This fell out of my z4, and I can not figure out where it goes to save my life. help

[yt851128]

I am the classic definition of idiot, I have to come out and say it because of the question I am posting here. But I am really hopeless at this point. and its not that I dont put in effort trying, its that i really cant figure it out. (It once took me 6 hours to change the oil on my z4 myself, cuz it took about 4 hours for me to find the oil filler cap after everything was done.)

my car is 09 e89 z4. About a month a go, while i was working on something, I picked up this piece of heat shield on the garage floor under my car. my car has been through a lot because of me, the idiot driver. i wasnt surprised it fell out, but I just couldnt figure out where it goes back onto. and now some part of the car has been toasty for a while now.

here are the pictures of the heat shield, can anyone please let me know where it belongs.

 

[yt851128]

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B91lO2AHgYinNEZ3bGx1Mm9UZWM/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B91lO2AHgYinTEN4R3NURDBObkU/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B91lO2AHgYinNTVyX2E3SmsyRUE/view?usp=sharing
sorry the image were not showing, here i uploaded them to google drive

 

[fixit man]

Hi,
Not sure where exactly, but it'll go somewhere between the exhaust and the body, best to get the car onto a lift and have a look, it should be obvious, looks like you will need 3 new nuts to hold it on too !

 

[-Tom-]

I can't help you, but your post made me laugh.

I'd just get it up on axle stands and follow the exhaust system to the manifold and look for some bolts retaining nothing, or a broken bracket or something. probably going to be around a cat or manifold.

 

[Twin Turbo]

Best ideal - as I dont know what engine you have is to look at http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/select?product=P&archive=0&series=E89

 

[yt851128]

fixit- i agree it should be obvious..but i just cant find it, man. appreciate your response


tom- im glad it made you laugh;. I expect it would...
considering how long it took for me to not figure it out
it would have been pretty comical to me too (if it were not happening to me)
thank you for the response.

i will let everybody know where it goes if i ever managed to find it

 

[Ozie]

Hmmm.. Looks bit like the heatshield which found loose from my engine bay during inspection. It was installed with three plastic nuts. Got it fixed under warranty.

 

[Maxsam]

A bit late but here's your pictures...

 

[Maniac]

That looks like an engine heat shield.

 

[4zwmb]

I know exactly where that fell off from and where you should place it! I fixed mine last summer after finding it lose but somehow it rested on a piece of cover from under the car and never fell to the ground!

 

[4zwmb]

I am the classic definition of idiot, I have to come out and say it because of the question I am posting here. But I am really hopeless at this point. and its not that I dont put in effort trying, its that i really cant figure it out. (It once took me 6 hours to change the oil on my z4 myself, cuz it took about 4 hours for me to find the oil filler cap after everything was done.)

my car is 09 e89 z4. About a month a go, while i was working on something, I picked up this piece of heat shield on the garage floor under my car. my car has been through a lot because of me, the idiot driver. i wasnt surprised it fell out, but I just couldnt figure out where it goes back onto. and now some part of the car has been toasty for a while now.

here are the pictures of the heat shield, can anyone please let me know where it belongs.

I dont agree with you at all, you are by definition not an idiot, no way. I spend the best part of twenty minutes trying to figure out where to put that piece! I can help you if you want.

 

[yt851128]

you guys are seriously confusing me...
what do you mean by i can help you if you want? is it somewhere that couldnt be described in a few words?

----ozzie and ----4zwmb

 

[yt851128]

4zwmb, i kind of know which plastic cover you are talking about, kind of remember how mine was half on the edge of the cover, half touching the ground.

so, where exactly is it from in relation to the plastic cover?

 

[4zwmb]

You have to jack the car, get under it, take off the plastic kind of cover (black) by unscrewing those small nuts, about 22 of them. Then place it on the ground, take a photo of it, put it in here and then I can show you were to put it. I don't know how else I can show or explain to you where to fix it. Sorry.

 

[4zwmb]

Probably as soon as you take the cover out and put it on the floor you yourself will figure it out on your own!

 

[Baza]

As it happens I have my 2009 E89 on four axle stands at the moment, so I slid underneath to try and locate the part as per your pictures. Unfortunately I could not spot it. So as a previous post it must be located behind the plastic cover that covers the area under the engine/gearbox to get at it yes you have to remove the cover ,not an easy job lying on your back as the cover is quite large and held in place by several self tapping screws. No doubt it will be evident when the cover is removed. If it was me I would take it to any local garage with a car lift ,it would be an easy job then to remove the cover and locate the position, C'ant be more than 1/2 hours job with the right kit.

 

[4zwmb]

Yes Baza, that is the way to go, either remove the cover but its not an easy job like you said but still very doable or take the car to the local garage. The thing is I cant really help the fellow just by using words because I dont know how to explain where it should be put in place unless I refer to some kind of picture. Anyway, I hope he sorted it out already by now.

 

[yt851128]

will do that, 4zwmb, thank you

 

[flybobbie]

I took the lower stone guard cover off today to clear out dead leaves and general muck following an engine and gearbox oil change.
That heat shield is attached to it, by three rivets or two in case of mine.
One had corroded off so replaced by a nut and screw.

If you can get the vehicle right wheels up on a curb you might just be able to have enough space to drop the right side of the cover and reach the area to refit with nuts and bolts.

 

[yt851128]

[ref]4zwmb[/ref], finaly i found out where it goes. did have it jacked up. the piece is kind of not necessary. or at least i could not see why it has to be on the. it appears to be riveted (not very sure, cuz i only have one broken piece of hardware left on the black felt faced plastic backed bottom cover to judge it from) to the bottom cover close to (a foot away from) the passenger side front wheel well. it lays directly on top of the cover, spacially in between the cover and exhaust pipes, so it goes from top to bottom 1. some exhaust pipe. 2. then this piece of aluminum, 3 ,then the bottom cover of the car that is felt on on side and plastic on the other side. so only reason for it to be there is for the cover to not melt, but, i dont see that being a issue at all, cuz this place should be air coooled enough considering the air movement around this loccation.