Belly Pan - Lower Engine Cover

[TDI WNY]

What is the purpose of the insulation found on the topside of the belly pan cover. Is it for sound deadening? Is it for heat protection for the cover not to deform from engine temperatures? Is there someplace I could buy some, without replacing a perfectly good pan?

Local dealer installed a new water pump under warranty at 39000, in 2019. During that process they overfilled my engine oil by at least 1.25 quarts. My belly pan insulation was saturated with used oil. I got a lower oil pressure warning and removed the excess oil through the dipstick. I have no clue why they touched my oil, for a waterpump, Sabotage or Courtesy? Now at 85000 I replaced TB and Water Pump because of noise in that area. The saturated insulation was ridiculous so I have removed it. I was hoping to save the plastic part of the belly pan and affix new insulation.

While venting my frustration with dealer, when they did the "warranty replacement" of the waterpump I noticed they failed to use a block of wood to jack the engine up and down. They left a nice floor jack indentation and crack in my oil pan cover. I didn't figure this out till now, 3 years later. No significant oil loss to date.

 

[RIP TDI]

The insulation is for sound deadening only. You might consider this an opportunity to replace the splash pan with the skid plate from the Alltrack, which has the insulation, or an aftermarket plate (w/o insulation). The low ground clearance on these cars leaves the oil pan vulnerable to damage which the flimsy splash pan can't prevent. This may be more hassle and expense than you want to deal with now, but something to consider.

Bulk sound/thermal insulation is widely available but is typically foam with or without foil facing that I think degrades prematurely compared to the fibrous OE material.

Your cracked plastic oil pan shroud is also a sound deadener and has molded foam inside. These fill up with oil during a normal oil change unless the shroud is removed during the draining phase, or unless the oil is evacuated. The molded foam absorbs a ton of oil and becomes a less effective sound deadener. The crack wouldn't improve things.

 

[TDI WNY]

Thank you RIP TDI!!!

 

[740GLE]

The insulation is for sound deadening only. You might consider this an opportunity to replace the splash pan with the skid plate from the Alltrack, which has the insulation, or an aftermarket plate (w/o insulation). The low ground clearance on these cars leaves the oil pan vulnerable to damage which the flimsy splash pan can't prevent. This may be more hassle and expense than you want to deal with now, but something to consider.

Bulk sound/thermal insulation is widely available but is typically foam with or without foil facing that I think degrades prematurely compared to the fibrous OE material.

Your cracked plastic oil pan shroud is also a sound deadener and has molded foam inside. These fill up with oil during a normal oil change unless the shroud is removed during the draining phase, or unless the oil is evacuated. The molded foam absorbs a ton of oil and becomes a less effective sound deadener. The crack wouldn't improve things.

Some Alltracks pans have the foam insulation, some do not, out alltrack has no vent and no foam.

Either way i'd say run the stock pan without the foam and you'll be fine.

 

[Mongler98]

Its an oil sponge not by design but by real world driving.
If you want you can add a cut up yoga mat as long as its neoprene with some double sided tape for like 15 bucks. Or go with a nicer automotive product that's basically the same like a dynomat ripoff.
Yiu definatly do not need it and it's a $300 replaced! So stupid!

 

[tdidieselbobny]

Local dealer installed a new water pump under warranty at 39000, in 2019. During that process they overfilled my engine oil by at least 1.25 quarts. My belly pan insulation was saturated with used oil. I got a lower oil pressure warning and removed the excess oil through the dipstick. I have no clue why they touched my oil, for a waterpump, Sabotage or Courtesy? Now at 85000 I replaced TB and Water Pump because of noise in that area.

While venting my frustration with dealer, when they did the "warranty replacement" of the waterpump I noticed they failed to use a block of wood to jack the engine up and down. They left a nice floor jack indentation and crack in my oil pan cover. I didn't figure this out till now, 3 years later. No significant oil loss to date.

Which dealer? Northtown, Towne(Schmitts), VW of Orchard Park, or Basil VW? I wasn't impressed with VW of OP for my 80k service...

 

[tdidieselbobny]

I also suggest if you were gonna spend money for another bellypan, might as well pony up a few extra $$$ and get an aluminum skidplate. I bought one, it's well worth it. I bought it from Cascade German off eBay a couple years ago....I think it was an Evolution one....