Heat shield protector needed - advice please?

jackonlyjack wrote: if mine is in reasonable condition it will be cheap
postage plus a little bit for my time
it not take much time to remove with grinder

Jack

Jack: petrol tank + grinder? sounds like an accident waiting to happen!

No fuel or fumes been empty for a while

Susie,

It's the fuel tank guard fitted at the factory to prevent damage to the tank when off-road, given what type of vehicle it is. It's not thick enough to protect the tank from much and is a token effort from Suzuki really.

If you do not go off road, just have it cut off as best as can be done. Don't spend money replacing something like this that you do not need.

Also, the tank bolts that hold it on look to be as rusty as can be and I wouldn't advise trying to undo them just to remove that. The bolts will be rusted solid into the captive nuts they bolt into on the chassis and will likely sheer, leaving you with less than the ideal number of bolts holding the petrol tank in place. Petrol tanks are heavy when full!

So if you can get someone to bend each side down and cut them without sparks going all over the tank, do so. Maybe someone with an air saw. The sharp ends can then be folded over onto themselves and pushed up out of the way.

Kirkynut

Hi I have taken it to the garage this morning. I was also advice the guard can be taken off but apparently the chassis is broken and needs to be welded together costing £150. Obviously I have to trust what they said. Apparently I would be scraping the car in a month if they didn't do it.

the one have have is not much good
so as Kirky says cut it off
as for the broken chassis get someone else to have a look
also did they say where it's broken

Jack

They showed me that it was right in the middle of both sides of the car underneath and that it was going to get snapped in half if it wasn't welded.
Cost me £150.
Although I'm annoyed now because I went there with a knocking sound which was caused by the guard and they removed it but drove off with another sound - the exhaust now makes a rattling sound when I start the car or accelerate when I'm setting off or when I stop the car and switch the ignition off.
Is this what I should have expected? I'm annoyed that now I'm going to have to get that fixed. They told me before I started the car that it was fine and I had to tell them about the noise.