Best way to trim a heat shield...
 

I have an issue and I am not exactly sure the best way to resolve it. I have a BNR Stg. 2 turbo and the factory heat shield is rubbing on the wastegate actuator arm to the point of not letting it function correctly. I have been working with @Boost_creep on an e-tune and he has been working out funky boost curve for a while. It was narrowed down to be a mechanical issue with the wastegate. The goal was to go in there to adjust the actuator arm but when I noticed the heat shield I am pretty sure that is my problem. I attached a picture of what I was talking about. My goal is to cut somehow where the arrow is pointing to let the arm move freely. The main problem is that I can't get the heat shield out of the bay so anything done will have to be while it is in the car. I was thinking a dremel or some shears, any input? Thanks.

Can you just bend it to the right with needle nose pliers?

Asian with tiny hands wielding some shears?

I have not tried anything to remedy the problem yet. I thought it would be an easier task than it was. I pulled the intercooler, the main heat shield over the exhaust mani., undid the bolts on the problem shield but couldn't take off the main one I needed to because I don't have an O2 sensor socket. I was putting everything back together because it was going to rain soon and that is when I noticed that the heat shield wouldn't bolt back up right and was being a bitch. It is just kind of hanging in there for now with one bolt in and the exhaust mani. shield is also off for now. I will dive back into it as soon as I can, I was just seeing if anyone else ever had this issue.

I think a dremel is going to be your best bet, Matt.

They make different types of dremels, as well. I have one at home that actually vibrates/shakes a blade so damn fast, that it just shears right through metal. It should do the trick rather quickly. Let me know if you want to borrow it. I'll send it out to ya!

If none of the above work out, I have a set of tin snips I use very often (can get them @ Home Depot)

I cut those g.d. clear fused packages with them as well as use them for jobs similar to yours.
http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/pro...f258b1_300.jpg

I have shears similar to those ^ but because of where it is going to be used, I am not sure I could get the leverage that I need. I am probably going to try the dremel route and/or sawzall.

Ok, after going back in and trying a little harder the heat shield came out. Then I just made some relief cuts with the dremel and bent it in, not beautiful but works fine.

as @Boost_creep suggested I have been using my Dremel with a cutting wheel, works great, then clean up the cut with another attachment, easy.

Yeah, a dremel was the plan all along. Originally, I could not get the heat shield out and I didn't want to force anything. Today I went in and pretty much yanked it right out, funny how that works sometimes. After looking again, it would have been pretty much impossible to do in the car, that is why I convinced it to come out. Maybe the tool Jason said with the vibrating blade might have gotten in there but the shears would not work and the dremel would have been hella tight. Either way, it's done now and so far working out nicely.