How much for a new oil pan? Or, hey watch out for that rock!

[Lapidator]

So driving down Rt.2 in Charlemont, MA around 1030pm on Friday night -- rounding a corner, behind a pickup truck (not going too fast, and not even too close!)... truck goes over what appears to be a football sized rock in the roadway, and with the corner, and the narrow road, I couldn't safely avoid it, so I tried to skirt over it -- bad move.

http://img89.imageshack.us/my.php?image=driversfronttiresidebotwe0.jpg

(Ok... So I thought I used to know how to post an image... clearly I've lost those brain cells somewhere.)

At first look:
-- Cracked bell housing
-- Cracked oil pan

Luckily, it does not appear that the engine block, oil pump/siphon, or transmisison were damaged. We'll see...

Looks like I'll be getting that new VR6 clutch a little sooner than I thought.

For those of you considering a Panzer Plate -- don't put it off another moment! It might not have protected the engine, but the plastic belly pan did _nothing_!


Lap...

 

[mannytranny]

Ouch....time to call insurance!

 

[CornfieldCraig]

I had a bunch of great work done by jasonTDI in Madison last Thursday and Friday and decided to add a Panzer Plate to my 99.5 Jetta, which recently lost the plastic skid plate. This seemed a little extravagent for a car with 165K miles, but the car ran so great after Jason's great work (including a new timing belt), I decided the Panzer plate was the right way to go.

Well last night, I was going about 55 or 60 mph on a dark stretch of road and came upon what appeared to be either a piece of scrap paper or perhaps a dead racoon right in the middle of my lane. I decided to center it between the wheels, but at the last moment I realized that this was a really bad idea. It was, in fact, a garden spade (probably a heavy commercial version fallen off of a landscape truck) lying face-up with its blade pointed directly at my oil pan. It hit the Panzer plate with an awful thud, but aside from some scratches on the skid plate, the car and the plate were just fine.

 

[k2h2]

The day after I installed the steel belly pan I hit a good sized rock coming down a mountain pass. probably 4" in diameter. its possible without the steel pan the car would have cleared it, but because of the slight loss in clearance the pan totally smashed it. I pulled over to check the damage and just found a few scratches in the pan.

that was over 100k miles ago. I enjoy driving down the road instead of having to worry about what to avoid. for those that haven't installed a pan, do it, you'll be glad you did.

on a related note, I was riding my motorcycle at about 75mph and came up on a vehicle towing a boat. as I approached a paddle flew out of the boat and landed right in front of me. I clipped it with the front tire and it flew up and hit the bottom of the bike and then flew into the lane beside me. it was raining and the road was slick. I was sure i was done for.

 

[dr.diesle]

oil pans are going for a big 47.00 now adays any more is big retail or dealer costs

 

[owr084]

 

[oilhammer]

Yep, that is why I always champion installations of skidplates

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=189029

 

[Bob_Fout]

oil pans are going for a big 47.00 now adays any more is big retail or dealer costs

While oil pans are cheap, the motors above them tend to be a bit more

 

[dr.diesle]

very true Bob , the oil cost more than the pan too...

 

[supton]

I cheaped out and did the OEM steel oil pan protector. Not a lot of debris up here--but I figure, when I destroy the OEM bellypan, and/or damage that steel protector, I'll pony up the money for a real skidplate.

Which reminds me: I need to get another spacer for that pan, as I lost one...

 

[K5ING]

I'm finally having a Panzer skid plate put on my car this Saturday. I've already lost one oil pan a long time ago, and I should have put one on long before now, but I lost my plastic one to a "road gator" a week or so ago so and as long as I'm replacing it, might as well get a little piece of mind at the same time.

Better late than never, right?

 

[Lapidator]

I have a question for the OP...Was the rock moving when you hit it? This is significant because when I hit a giant chunk of ice my insurance would only cover it as a collision instead of a comprehensive claim because it was not "moving" when I contacted it. In your situation perhaps you can make the case to the insurance that when the truck went over the rock it caused it to move and be "moving" when you hit it. In which case you would pay a far lower deductible (I'm guessing). Just an idea

Hi York,

As far as I remember, the rock was not moving until I hit it.

Regardless, I have a visceral allergy to talking to insurance companies, so I'm just going to fix it on my own dollar (or more likely, many dollars). The last time I talked to the insurance companies, they "found" me 50% at fault when a drunk driver crossed a double-yellow line and hit me (in my 1998 Tacoma) while I was stopped at a red left turn arrow, with a witness in my car (long story short -- Progressive Ins. is unethical, and the State of New Hampshire has been notified of the situation). I wouldn't urinate on an insurance agent if it were on fire.

I have been told that the transmission housing looks like a complete loss, so I will likely have to get a new/rebuilt/used tranny to replace mine. So you might see a ventilated transmission on ebay soon (j/k!).

Oh joy...

Lap