Welding Heat Shield

[Pug_XUD_KeenAmateur]

Can someone recommend an effective and inexpensive heat shield....

....to ensure that my bottom coolant hose remains undamaged while welding the inner OSF front wing close to it?

Or do I have no choice but to disturb it?

Having had all sorts of expensive and frustrating head gasket issues on this car's predecessor I'm paranoid about disturbing the cooling system. 'N' plate Pug 405 with the na XUD; with direct fill into the rad that's not the highest point in the system.

[Northern_Mike]

A piece of plate steel held in place with g-clamps, a pair or two of mole grips or even a broom handle has done the trick for me in the past welding old Saabs and a 306.

[evilally]

Haha, this bugger here:



As said a sheet of steel should suffice, and just weld in short bursts allowing to cool in between. Mine had the engine bay empty when I did that (and the long list of other bits that needed welded).

[Northern_Mike]

If the engine is cold, let us not forget the pipes will be full of stone cold water, which is a greater help than you might imagine.

[BX]

How about a fire blanket. It is both heat and fire resistant. It is flexible. It will not damage anything delicate. It is also a good safety item to have in the garage as well as in the kitchen. It doesn't cost much.

[citronut]

just remove the hose, the XUD cooling system is very easy to bleed

[Pug_XUD_KeenAmateur]

thanks for all the advice guys. I'll be acquiring some sheet steel and a fire blanket very soon. The engine will be cold Mike, good point. Evil Ally, that inner wing looks familiar! my plating's at the top of the same diagonal, any further back & it'd be behind the McPherson.

Easy bleeding Citronut.... maybe, but two head gaskets on two different engines in the same car over just 4,000miles; which was eventually [and sadly] scrapped coz of it. Something wrong..... I've lived with a 'stuck open' or absent 'stat on its successor the last four years rather than risk a re-run (foam pipe lagging in the air intakes at the mo' for winter). 'tis a bit ironic really tho', I've done a clutch, I've done a front end, I've had the dashboard out entirely for a heater matrix (prior to head gasket woes) and I've done an engine change (with just a little help); but I won't dare bleed a cooling system; gotta smile really.
The head gasket job was the only job that I ever 'failed' at. I couldn't get the head bolts to budge and had a mechanic friend complete it for me, including skimming.

[evilally]

Yeah, there was rot all the way along the bottom edge of the wheel arch, if yours are still ok, might be worth a good lick of underseal while you're in about it! On the 405 you're meant to use a header tank on the rad when refilling the cooling system, as it's not the highest point. Otherwise, not too difficult. The challenge usually is getting the hose out of the rad, that by itself would make me inclined to go about it the way you propose.

[Pug_XUD_KeenAmateur]

thanks Ally, anything you need, I'm aware of a 405 estate breaking near me in Oxfordshire