Can you help me identify something in my engine bay?

[IXer1990]

Hope this is the right location for this question. Sorry, I am one of those idiots who reads about cars all the time in magazines, goes to a few car shows, and watches youtube videos all the time but at the end of the day don't know what I am talking about in terms of wrenching my own car. Trying to change that.

Can you help me identify this heat shield type thing in my engine bay that i have put red arrows on?

The "shields" on my car are torn and I want to replace them.

https://imgur.com/a/oSUeTJb

[gonomo]

Those are the exhaust manifold gaskets. You can buy them with or without the heat shield.
I don’t think there’s really a reason to replace them unless you’re trying to clean up the engine bay because some people don’t even use them


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[sampayne]

If you do choose to replace them, getting the nuts loose on the manifold studs can be challenging, and result in some stripped nuts or broken studs. Soak them down with some PB blaster for a couple a days before attempting to remove them. Good luck.

[e30davie]

My understanding is they protect the spark plug leads from heat, I see no reason to remove them and they are apart of the exhaust manfold gasket so unless that gasket is stuffed i wouldn't touch them. removing that exhaust manifold is not fun.

Top be honest they also help to protect your hands from the hot exhaust when working on either a hot engine or a running engine.