Screen Belly Pan- Exhaust heat?

[Hermie]

I'm looking into making a belly pan for my Tempo, and I'm trying to add a minimum ammount of weight. I've heard that screens can be used, but I'm wondering how they'd hold up to the heat of a muffler.

Has anyone tested the heat resistance of screen materials?

[ChrstphrR]

Aluminum Screening would work: Melting temperature of 660°C / 1220°F.

I had temporarily did a front engine cover/skidplate out of 1/8" perforated steel plate and it seemed to have a very, very minor effect on overall mileage. It weighed around 7lbs per sheet (24" x 36"). Steel too would not be adversely affected by temperatures from your exhaust.

[gone-ot]

...try home-improvement "foam" everywhere except around the exhaust system...there try heavy aluminum foil...then foam.

...spray on, carve & shape to fit.

...of course, REMOVING it is gonna be fun!

[RobertSmalls]

Originally Posted by Old Tele man

...try home-improvement "foam" everywhere except around the exhaust system...there try heavy aluminum foil...then foam.

...spray on, carve & shape to fit.

...of course, REMOVING it is gonna be fun!

That's a really cool idea for adding final aerodynamic details, on parts of the car that will never need to be serviced, like mudflaps.

The exhaust will need to be serviceable, and it needs to be flexibly mounted to the body. I'd bury the exhaust under sheet metal, seal the front of the exhaust tunnel, and call it a day.

[Hermie]

My exhaust sticks down about an inch or so. I'm thinking of tucking it up a little higher, but I'd have to cut the supports and then weld it back together, and I don't have a welder. The back end is really aerodynamically dirty, though. There are large gaps behind the suspension, and the rear wheelwells aren't sealed either. I'm thinking of making the screen pan start before the suspension and then make a smooth surface all the way to the bumper.

But thanks for the number on the melting temp. At least I know I won't be burning it by having it next to the muffler. I'm actually replacing the stock muffler with a higher flow model, and it's also smaller, which gives me a flatter plane to work with.

[dwtaylorpdx]

Several companies sell oval exhausut tubing, (Spintec Muffler) TO save clearance...

Also look up "boom tube" The NASCAR guys use them to save room as well.

Its not the pan I'd worry about, the belly cover will trap the heat against the cars floor.

Dave

[brucey]

I used a screen before for a belly pan. It worked decent but ripped within days. Once a rip starts and it catches the wind it wont stop.

My coroplast belly pan on the other hand, I put on sometime in april. (Forgot exactly when.)

With minimal zip ties and only a few self tapping screws. It's held up great. I've offroaded the car (dragging the center) and driven to the west coast with it on the whole time. I forget its there honestly. Just avoid getting close to the exhaust and you'll be fine.



Visible in the pictures, although more visible is the front aluminum skid plate and me rust priming the entire front suspension.

[Christ]

What about that stainless mesh that's used in window screens? You can buy it in rolls at Home Depot, it's cheap, and doesn't tear easily.

It may not actually be stainless, but it's metal... I have stainless filtering mesh in my pile '0' crap, that I got from a salvage job on a farm. I have no idea what to use it for, though.

[Hermie]

I found some aluminum mesh screen, 4' wide for $2 per linear foot.

I'm not going to be putting a pan under the engine compartment, but my main concern is the rear end. I'm thinking that if I get the aluminum screen tight enough, I can get it to stay rigid against the wind, and paint it to fill in the holes, but leave it open around the exhaust.

I also found some exhaust supports I can get to replace the ones on there now. I'm planning on chopping off the current supports and tucking it up higher.

[brucey]

For the cost of the screen you can get coroplast.

My screen belly pan I attempted fell apart in days. I didnt even have time to test it. It was a waste of time and money.

The coroplast one has been on there through a hell of a year though and is just as easy to work with.