steering rack heat shield?

[strykr14]

Well, I am nearing the end of rebuilding this damn wagon and I am starting to deal w/the little things. I noticed that all Taurii, SHO or SLO, have an aluminum foil like wrap on the steering rack - I assume to protect the rack from exhause heat. I have a P/S line that is 1/2 -3/4 inch away from my Y. Do I need this shield and if so what should I use?

 

[Mr Anonymous]

Personally, I think they're worthless. On the V8 cars they always get torn off when removing the y-pipe, and on V6 cars they are missing at least half of the time.

 

[strykr14]

OK, I won't worry about it.

 

[AREA 91]

It's not there to protect the rack, it protects the lines. Bursting power steering line near the exhaust ='s fire and death.

 

[strykr14]

I'm not really down w/death. Should I put something there?

 

[Mr Anonymous]

If a high pressure PS line bursts, the fluid is going to end up hitting the manifold regardless of what you put there. It's gonna coat everything under the hood, the cats, etc.

For the record, high-pressure PS lines bursting is extremely rare.

 

[Tecchie]

on that note, where do I find a new set of high pressure lines? too bad they don't make all metal ones...

 

[SHOZ123]

There is an insulation that is aluminum with fiberglass sandwiched in between it. This can be cut and easily shaped. I got some form a smoker grill insulation kit at a large hardware store.

Item 2627K33 is some wrap around high temp insulation from www.mcmaster.com