Coil shield?

[GTRS Fiero]

There is a shield under the coil on the V6.  A piece sticks out, and has a hole in it.  Why?

[scottb]

Since my cars are 15 miles away...... got a picture?

[GTRS Fiero]

Look on the left side.  Here, there is a bolt in it, but not on the x88

[scottb]

I don't see a hole in the coil shield, but I do see the engine lifting bracket

[GTRS Fiero]

Far left.

[Fierofool]

That lower shield covers the crossover pipe on the pre-88 V6's.  The 88's had the honeycomb shield wrapped around the crossover pipe and the pipe was moved outward to the left.  If there was a difference in the 88 coil shield and the earlier shields, it may be that someone has replaced yours with an earlier one.  But I would suspect Pontiac simply continued with the old design rather than retool to eliminate the screw hole. 

[GTRS Fiero]

Could I just cut that piece off, so that edge is flush with the vertical shield?

I had also thought that I just had a shield from an earlier year...right up until I saw several other '88's that were the same.

[GTRS Fiero]

Since my cars are 15 miles away...... got a picture?

100% of my Fiero(s) are about 15 miles away.

[Fierofool]

If you cut that part off, be sure to burnish down the edge so it isn't sharp.  A Dremel or a bench grinder should be able to do the job.  But expect the edges to rust easily as they won't be zinc coated. 

[GTRS Fiero]

Thanks for the reminder.  I could get a fresh zinc coating, maybe.