Under the engine compartment are two....maybe more....plastic panels that are apparently to improve the coefficient of friction. They are torn up on one side...apparently due to road debris. Are these expensive to replace? Has anyone tried making them out of aluminum to make them more durable?
__________________
Jim Isbell
2000, 5 speed, 250,000 miles
"If you are not living on the edge, well then,
you are just taking up too much space."
There's been other discussion about this that you might be able to find with the search function. Basically they're three flat panels, so you could make them out of flat aluminum from the hardware store for a lot less than the official ones will cost. In the future, don't back up in deep snow!
Just remember that the fuel tank is plastic. Should one of these "tougher" panels get knocked loose from any of the plethora of road hazards out there....
If it peels back, twists etc. slicing open the fuel tank is a real possibility.
Yep, backing up in snow is one of my real worries in Corpus Christi Texas. It actually snowed here in 2005 and it was the first time on 105 years that it had snowed in Corpus. It snowed on Christmas eve while we were in Tyler Texas, hoping for a white Christmas....where it DIDNT snow.
__________________
Jim Isbell
2000, 5 speed, 250,000 miles
"If you are not living on the edge, well then,
you are just taking up too much space."
That will link to a page with the parts you are looking for on it.
209791 012 1 COVER, R. ENGINE (LOWER) $38.18
209796 017 1 COVER, L. ENGINE (LOWER) $38.18
I ordered 1 as I am missing one on the passenger side. I ordered the wrong one, but this did show me how bad the one there is actually looking compared to a nice new one.
I have just changed the oil and now I can speak with authority on this subject. The "Splash Shield" that I need is the Drivers side unit. It came loose and ground itself to death on the pavement below.
Now the question is, "Do I really need them?" They are called "Splash Shields" and not "Aerodynamic Modifiers" So do they do anything to enhance the mileage of the vehicle, or just keep water off the bottom of the engine?
__________________
Jim Isbell
2000, 5 speed, 250,000 miles
"If you are not living on the edge, well then,
you are just taking up too much space."
Yes, they help smooth the airflow on the underside of the car. That is their primary purpose. I don't know how much mpg you will loose by not having one.
However since I removed them I see no difference in the mileage at speed on the highway or around town. If there is a difference it is very small, and at $35 each for the plastic panels I am sure that $70 invested in gasoline would be a better investment.
BUT...I am making new ones from aluminum flashing which should be more durable. Aluminum flashing is cheap, light weight and very durable in this application. They look to be mirror image copies of each other so that will make it even easier.
I may try using stainless steel zip ties to put them on with as they will not rust and freeze up like the screws did, and are cheap enough to cut off and replace as needed. They are available from Harbor Freight real inexpensively. I may try to design the panels so I can replace the oil filter without removing them and I am presently adding an oil drain valve with a hose that can be operated from above to solve the oil drain problem.
__________________
Jim Isbell
2000, 5 speed, 250,000 miles
"If you are not living on the edge, well then,
you are just taking up too much space."
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Under paneling?
