Exhaust heat shield - can i leave it off??

[Treeman612]

I swopped my 'whistling' diff on my 320i yesterday for a good un. good, straightforward job, but hard work lumping the diff in/out on your own!
While doing this, I took off the heat shield (galvanised steel) just forward of the rear subframe to check out the prop etc. Fiddle to get out, f****ng impossible to get back in without dropping the exhaust, so I have left it off for now. I know it protects the prop and fuel tank from exhaust heat, but is it vital, realistically? any advice gratefully received. PS anybody in range of Newbury with an E30 welcome to use my garage (with full size inspection pit!!) to do underneath-type jobs.
cheers

[Demlotcrew]

put it back on

Andrew

[gazza]

just wait untill summer you will get a lot of heat coming up throught the floor and wish it was back on ......and have you felt how hot your exhaust gets on a run ....next you will start to lose any underseal as it heats up..... put it on........

[Jhonno]

where's Newbury?

[E30_320i]

thats good of you mate for letting someone use your garage! you do not know how handy them pits are for renewing exhausts!! alot better than doing it on the garage floor trying to get under the car

put it back on buddy! dont chance it, as gazza says ull be very suprised how hot it gets under the car in the summer.

not sure where newbury is jhonno

Lee

[Treeman612]

Newbury, Berkshire. Just off junction 13 on the M4.

[Treeman612]

Thanks, guys, it is now back on - I was always going 2 put it back, honest, i just had 2 make 2 long journeys with it off, was worried I might blow up petrol tank, but ok.