foxy's engine bay are these bolts that are very corroded and in my eyes spoil the look of the engine.  I'd love to be brave enough to remove all four bolts and replace with new ones BUT I'm frightened I may upset the sensors and they'll kick off.  The originals are still playing ball after 65k miles so perhaps wait and do this job if and when a sensor may go? I wouldn't mind either replacing the heat shield at some point or cleaning it up abit, perhaps repainting it? Thoughts anyone please?

[Gaz mr-s]

It'll depend how bad they are, but an option might be to put rust converter on the bolts, & then paint them silver with a little brush....?

[Joesson]

One thing that really annoys me when opening Foxy's engine bay are these bolts that are very corroded and in my eyes spoil the look of the engine.  I'd love to be brave enough to remove all four bolts and replace with new ones BUT I'm frightened I may upset the sensors and they'll kick off.  The originals are still playing ball after 65k miles so perhaps wait and do this job if and when a sensor may go? I wouldn't mind either replacing the heat shield at some point or cleaning it up abit, perhaps repainting it? Thoughts anyone please?

Iirc they are M6 thread and I replaced them with st st M6 hex hd machine screws and washers from Screwfix. I did consider a pan head socket for appearance but decided otherwise.

Plus gas frequently to give them a good soaking before you start. Use only a 6 point socket. If the heads are too far gone to accept a socket, you will need nut removers the trade name I can't recall at the moment.
If too much information, lacking necessary tools it could be a job for Ding Day, but pre soak them very well.

My heat shield I cleaned up and painted with CanBrush heat resistant silver, the same as other  heat shields under the bonnet. But someone on here polished those other shields and they came up well.  I may have a go at polishing the manifold cover.

You likely not wrong to think the sensors might object but!
My 2 is around the same mileage and  I have replaced the left hand top, shortly after I de catted the manifold when I first bought the car in 2011, the one nearest the rear of the car gave up a year or so later. The right hand top is OE to the best of my knowledge.

[Chilli Girl]

It'll depend how bad they are, but an option might be to put rust converter on the bolts, & then paint them silver with a little brush....?

Hmmm, think they well be past it but I'll take another look, thank you.

[Chilli Girl]

One thing that really annoys me when opening Foxy's engine bay are these bolts that are very corroded and in my eyes spoil the look of the engine.  I'd love to be brave enough to remove all four bolts and replace with new ones BUT I'm frightened I may upset the sensors and they'll kick off.  The originals are still playing ball after 65k miles so perhaps wait and do this job if and when a sensor may go? I wouldn't mind either replacing the heat shield at some point or cleaning it up abit, perhaps repainting it? Thoughts anyone please?

Iirc they are M6 thread and I replaced them with st st M6 hex hd machine screws and washers from Screwfix. I did consider a pan head socket for appearance but decided otherwise.

Plus gas frequently to give them a good soaking before you start. Use only a 6 point socket. If the heads are too far gone to accept a socket, you will need nut removers the trade name I can't recall at the moment.
If too much information, lacking necessary tools it could be a job for Ding Day, but pre soak them very well.

My heat shield I cleaned up and painted with CanBrush heat resistant silver, the same as other  heat shields under the bonnet. But someone on here polished those other shields and they came up well.  I may have a go at polishing the manifold cover.

You likely not wrong to think the sensors might object but!
My 2 is around the same mileage and  I have replaced the left hand top, shortly after I de catted the manifold when I first bought the car in 2011, the one nearest the rear of the car gave up a year or so later. The right hand top is OE to the best of my knowledge.

Thank you Tony for that very informative reply, much appreciated.

[Petrus]

I had the same annoyance so:


You cannot view this attachment.

[Chilli Girl]

That's a neat job Petrus.

[Rushy67]

It'll depend how bad they are, but an option might be to put rust converter on the bolts, & then paint them silver with a little brush....?

This is the route I went, a good coating of metromorphis rust converter then painted with an artists brush!

[househead]

Nice touch, that @Petrus !

No heatshield here The Toyosport doesn't have the mounts for it, and I've wrapped it instead.

Those bolts did look a mess when I got it. The garage who did the manifold had to get aggressive with them.

[Mr2paul]

No shield either. Toyosport headers tho 😳

[Petrus]

Thanks Chili, Househead.
The japanese flag wrap of the plastic cam cover cover blings it up futher still.

The tubular manifold stays nicely rust free too. Looks way cleaner than a wrap imo.
With the heat shields, decat midpipe and DIY no-muffler the exhaust runs véry cool. The black heat shield above the no-muffler hardly ever gets too hot to touch.
I have the impression that the big wing aids the flow of air through the engine bay.

[treeroy]

I took the heatshield off at the weekend and although the bolts were very very rusty, WD40 is all I needed to get them off.

[toyoda]

I'm sure those bolts in the heatshield are M8. I replaceds them last year with some bolts from a Yamaha bike crate, I think they are M8x1.5 x20mm. I will check.