Coilovers and OEM Plastic Skidplate/Engine Cover Thingy??

[TaggyTagz]

Hey so as some of you know I have a set of BC coils with EDP, my question is, Do most of you guys that go very low (2"+) keep that plastic sheet in or just take it out? I feel like It would be rubbing almost constantly because it seems to droop a bit in the middle where it isn't bolted to anything. I've considered taking a look under the car to see if maybe I can find some points to zip tie it a bit higher.. but I wonder whether it is worth keeping in anyways.. I mean I suppose it'll help keep salt and crap out of the engine bay a bit..

By the way, for those of you who suggested not installing coilovers until spring, thanks, I'm taking your advice.. I swear I'm not installing them tomorrow morning at 9:30am.. :P
Guess I'll be stopping by CTire tomorrow for some silicone lube.

See, there it is.. lowest point on the car pretty much.. and looking useless :chuckle
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v735/seantheguy/100_0745.jpg

[Dave_The_BMXER]

Here's the thing with that it sucks. The mounts on the side are plastic and break easily, or it just breaks.

I have an aftermarket one and the mounts on the side still broke. Corksport makes a better one but it is fairly expensive.

At the end of the day you don't NEED it but it does prevent snow build up in the engine bay. I would like to at some point figure out a way to mount my aluminum one that doesn't involve flimsy plastic mounting points.

[TaggyTagz]

At the end of the day you don't NEED it but it does prevent snow build up in the engine bay. I would like to at some point figure out a way to mount my aluminum one that doesn't involve flimsy plastic mounting points.

Ya a few winters ago I was driving my very very low mk3 jetta during a snowstorm on the qew and so much snow got jammed into the engine bay and froze that I ended up with with only like 4th and 3rd gear working because the shifter was physically unable to move due to snow buildup. scary days haha...

and it sounds like an aluminum skidplate with solid mounts is something that needs to be sorted out, designed, built by some clever ppl.. Actually after my 3rd damaged oilpan on my VW the I ended up having a sort of cage welded like a skeleton around my oilpan about 3/4" lower than the pan itself so when the car bottomed out it slammed off that skeleton instead of the pan. seemed to work. Just need to find somewhere to weld to.. or bolt a welded frame to.

[peterm15]

I don't have it on. No problems at stock height. I've raised my car for winter as well.

My car also gets a chance to thaw out everyday in the underground parking. Never drops below 12 deg.

I have thought about getting one but seeing as it's flimsy and breaks often I'd most likely go through one every couple months on the oil change.

Do you guys think a flat aluminum price would work. Or would it need to be bent and stamped?

[TaggyTagz]

So Dave.. are you just running no skidplate then? I dont see anything droopy hanging under your car like in my pic.

[TaggyTagz]

NVM.. just read your post again.... :bang:bang

So Dave.. are you just running no skidplate then? I dont see anything droopy hanging under your car like in my pic.

[TheMAN]

please don't confuse "skid plate" with diffuser or splash guard, which is what that piece of plastic is
a skid plate is a piece of metal mounted solidly on a rigid frame to prevent oil pan damage... found on 4X4s

it's a good idea to have the diffuser/splash guard because it allows for better air flow across the radiator and improved aerodynamics under the car, which helps highway fuel economy somewhat... the secondary effect is keeping the engine cleaner

[TaggyTagz]

please don't confuse "skid plate" with diffuser or splash guard, which is what that piece of plastic is
a skid plate is a piece of metal mounted solidly on a rigid frame to prevent oil pan damage... found on 4X4s

it's a good idea to have the diffuser/splash guard because it allows for better air flow across the radiator and improved aerodynamics under the car, which helps highway fuel economy somewhat... the secondary effect is keeping the engine cleaner

Ya I used to have one on my lifted truck.. but you could call it a skidplate if its mounted on a lowered car that is only an inch or 2 off the ground to protect the oilpan from being torn apart by the road couldn't you? I know it isn't the correct word to describe the plastic POS that comes with the car now though ahah.

[TaggyTagz]

I'm just hoping that when I have this car at the height I want it at, the oilpan doesn't sit as low as my vw did.. because I don't want to go through oilpans cracking or being ripped clean off the car.

[Dave_The_BMXER]

You won't hit your pan. Takes more than the extreme drop to do that.

[terapr0]

if anyone has a spare corksport or even OEM one I could reverse engineer the mounting locations and make aluminum or stainless ones at work. Have access to laser cutters and brake presses...just too lazy to take mine off and measure it. If you already have the measurements that would make it even easier too :D

[Default User]

You won't hit your pan. Takes more than the extreme drop to do that.

But a raised pothole or construction zone could.

But even then - a plastic diffuser wouldn't be much protection in that circumstance.

Running that low - I would keep it on for protection of hydrolock / up-splash.

[Kappa]

^^you stand more of a chance to hit your alt guard than your pan

[TheMAN]

if anyone has a spare corksport or even OEM one I could reverse engineer the mounting locations and make aluminum or stainless ones at work. Have access to laser cutters and brake presses...just too lazy to take mine off and measure it. If you already have the measurements that would make it even easier too :D

someone else already did that here.... there was a huge thread about it not long ago

[S.F.W.]

someone else already did that here.... there was a huge thread about it not long ago

starscream was the one who created it...but it used the original mounting points as I recall.

[Dave_The_BMXER]

if anyone has a spare corksport or even OEM one I could reverse engineer the mounting locations and make aluminum or stainless ones at work. Have access to laser cutters and brake presses...just too lazy to take mine off and measure it. If you already have the measurements that would make it even easier too :D

I have my aluminum one (start scream) off the car currently. I could supply you with that and the oem brackets as well. Mine has some ghetto repairs on one side but would work well for a template. Let me know.



Running that low - I would keep it on for protection of hydrolock / up-splash.

Up splash?