Less wind resistance with original belly Pan vs Panzer plate?

[Joe_Meehan]

I could not find it, so here it is:

Does anyone know if the wind resistance is less or more with the OEM belly plate or with one of the metal plates (as in Panzer Plate)?

I am expecting to find that the difference is not material, but since I have not tested it, I was just wondering how much the wind resistance plays in this game.

 

[oilhammer]

The concentration of squirrel farts along the roadway would probably play just as much a part in wind resistance differences between the two.

 

[jettawreck]

The concentration of squirrel farts along the roadway would probably play just as much a part in wind resistance differences between the two.

LOL!!
Exactly!
A breath of head/tailwind would make more difference than either of the two.

 

[psd1]

I dont have either...but need one! :/

 

[jettawreck]

I dont have either...but need one! :/

Yes, yes you really do need one (Panzer Plate).

 

[tothemax]

I could not find it, so here it is:

Does anyone know if the wind resistance is less or more with the OEM belly plate or with one of the metal plates (as in Panzer Plate)?

I am expecting to find that the difference is not material, but since I have not tested it, I was just wondering how much the wind resistance plays in this game.

Joe dude!! R u kidding!! is the question keeping you us at night?

I would think that the difference would so negligible that you could not measure it in the 14 x 22 wind tunnel ..

IMHO, buy one and don't let it you keep you up at night on the wind resistance issue... your pan will be way better protected

 

[Bob_Fout]

The concentration of squirrel farts along the roadway would probably play just as much a part in wind resistance differences between the two.

What impact would fat chicks in the back have vs. squirrel farts?

 

[Joe_Meehan]

OK, I know there should not be much difference, maybe not enough to measure, but I recall some test (back many years ago) that indicated a meaningful difference in the cars tested. Of course this was back in the 60's and back then the answer to everything was to just build it bigger. Of course I was paying 17.9 cents per gallon back then.

I recall one test with and without a belly pan and the difference was significant. Of course today most cars have a belly pan.

Does anyone have any real life data?

 

[thebigarniedog]

What impact would fat chicks in the back have vs. squirrel farts?

He's not asking about your car Bob .......

 

[Bob_Fout]

He's not asking about your car Bob .......

Ah true. Just curious....

 

[Jnitrofish]

In my experience, any benefit is so miniscule that it's impossible to differentiate from other factors like weather, fuel, number of possums hit, drag of bugs on paint, excess weight, rodent flatulence...etc.

 

[VWBeamer]

I can't even measure the difference between belly pan and no belly pan.

I asked the question before, and most other could not tell the difference either between pan and no pan.

 

[Zedbra]

What impact would fat chicks in the back have vs. squirrel farts?

a race to the buffet is needed to verify results.

 

[Joe_Meehan]

Thanks for all the comments. That is about what I expected.

 

[whiplash willy]

Thanks for all the comments. That is about what I expected.

Did you expect it to turn into an argument between Squirrel Farts and Fat Chicks? LoL..

 

[psd1]

Yes, yes you really do need one (Panzer Plate).

And do you have a special one just for my Jetta??

 

[jgeorge]

The placement of fat chicks in the back seat would increase drag as it changes the cars angle of attack when cruising- The ingestion of squirrel farts as a source of methane would increase fuel economy by a small but measureable amount.

 

[jettawreck]

And do you have a special one just for my Jetta??

Not "special"-just favorite one.

 

[jettawreck]

The placement of fat chicks in the back seat would increase drag as it changes the cars angle of attack when cruising- The ingestion of squirrel farts as a source of methane would increase fuel economy by a small but measureable amount.

That was the best analysis of the possible scenerio so far.

 

[where2]

Ship me your plastic belly pan when you buy the metal one. I'll tell you if I notice a difference between no pan and plastic pan.

 

[Joe_Meehan]

Ship me your plastic belly pan when you buy the metal one. I'll tell you if I notice a difference between no pan and plastic pan.

I put my panzer plate on some time ago. My plastic pan is now on another's car.

 

[03bora]

Sounds like a call to the guys @ Myth Busters. I'm sure it would make a difference but I couldn't see being that much. I'm sure you would have to drive with a scanner to measure engine load over maybe a tank of fuel?

 

[Vekke]

With and without the belly pan depends on the design and the climate. Effect can be up to 5% better FE at least in winter. In winter that protects the engine oilpan from cold wind and the engine gets warmer faster...

Steel or aluminium plate protects the oilpan better from hits. It should not effect the aero if its designed to look the same. It absorbs more energy so its not as good as plastic one. But it does the most important thing which is to protect the oil pan from direct cold air and also it can be designed to cover more than the original cover.

 

[zolorin]

So here is my story

Forced to do the test on the

Original pan (with few holes at 200K+ mile vehicle)
43.84 mpg (averaged over 6 fill ups - back to back from August till November, 2010)

Lost the pan due to dog accident (one dead dog, one new front clip), NO PAN -- accident happened 2/2011
44.73 mpg (averaged over 6 fill ups back to back from July till September, 2011)

Installed the Panzer full metal Jacket 10/11/11
45.65 mpg (averaged over 5 fill ups back to back from from Oct to December, 2011)

This mileage is my commuting mileage and not highway intensive mileage (San Diego, 18 mile commute each way, out of which 6 miles on the surface roads with hills, rest highway, plus grocery shopping, etc).

My best so far is 56.5 mpg in Utah in October, when I joined the 900 club with 929 miles on a tank

So I need to wait till summer for better numbers.

 

[psd1]

So here is my story

Forced to do the test on the

Original pan (with few holes at 200K+ mile vehicle)
43.84 mpg (averaged over 6 fill ups - back to back from August till November, 2010)

Lost the pan due to dog accident (one dead dog, one new front clip), NO PAN -- accident happened 2/2011
44.73 mpg (averaged over 6 fill ups back to back from July till September, 2011)

Installed the Panzer full metal Jacket 10/11/11
45.65 mpg (averaged over 5 fill ups back to back from from Oct to December, 2011)

This mileage is my commuting mileage and not highway intensive mileage (San Diego, 18 mile commute each way, out of which 6 miles on the surface roads with hills, rest highway, plus grocery shopping, etc).

My best so far is 56.5 mpg in Utah in October, when I joined the 900 club with 929 miles on a tank

So I need to wait till summer for better numbers.

Interesting that your MPG went up WITHOUT a pan...

 

[zolorin]

winter diesel?

well as you can see that I was without the pan during the summer time, while with the pan it was a mix of summer and winter. So 1 mpg delta could be due to winter/summer blend of fuel vs. summer fuel 100%?

But there is definitely an improvement in using panzer plate

 

[Joe_Meehan]

But there is definitely an improvement in using panzer plate

A little less noise.