Can anyone identify this exhaust component?

[DJames93]

Hey,
My car (Civic 2003) has been rattling at a steady 1000rpm for some time now. I've simply put up with it despite the annoyance... however today, leaving work, I started to hear the noise of scraping metal coming from underneath my car after moving just 50 metres. I stopped immediately and noticed this rusted component hanging off. Photo here: https://imgur.com/a/KuhO97L

I am 99% certain that this is a cat heat shield which would likely explain the rattling too, but I just wanted to get a few additional opinions.

I'm thinking that I'll get it into the local shop in the morning for him to look at it but from looking online I can't find this part anyway so hopefully a local scrappy has a gen 7 civic for breaking.

How essential is this part? Is there any risk of fuel lines/tank/flammable interior upholstery going up in flames if it were to be removed exposing that cat? (presuming that I was right that it's the shield)

cheers!

[shogun001]

That is indeed the heatshield for the cat. I wouldn't worry about it as long as you don't park on long dry grass on a regular basis?

[E-bmw]

^^^^ Wot 'e said.

[TooMany2cvs]

That was the cat heatshield. It is not any more...

The cat is the cylindrical thing visible in the pic.


Yes, it gets bloody hot. It's unlikely to do any damage to body or interior, but the heat shield isn't there for fun.

shogun001 said:

That is indeed the heatshield for the cat. I wouldn't worry about it as long as you don't park on long dry grass on a regular basis?

The heat shield is between cat and body. Heat rises.

[DJames93]

Thanks guys, I took a pair of vise grips to it this morning and ragged the thing off.

It seems the upper portion of the heat shield is still intact and from what I can see with limited visibility, not really deteriorated from any oxidation. I've never found myself over grass or any flammable material so as long as the upper is still in place then I'm confident it will be ok. Still when the car is in for new tyres in a few weeks I might just get them to try and find a replacement.

[TooMany2cvs]

DJames93 said:

Still when the car is in for new tyres in a few weeks I might just get them to try and find a replacement.

It's probably a single part with the cat.

[c7aig]

I think every Honda I've had has developed the same rattle. I used to put a large jubilee clip around the whole thing to stop the rattle, although I never had any fall completely off...

[shogun001]

TooMany2cvs said:

shogun001 said:

That is indeed the heatshield for the cat. I wouldn't worry about it as long as you don't park on long dry grass on a regular basis?

The heat shield is between cat and body. Heat rises.

The heat shield normally encompasses the whole catalytic converter. If there is additional heat shielding to just protect the body then it's normally attached to the body as seen below.