My issue is that I need to know if the car is leaking oil because I hear the car make some weird leaking noises when I park the car. I actually think it sounds like a metal "pinging" sound.

The shield itself looks really beat up. I don't know who the **** dealt with it, but some of the plastic holes are busted therefore the shield is not entirely tied down.

I may just decide to take it off for a while so I can see what kind of leaks I may be getting. I don't notice some oil on it when I touch it from inside the hood.

 

I think most if not all vehicles have that pinging sound you are talking about after driving it around for quite some time and the engine is hot. I'd keep the shield there or replace it with another.

 

Ok, yeah, that pinging sound I thought was normal, but was not totally sure. Now I should just take it off to check for leaks.

Thanks.

 

the pinging sound you are hearing is metal expansion and cooling in various parts of the exhaust/engine/cat. conv./heat shields/etc..

as for the engine shield underneath, I have had mine off for well over a year 1/2 with no issues, and my engine bay stays nice and clean.

 

Its most likely your cats. I dont have that anymore since I removed the cats.

As far as the engine shield, my engine bay does NOT stay clean at all... I dont know how the poster above me can keep it clean, lol because mine does not at all!

I will be making a custom shield because mine is cracked in multiple places after ripping off on the freeway.

 

I removed mine , and my engine bay stays clean too.

 

I've had mine off for a week finding a coolant leak. Just changed the radiator (culprit) and am going to put the splash shield back on. I don't think it will enhance my Cd much at legal speeds. It does offer more protection in stopping a foreign object in the road from ripping something off or puncturing something by being secured, theoretically.

The pinging is probably the heat shields around the cats. I bent the parts around the fasteners to quiet them done.

 

I had a ton of pinging due to bunk heat shields on my mufflers (I'm assuming). Pinging has subsided quite a bit after putting on my Tanabe exhaust.

 

it seems like people are talking about 2 entirely different things in this thread.
lower engine shield/cover (plastic) and the heatshield for your exhaust/cat (metal)

its normal for your exhaust heatshield to make popping noises, in fact if it didn't at all I would be more concerned. sometimes they break and rattle and can be removed, but if you park on just the right mixture of brush and grass and your cat is glowing hot you can start a fire. If you offroad your sc alot a replacement is probably a good idea.

the lower engine shield is plastic, no metal pinging sounds should ever come from this.
you can and probably should remove it and take a look at the bottom of your engine.
metal noises in that are I would check the pan for dents and all hard lines in that area.
putting the cover back on is optional but recommended if your are stock.

 

I removed my shield because it was cracked in a few spots. Just a pita imo. My bay also stays clean without the shield.