Just picked this '04 Dakota and noticed the sides of the engine block are wide open to the elements through the wheel wells.

Just wondering if this is normal on Dakota's or is there something missing off the inside of my wheel wells? You can see in the pictures that the block and exhaust manifold's are rusted from being exposed. Seems like a crappy design to me but again maybe something is missing from this truck.

Driver Side:

DSCF1199.jpg

Passenger Side:

DSCF1200.jpg

 

there should be a little flap there, but i cut mine off when i had to get to the manifold bolts. it doesnt harm anything. you are missing the shield on one of them though.

 

Thanks thunder. So there should be a factory flap in the wheel wells? Does it matter that the heat shield is missing off the pass side manifold?

 

keep an eye on your brake line, maybe wrap it in tin foil if you are worried, but i dont think its a big deal.

 

Thanks I'll keep an eye on it, see if maybe I can pick up a new heat shield for that manifold, just to be on the safe side.

I see now where it looks like there are some staples in the fender liner, where maybe a splash shield was attached, is that how it was attached at the factory? Might just try to fab some up on my own.

Thanks.

 

Look at the sticky topic about diy mods. A guy did a grill guard and I think he said his next project was wheel well liners.