Engine skid plate?

hill

Does anyone know of a protection plate made for VW engines that doesn't hang low and is easy to drop/install?

I have a "Claude's Buggies" (AKA = CB) shallow add-on sump with oil temp sender. Came back from a drive to find the cooling vanes crammed with small gravel that could only have come from my 1/4 mile driveway. (I put down five yards of the same size gravel during the winter to try to fend off the yearly potholes).

I never heard or felt the car bottom on my way in or out, but this won't do - it could crack the sump as tight as some of those rocks were packed in there.

So some kind of skid plate like my 4x4's use only made to stay up tight to the sump; ready made, available to buy?

If not I'll try to fab something, or lose the sump maybe but I'd just as well keep it on there.

5/12/122:11 PM

❤️ 0

Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

hill

5/12/122:11 PM

❤️ 0

Former Member

You'll have to fabricate something. In the past, I've used sheet aluminum. You'll also have to figure out how to mount it. Typically you want a at least 1 inch between the skid plate and the sump to absorb the damage from a large object. This may cause a problem because it will act like a shovel and move all that gravel every time you drive on your driveway. I doubt the lodged gravel will break your sump so try slowing down when you drive on the gravel. The other option is to raise the cars suspension.

5/12/122:58 PM

❤️ 0

hill

Shelf. Yeah, the sump itself creates a forward facing shelf about 1" deep and as wide as the part. That was full of dirt, grass, and assorted debri but none of my gravel. I was going to make a ramped sort of guard to keep stuff off of that sump-made shelf. If I extend it a little lower I could use it as a signal to let me know I'm touching down and go slower.

Durn! My driveway has two good curves and I get a kick out of putting cars into four wheel drift when I get home. :)

5/12/124:20 PM

❤️ 0