I'm not gone, still here and thank you for info / advice.
Sure wish you'd been here paranormal - I won't embarrass myself telling the world here how long it took me to get the heat shield off but it was hours. To shorten my sad story, I cut it off / out. It was a bear. I should mention - red 2009 H3T 3.7 (obviously) - 113,000 when I bought it 6 weeks ago and now 116,500.
I will share some photos later. I left my phone at home yesterday, so had nothing to take photos with for my efforts.
After I finally got the heat shield out, started on the manifold. I think someone had replaced it at least once. There were no bolts on the very last front or rear. So instead of 9 bolts there were only 7. The front and rear bolts look like a real pain so maybe whoever replaced it said the hell with it. Also, where the "collector" is (where all the pipes come together and then bolt to the exhaust pipe - can tell I'm not a mechanic and a bit clueless anyway), at that flange there is (at least on mine) a bracket from the transmission that looked like it should have been attached to that flange - it was there but not attached to the flange end. My muffler shop friend said that may have lead to the "collector" pipe blowing apart at the top (where it attaches to the manifold). The idiot / idiots who did replace it, just folded over some tin foil from the kitchen and wrapped that around the A/C pipe and some of the other electrical wires. (Didn't notice that when I "checked" out the engine prior to handing the man my money for my new "baby."
I said a prayer (yes, really) that none of the manifold bolts would break off. I hit them with (one of my favorites) WD-40, let them sit, hit them again, let them sit. They were very tight but they started - all 7 started so loosened them all, took out 5 and left 2 loosened just a bit. Went down below to work on the flange (mentioned above) but I couldn't even get them to budge so hit them with the WD40 a couple of times and went home.
Now it's 10:00 a.m. MST and am headed back to the beast. I try not to let her hear me swear like a drunken sailor but it happened a couple hundred times yesterday. Will try to do better today.
The manifold (without taking it completely off) looks like it is good, no visible cracks, etc. BUT after reading this whole thread and a couple others from various sources and even with money on the short side, I've about convinced myself to go with a MagnaFlo with the integrated cat. Most sources show a price of $529.
ANY advice would be very much appreciated concerning the MagnaFlo header - how it fits, the install, etc. Also, gaskets, new bolts, what kind and finally, where to buy it for the best post purchase service.
Wrapping the manifold is a mute point but certainly appreciated the advice / info on that. I also did some reading, however, about wrapping headers. I thought the same thing about holding the heat in (who would want to do that) but turns out (at least the way I understand it) makes the exhaust move faster because it's hot and the other end (tailpipe) isn't. Maybe someone else can lend more info on this.
Dispatched from Taos, NM
More to come if I don't commit hari kari first. My baby and I are in a love/hate relationship right now.
The dipstick is held in place by one bolt. Remove the bolt and pull up on the dipstick, it'll come out. You can go to an auto parts place and buy yourself an O2 sensor tool for about $12. Undo the O2 sensor plug, unscrew the sensor with your new socket, remove the dipstick and after a few tries, you'll be able to take the heat shield out from the top.
