"Ice Cube" side sills - before & after temperatures now done

[dave6666]

A quick review of my '01 GTS project...

BEFORE

-> Factory headers, heat shields, cats.
-> Corsa cat-back with rear mufflers deleted.
-> Factory sills with factory insulation.

AFTER

-> Belanger headers, Dave's custom heat shields, Parts Rack R/T HF ceramic cats.
-> Dynomax mufflers from Belanger, 3" side exhaust from Belanger.
-> Autoform FRP sills, Dave's custom bottom venting, stock insulation trimmed to clear custom vents.
-> Parts Rack louvered vents in wheel wells.

Temperature measurement points were based on the maximum temperature in the area I was looking for, and is different before and after because the parts are different.

The measurements were taken after a 20 minute afternoon drive home. Exit car, shoot pics. Not even twisting the cap of a long neck postponed the data gathering.

So here's the data:



The before measurements:






The after measurements.

Like I said above, I moved the measurement point to suit the new parts. The shorter cats are right below the door hinge area, and not in the bulge of the sill like the OE cats.







An interesting note, as I guess my AC puked whatever freon it had in it while modding (AC always sucked, guess I know why now...), is that driving home yesterday with the windows up and the AC blowing warm air, it was really not that hot in the car.

Before, with the OE cats and at least some freon (blowing a little cold), you would bake in the car.

So while I wait for the R134A gauges I ordered from Amazon yesterday to arrive to charge the AC, I'm meanwhile going to call the project a complete success when it came to reducing temperatures both inside and outside of the car.

[BOTTLEFED]

Nice writeup Dave - very scientific

[ViperTony]

Dave, great job. How are the new heat shields working out in the header area?

[dave6666]

Originally Posted by ViperTony

Dave, great job. How are the new heat shields working out in the header area?

Good question. And unfortunately my IR thermometer no workie on shiny metal, let alone mirrored stuff. Found that out when welding the exhaust together, just trying to see how much heat I was putting on the surrounding areas. Mill finished steel and erroneous readings. Peeked in the manual and it clearly states it doesn't like shiny reflective surfaces.

So maybe tonight I'll play around and take some measurements of not the shields, but maybe what they're supposed to be protecting. None of those parts are shiny or reflective. Should I get a 12-pack or would an 18-pack be in order for that project?

Meanwhile, I'm gonna have to get those button head screws, and get rid of the easy to use hex head screws on my shields. I hate button heads...

[ViperTony]

Originally Posted by dave6666

Good question. And unfortunately my IR thermometer no workie on shiny metal, let alone mirrored stuff. Found that out when welding the exhaust together, just trying to see how much heat I was putting on the surrounding areas. Mill finished steel and erroneous readings. Peeked in the manual and it clearly states it doesn't like shiny reflective surfaces.

So maybe tonight I'll play around and take some measurements of not the shields, but maybe what they're supposed to be protecting. None of those parts are shiny or reflective. Should I get a 12-pack or would an 18-pack be in order for that project?

Meanwhile, I'm gonna have to get those button head screws, and get rid of the easy to use hex head screws on my shields. I hate button heads...

18 pack. I like the hex heads as they make the shields look manly in the pics. The only negative, if it is one, is that they are distracting....time to go look at Chad's photo shoot pics...be back in 7 minutes.

[dave6666]

Originally Posted by ViperTony

18 pack. I like the hex heads as they make the shields look manly in the pics. The only negative, if it is one, is that they are distracting....time to go look at Chad's photo shoot pics...be back in 7 minutes.

Well maybe we'll switch to SS hex heads then w/o the captive star washer. They just don't "blend" with the smooth SS pop rivet heads.

7 minutes??? I'd only need about 90 seconds...

[Bolt]

Dave,

I also enjoyed the details of your write up. Could you do a complete parts list and where you purchased the materials. If you do not mind I may copy what you have done.

[TAXIMAN1]

very nice work Dave. nice welds.. my high-fow cats on the GTS I had, had bogers all over it. Thanks to the local midas shop morons..wish i had the time and facility to do stuff like that

[dave6666]

Originally Posted by Bolt

Dave,

I also enjoyed the details of your write up. Could you do a complete parts list and where you purchased the materials. If you do not mind I may copy what you have done.

I was planning on writing up the side exhaust conversion and also the Belanger heat shields I made. I know throughout the last 3 months I've posted lots of pics and made lots of comments and responded to some questions about the project, but you haven't seen all the pics, and nothing like a chronological pattern to the pics and text.

Stay tuned... We're working on it.

[dave6666]

Originally Posted by TAXIMAN1

very nice work Dave. nice welds.. my high-fow cats on the GTS I had, had bogers all over it. Thanks to the local midas shop morons..wish i had the time and facility to do stuff like that

About 35 amps with the TIG torch and 1/16 SS wire. You are right, no weld boogers!

[DAMN YANKEE]

Dave,

That is a great write up and an impressive set of results!

and from a Texan...I guess that shouldn't be astonishmental from a non-terroristolizer.