Heat shield or to not heat shield?

I have an '06, and wanted to pick up the K&N CAI soon. I had the CAI on my '04 GTO (RIP) - but am wondering the use of the heat shield for the '06. Doesn't the heat shield defeat the purpose of the ram air hood?? Just curious what you thought. It seems to me if it's getting more air inducted in the engine bay - I'd want to leave off the heat shield.

The scoops are closed unless you've unplugged them. I'd venture to say the air is still cooler from the fender area than the engine area even with the scoops opened up.

This certainly will require me to look into it more. I have seen aftermarket ram air hoods that are functional and drop the air right over the air box location. I just don't want to put a new hood on it. Hmm..

Thanks for your input. Much appreciated...as always.

I would use the heat shield. It gets hot down under.
The hood scoops are almost non functional. With the plugs in it allows the hot air to escape, yet not let water in. With the plugs out. It just gets everything dirty real fast.
You could change out the hood. But for the $ is it really worth it?

I hear ya. I did take the plugs out two days ago and so far haven't noticed a significant difference. Back in they go.

The heat shield is better than nothing at all altho the real question is where the source air is coming from. I know that the only people I know that get good results with a corner engine bay type intake run with the headlight out also.

My IAT's at the track today in the staging lanes were ranging anywhere from 135 to 150 degrees. And the result of course was slower times. Of course it was about 90 degrees with humidity today as well. Makes a guy want to hack a hole in his hood and run a tube out about 2 feet above it. ;)