I was changing my oil for the first time tonight and broke 6 bolts. I read somewhere on here that it was easier and cleaner to just take the plastic cover off the bottom of the car to make it easier to reach the filter. Well when doing so, I broke 6 of the bolts holding it on. Has anyone else ever experienced this? I'm guessing that it was never taken off before and the bolts rusted and locked into place. I guess I will be doing some drilling tomorrow night.

 

I would have quit after two. I have never heard of others with that issue how many bolts are holding the plate on couldn't be many more that eight? Good luck drilling them out. Maybe put some copper kote/anti seize on them when you get it all sorted out. Also if you plan to drive with out the under panel, make sure you zip tie the fender liners to something or they will get pulled into the tires.

 

you are talking about the undercarriage? i took mine off no problem but there are like 20 bolts just so you know. and its the reason why i never put mine back on lol

 

Yes, it was the undercarriage. All the middle ones came out fine. It was the side ones that went through the fender liners that all broke.

 

humm are you removing them correct?? Don;t u have to remove the center stud first and then they just slip out from what I can remember.

You're not just yanking on it to pull it off are u?

 

Not worth it to drill them out, take the tray off totally, and just yank off the u nuts (don't be totally violent...just enough). Go to Lowe's (I know they have them) and bring a good bolt with you. Buy the right size u nuts and bolts, go home and put back together, have a beer and enjoy all the time you saved, not drilling those out.

 

Damn....^....a member that uses his head, have you tried the Hawwian beer called "Longboard?" Great Beer! There's no reason to remove all the bolts doing an oil change anyway, just enough to bend the cover down and drain/remove filter.
Gary

 

If you remove the under tray, will it effect anything? The plastic always breaks on one side and then it starts scraping when I go over bumps and the noise is so annoying and its so annoying to jack the car up since I'm lowered and live in the city just to remove and put back 1 bolt.

 

I will have to try to take the nuts out first then. Not looking forward to this at all.

 

Well it's there for protection; either if you run over stuff or water splashes. So remove permanently at your own risk.

 

Well, I had no luck getting the bolts out tonight. Luckily all but one I broke were just for the lip that sticks down. So I got the rest of them out and just removed the lip and put the undertray back on. I think I will be purchasing an aluminum one soon.

 

Damn... I just did mine yesterday and only took out the rear most one on the passenger side and tilted it down to take the filter off...

 

I was going to try that but I couldn't get back that far to do it that way. It was then in my way. I only had the front jacked up. Unfortunately all my jack stands are under my Mustang.

 

Do it. The undertray actually serves several useful purposes. It keeps the bottom of the engine clean, it provides more stability at high speeds (cleaner air flow), it helps keep cooler air in the engine bay by preventing it from escaping out the bottom, and it makes oil changes super easy, just remove 2 bolts on the door and you're done. It also protects the engine from crap coming up from the road. I'm on my second one, first was destroyed by a piece of tire I ran over. Bent the muthafvcka in half backwards. I hate to think what that would have done to the OEM plastic piece and my motor.



Also, a really cool mod for $20 would be one of these. I have one and love it! Talk about really making the oil change painless.

http://www.qwikvalve.com/?gclid=CKzk...FRBb7AodLCteMw