underside plastic cover necessary?

[EmeraldTDI]

Hey gang,

Our stable has expanded - we've just added a 2000 Golf TDI along side our 97 Jetta TDI.

This week Toronto had its share of the big snow storm. While driving along the snow ruts before plows had cleared this particular street, I drove over a high pile of snow which left the underside plastic cover hanging loose.

My trusted mechanic tells me it's a $300 replacement cost. I'm thinking "what? $300 for a piece of plastic?"

So, my questions are:
- can't I just remove it and go without? (my trusty A3 didn't have this thing)
- anyone know anywhere in Toronto where I could get one cheap? (I assume I can just install it myself, since I've gotta get through it in order to do an oil change).

Thanks for any information you can provide.

 

[Doug Huffman]

It is there for quieting and cleanliness. $300 ought to get you an after market steel belly pan with protection for the sump in addition to the original purposes.

 

[Stampfan]

One of its functions is to muffle sound from the diesel engine. Without it, the engine might sound louder. Depends on how much you care about this or not.

My current custom skidplate has holes in the bottom to dissipate heat, and it is noticeably louder than with the factory plastic one.

 

[veryhumid]

you can remove it and go without, but it does offer some impact protection. At the very least you hear the scraping noise first before clearance between the ground and oil pan runs out

http://www.dieselgeek.com/skidplate.php

...mmm... beefy

 

[EmeraldTDI]

Thanks guys. I wondered if it had any real mechanically protective value, or if it protected the engine from damage per se.

I will try to have it repaired first. Or, perhaps, get lucky and find one at a junk yard (yeah, right, I won't hold my breath).

 

[ymz]

While the Dieselgeek "Panzer" skid plate is an excellent piece of safety equipment, Canadians may find the following easier to get:

http://www.evolutionimport.com/skidPlates.html

I believe someone closer to Toronto (QMR Motorsports in Woodbridge ??) is going to stock them sometime soon...

The OEM plastic is decorative at best...

Yuri.

 

[nicklockard]

It's primary function is to smooth the airflow of the underbody. It's curvature is for aerodynamic reasons as well I believe.

 

[whitedog]

It's primary function is to smooth the airflow of the underbody. It's curvature is for aerodynamic reasons as well I believe.

It also lifts and supports when there is snow on the road. Well, maybe not really support, but I just like the visual I get when I say that.

 

[jasonTDI]

You guys who aren't under them all day don't know. KEEP SOME KIND OF A PLATE! And the skirts. Especially the right side skirt. Without them the belts get TRASHED! And the TB is right there under a thin cover with no seals. The sand, salt. debria really wear on components. Yes they do help air flow, yes they help noise a lot, yes they keep heat in during the cold.

 

[LNXGUY]

Never had a plastic skid plate and my TB and the rest of the components found inside the timing belt cover were in MINT condition after 220K..

No trashed belts here... no trashed anything to be honest.