hey, my name is jay and i just bought my first rx8 and I'm doing a 6 port manual swap in it now. while taking off my driveshaft i realized there was a long black guard that was bolted to the exhaust and ran along it all the way to the diff. does anyone know what this is and how to remove it? if so do i need to keep it in the car or can i put it in the scrap metal pile? any help is appreciated thanks!

 

It is the Power Plant Frame. Part#16 Manual & #23 Automatic These diagrams shows everything that requires removal

 

Hey, I'm not sure if I'll be helpful as your spec car might be different from my UK spec car, but on my car, I did have a rather large heat and debris deflector shield. If it is that the part in question, I lost mine on a bump on the road along with my rear exhaust sensor, which was a pain. I’ve only replaced the sensor and been running the car for about 7 yrs. without the guard with no issues. If it’s the plates that bolt across the exhaust id tend to put them on as the do help with structure stiffness. Now in saying all that there is some aftermarket and some homemade parts that were made to help with channeling cooler air to the gearbox etc., but not sure if they work or not. Just got the downloaded pictures diagrams! I wouldn't lose that as that’s necessary to keep rigidity of the gearbox, driveshaft & diff. Its listed as the “power plant frame” on my docs.
Ronald