plastic pan under car Topic is solved

93 & 97 850's · Post by **93 & 97 850's** » 06 Nov 2003, 08:57

I have a 93 850 , my plastic pan under the car lost a few bolts and
was dragging, I took it off about a year ago .

its was a pain to remove evertime I changed the oil.

My question is do I need the pan for any reason dose it
protect anything and why dose my 97 not have one.

thanks

93 850 glt 5 speed 98k
97 850 sportwagon 70k

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 08 Nov 2003, 05:13

for 93 ECU cooling from open air, pan helps in overall cooling efficiency.

for 97 ECU cooling comes from car interior.

if can save money save money.....cooling efficiency be damned, pan cost a lot... better to use it than throw it away.

rogee · Post by **rogee** » 09 Nov 2003, 07:08

I have 98 t5 and I believe the piece you are referring to is the air guide. I think your 97 should have one as well but has, most likelly, fallen off too. It is important in that it keeps the air entering the front of the car from falling out the bottom and not going thru the intercooler, radiator, oil cooler and most importantly into the induction system. I would replace it.

93 & 97 850 · Post by **93 & 97 850** » 10 Nov 2003, 08:55

Its a cover the entire bottom of the motor and has to be removed
for oil changes

rogee · Post by **rogee** » 11 Nov 2003, 07:24

Sorry, What you are talking about is not the air guide. My car does not have a pan under the engine. Very easy to change oil in a 98 t5. Good luck.

Tsquared · Post by **Tsquared** » 11 Nov 2003, 08:55

Hummmm.... The pan that was on my 96 orrigionally had a lip on it, sort of like a spoiler pointed down. I remember this because the lip would catch on parking lot bumpers and it was a pain to remove the pan during oil changes. While I was in the middle east in 98 my wife had the car serviced at a fly by night place and they removed the pan and did not reinstall it.

It was there when I changed the oil the previous time, but when I got back and found out she had the car serviced I decided to change the oil again. This is when I found the pan missing.

The pan had been missing for about 4K miles, an new one cost about $175, and there were no noticable ill effects. Now 60K miles later I have compaired my engine compartment with a 95 that had 100K on it. Mine was a little dirtier because of the road grime that gets into the compartment.