[Guide] Underside Engine Cover + Fitting Kit -- How I Done It --

[RichP]

A friend of mine had his Volvo V70 engine ruined just recently by debris from the road getting into his belts, And when i owned VW cars in the past i just remember all the VW,s i used to see with the undertray hanging down/broken, which is why i was thinking plastic was maybe a false economy. Hmmm decisions decisions

 

[Spaghetti]

I’ve got the same as @Dellmassive, been on since late 2019 and it’s perfect.

 

[Spaghetti]

I’ve seen cars and vans with them flapping about as they go down the motorway (how do they *not* notice this?) but I think that’s got more to do with lazy mechanics not fitting back all the clips.

This uses 6 x 13mm headed bolts, and two tabs that tuck into the front bumper.

 

[ched]

Although this looks like some terrible accident, it’s actually me fitting my under protection yesterday - my wife was finding the view from upstairs funny!

@Paynewright ‘s tip to recut the threads in the chassis (see earlier post) is well worth doing - mine were badly corroded so was difficult to get the bolts in at first.

Once the threads were cleared it was a doddle…

This is the one I purchased and can confirm it’s good quality:

Pardon our interruption...

 

[Dellmassive]

@ched

are those official VW ramps . . . .




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FWIW i used these . . .

https://amzn.to/3uZNCEA

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i used them on the TowBar job recently too . . .









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these are brilliant too . . . very effective when used on a hard floor. . .

https://amzn.to/3rdhH2o

 

[ched]

Haha - not quite ‘official VW’ @Dellmassive but very effective nonetheless. I’ve actually got some Thule levelling chocks similar your ramps for when we’re camping, but because they have a kind of honeycombed, semi-hollow design underneath, they aren’t great on gravel and tend to move/sink.

The concrete building blocks are rock solid once the van is up. I use three either side to create a ramp shape.

 

[RichP]

Against everyone's best advice i bought the steel under tray, It actually weighs 10.6 kg which is better than i hoped for, I thought it would be double that !
I have 2 mechanics who i have used for over 30 years and they both think in principal it sounds like a good thing, one of them who used to be manager of the service department at a VW service centre before becoming an independent VW/Audi specialist knows how many inferior plastic undertrays they have had to deal with over the years and services a few other vehicle types with steel undertrays.
I will get it fitted next week and give honest feedback and photos (if i can work out how to post them..... imgur ? )
I lifted it above my head and held it their for 30 seconds without getting the shakes so hopefully he is as equally up to the task

 

[Ayjay]

@RichP. As one of those who expressed concern about the potential weight of the thing, I've got to say that I also thought it would be a lot heavier than the quoted 10.6Kg. As an aside, I only ever considered mine as a method of reducing all the miscellaneous road crap that inevitably finds it's way into the engine bay when I fitted it and never really intended it as a skid plate in the true sense of the term.

 

[KevCox]

Hi Guys - know this post is quite old now but have bought the underside engine cover from DSP in Poland (should arrive Monday). It doesn't come with the sound insulation and VW, apparently, do not supply just the insulation only the whole tray @£265.

What would be the best alternative, given where it is and the exposure to heat, oiul etc etc?

Thanks as always for any help and advise!!!

 

[Dellmassive]

Hi Guys - know this post is quite old now but have bought the underside engine cover from DSP in Poland (should arrive Monday). It doesn't come with the sound insulation and VW, apparently, do not supply just the insulation only the whole tray @£265.

What would be the best alternative, given where it is and the exposure to heat, oiul etc etc?

Thanks as always for any help and advise!!!

im not sure on the insulation thing . . .

i think @moomin-j posted a pic showing the insulation.

if we find a good solution ill give it a go myself.

example pics:

 

[Ayjay]

if we find a good solution ill give it a go myself.

Plus one on that. Mind you, I have to wonder if it would make much difference if the scuttle and bonnet underside are left as bare as they are now (but both of them are on my list for next year).

 

[Dellmassive]

i just had to go double check on that . . . . .

as i was sure i had bonnet underside sound deadening. . . . . .


which i have.






i might have been an option i chose when it was built for sound deadening maybe?



either way i have this cloth based sheet piece clipped into the bonnet. . . .



..











.

so maybe that is available from VW as a separate piece for the bonnet?

 

[mmi]

 

[Dellmassive]

7e0 863 835 b


hmm not cheap then . . . . . LOL.

 

[Ayjay]

@Dellmassive. Interesting - a pal of mine had a bashed up T6 in his body shop last week and it was getting a new bonnet (amongst other things). I'll have to ask tomorrow if that part might be up for grabs!

 

[Ayjay]

@Dellmassive. Interesting - a pal of mine had a bashed up T6 in his body shop last week and it was getting a new bonnet (amongst other things). I'll have to ask tomorrow if that part might be up for grabs!

My mate came across with the under bonnet sound absorber as well as a complete set of clips and it took me 10 minutes to get it on. It was free of charge but I did give him a half decent bottle of Rioja as a thank you. More of an issue is how the van got out of the factory without one in the first place - unless it was nicked by the dealer or the converter as they were the only other owners!

 

[Dellmassive]

Panel vans don't come with them ...

 

[Ayjay]

@Dellmassive. Well mine's sorted now but I'll be interested to know if it will make any difference the next time that I drive it (particularly on a long run but that probably won't be for a while). I must ask a couple of people that I know with T6s whether they had one fitted and whether they specced it from new. I find it difficult to believe that they don't all come out of the factory with them but I guess we are talking about VW after all.....

 

[Dellmassive]

The main thing is it keeps the engine bay cleaner.

And has a slight added benefit of reducing engine bay noise as heard from outside.

 

[Ayjay]

@Dellmassive. I think you're talking about the under engine tray now right? I was talking 'under bonnet' as pictured in your post above.