I've changed the oil on my '04 at least 10 times. I always remove the undercover because you have to. No one else has changed the oil except maybe my dealer on a warranty repair last year.

I had the work done last year to have a valve cover leak fixed. I noticed today when changing the oil, after replacing the undercover, that I could see the drain plug and the filter through a hole in the undercover. I'm wondering if the dealer cut the hole or it has always been there.

Looking for other's experiences on this.

Thanks for any help,

Mark

 

Yea there is not suppose to be a hole. I have to remove mine to get to it. I know some people found a away just to unscrew half of it or something and get to it as well, But it is covered.

 

There is a "window" for the oil pan plug. I know this because I did an oil change n my car today and while I was putting the cover back, i noticed the hole under the oil pan plug.

However, there is no hole for the filter at all. The cover needs to come off.

I think the oil pan "window" is more of an inspection window to let oil drip to the pavement, otherwise you could leak out quite a bit of oil and never know it. Reason i think this is because if you took the plug out, the oil might hit the cover instead of falling clean down through the window

 

Same here, there is a little round window through which you can see the oil plug but there is no way you could actully drain it without taking off the cover.

 

Same here, next time I do my oil I am actually going to make the hole a little larger so I can actually change my oil without pulling the guard off.

 

I don't mind taking off the cover. First time I did it I hated it, 2nd time I got one of those cordless screw drivers for under $15 and it made the job a breeze.

 

^ +1

 

^+2

 

Still more work than my F-450 and it has 2 filters lol

 

Can someone please make an aluminum one that doesnt cost a million dollars!?

 

I don't mind taking off the cover either, I like the protection it gives from salt spray. My hole is about 6 inches by 3.5. I can get my hand in and loosen the filter. I'm asking the dealer to replace the cover.

Does anyone know how much they cost?

 

I'll see what I can do, but it won't be cheap cheap. You have to remember aluminum isn't a cheap material.

 

Who is gonna see it? Squirrels you run over?

AL is more weight than plastic anyway. Don't see why you'd want one out of AL.

 

I don't think he wants it for looks, more for durability?

 

AL can corrode over time...esp in the presence of road salt. Granted, it would take some time for that to happen.

Unless he's off-roading and kicking up rocks and stumps and such, i would think the plastic panel (when properly secured) would be adequate for normal every day life.

But you could always make your own. Buy a sheet of AL from McMaster-Carr and trace the panel on it and cut it with a jig saw. Then drill away and you just made your panel. Cut out a few holes for the oil filter and drail plug and then bolt another sheet of AL over them and you don't have to take the entire cover off to do an OC