Just finished an oil change (the second one since adding the Forester to the fleet). Tell me a GOOD reason not to take the silly plastic belly pan, and those engineering miracle thumbtacks that hold it all together, completely off my 2003 Forester?

 

Yeah, I've done the search. The guys at the SFOF say keep it on for "aerodynamic" reason. Yeah, right. Like it just slips through the air with it on...

 

OK, I feel better. Just needed to blow off some steam ("one word...plastics").

 

Steve

Hi steve. You could probably take it off if you want. Certain soob years and models have that pan and some don't. My '00obw has that thing, but once I figured out there is an access hole for the oil drain plug and a slide out part for the oil filter access I don't worry about it anymore.

My 97 leg plastics got rip off this past winter by hard packed snow. I don't see any problems without them.

The plastic guard on my '02 obw is cracked a bit, so I zip tied it back together... My sis's '00 legacy didn't come with one.

 

The only difference I noticed was that the plastic seems to protect the underside from moisture coming up off the driveway (parked). With the plastic I see a decent amount less rust.

 

But then again, with all the salt they use up here, who knows!

I suspect the plastic also is meant to reduce wind drag, thereby increasing fuel economy.

It may help to maintain a low pressure area behind the radiator. Or maybe not- it could even hinder air from escaping and so actually may keep the engine bay at a higher pressure than it otherwise would.

 

Someone could hook an hour-meter to their radiator fan and track fan usage vs. pan-on, pan-off.

 

 

Dave

Awww, you'd take the pan off and give all those cold, homeless rodents no place to go when it's cold? Why, they really need it, since it's a place to sleep off the meal they just had on your wiring. Call it the Motel 6 of the moused-car world: Subie 4 - and we'll leave the pan on for you!

 

As you can tell, I hate plastic pans too...

and every person who takes it down and puts it back up and down and up and down and up ends up stripping all the little bolts.....i got one the other day were i guy was holding it on with zip ties...lol

Most of the 2008s are running without the diaper. There is one exception but I can't remember which model still has the shield.

it is kind of nice with the new ones that have the "oil filter access" cover with only the little clips....

Most of the 2008s are running without the diaper. There is one exception but I can't remember which model still has the shield.

 

My 08 OB 2.5i Base model doesn't have it. And here I thought I was missing out on something..

Tell me a GOOD reason not to take the silly plastic belly pan

 

Steve

 

Plastic doesn't stick to rocks.

 

Sincerely,

 

Doug

I took the one on my Legacy wagon off and put a Primitive Racing skid plate on. It's still a little clumsey, but it doesn't rip off in the winter:)