serpentine belts and timing belts if applicable could get showered with water and sleet in winter. If that freezes after shutdown, there's not telling what happens: Ive seen timing belts jump teeth on the crankshaft from ice on the pulley (belly pan was missing a piece in that area, transverse mount)
Is the belly pan essential ?
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Roads worse than mine and I keep mine rough to keep people out.
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I’d replace it, if it were me. But I suppose at some point a car is old and it’s ok to let it go. Again, I wouldn’t.
This illustrates engineering. On my LS430 the oil filter has a plastic cutout where 1/4 sides is simply bent out of the way and stressed out during an oil change. The front lift point is intended to simply crush the plastic underbelly.
On my BMW the oil door is hinged, go figure. The front lift point peeks out so the pan is not simply crushed by the vehicle weight.
Then again the LS has a .26 cd and the BMW .31 (misleading the BMW is more aerodynamic)
I'd replace if possible. I have ziptied many even by adding new small holes. Most on the small vehicles like that are only held by the 2 piece plastic push clips that the center pulls out so you can remove it. Many of the older ones I deal with the spot where it goes into on the bumper cover etc rip out.
Was the road she was "supposed" to go down the same type of thing? When I was in college I used to take my '83 Civic Hatchback down roads like that. It was small enough that you could go around many of those rocks. They used to have parties / bonfires at the clearings after those areas. All the truck crowd were shocked when I showed up all the time.
Since she is 17 and probably pretty new at driving. I highly recommend you sign her up for a class at WWW.STREETSURVIVAL.ORG it is a hands on class taken in your daughters vehicle with an instructor. Covers emergency lane changes, wet skid pad, emergency braking etc. The tires WILL get some edge wear but it will be a wealth of experience. My kids recommend it to their friends after taking it. The classes fill up quick.
If roads like that might be a frequent occurrence in her future, replace the ILX with a CRV, Forester, CX-5 etc.
Since you are in NH, I presume you have experience over the years with winter tires. For her it would be a solid safety investment to get 4 spare rims (smallest possible to clear calipers) and good winter tires. Rims should be easy on CL, FB Market, ebay etc. even from other brands with same bolt pattern, just watch the hub bore though Honda's CB is smaller than others. I use Hyundai rims on my Accord. I get 4-5 winters out of most of my winter tires. Rims last as long as I have it then get re-sold after.
Was the road she was "supposed" to go down the same type of thing? When I was in college I used to take my '83 Civic Hatchback down roads like that. It was small enough that you could go around many of those rocks. They used to have parties / bonfires at the clearings after those areas. All the truck crowd were shocked when I showed up all the time.
Since she is 17 and probably pretty new at driving. I highly recommend you sign her up for a class at WWW.STREETSURVIVAL.ORG it is a hands on class taken in your daughters vehicle with an instructor. Covers emergency lane changes, wet skid pad, emergency braking etc. The tires WILL get some edge wear but it will be a wealth of experience. My kids recommend it to their friends after taking it. The classes fill up quick.
If roads like that might be a frequent occurrence in her future, replace the ILX with a CRV, Forester, CX-5 etc.
Since you are in NH, I presume you have experience over the years with winter tires. For her it would be a solid safety investment to get 4 spare rims (smallest possible to clear calipers) and good winter tires. Rims should be easy on CL, FB Market, ebay etc. even from other brands with same bolt pattern, just watch the hub bore though Honda's CB is smaller than others. I use Hyundai rims on my Accord. I get 4-5 winters out of most of my winter tires. Rims last as long as I have it then get re-sold after.
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What car have you seen a timing belt slip, as a result of ice? That seems really bizarre.
Happened to a coworker of mine. Car wouldn’t start one winter, was pretty cold, so he dumped a bucket of hot water on it, to warm it up.
Pretty sure the timing belt jumping a tooth had nothing to with lack of bellypan on that one…blame laid elsewhere.
That's like on my Ford Escape.
To make oil changes easier, I drive up on Ramps.
I bought a cheap rechargeable driver at Walmart ($18.00) and use that for removing all the fasteners.
I anti-seize all those pan and cover screws. Being in a salt zone it lessens issues removing them down the road.
As said they are there for a reason. Mfgr. would not spend money on something not really needed.
As said they are there for a reason. Mfgr. would not spend money on something not really needed.
Nutserts and fender washers if you want retain the old one.
I've absolutely never understood using push pin plastic fasteners to hold something hanging. AFAIC push pins are just to lightly retain something vertical (like a grille) or something that rests on top of something else (like radiator/front clip covers)
I've absolutely never understood using push pin plastic fasteners to hold something hanging. AFAIC push pins are just to lightly retain something vertical (like a grille) or something that rests on top of something else (like radiator/front clip covers)
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It’s be interesting to know if this actually fits my car.
They trend at $190-$200 for OE.
Again designed to simply be bent out of the way, the oil filter piece is poorly designed.
When I first got the car used, I went as far as replacing the “wiper” in front of the right front tire, which was gone. Heaven forbid my car’s cd goes up to .27 or .28 with it gone
They trend at $190-$200 for OE.
Again designed to simply be bent out of the way, the oil filter piece is poorly designed.
When I first got the car used, I went as far as replacing the “wiper” in front of the right front tire, which was gone. Heaven forbid my car’s cd goes up to .27 or .28 with it gone
I think the real problem is she is using apple maps.
Why? Millions of people have no troubles using it.
We had a girlfriend who took her Civic down Ophir Pass because nav told her it was the shortest route from Silverton to Telluride (true). I distinctly remember wincing when she described hearing some "really loud" clunks a couple of times.
Then just Oct '20 we had a 30' box truck stuck on Engineer because nav told him to
Navigation won't get you to my place but even though I tell people up front and provide directions they STILL follow nav and call me from the wrong turn wondering what happened. What is wrong with people??
Then just Oct '20 we had a 30' box truck stuck on Engineer because nav told him to
Navigation won't get you to my place but even though I tell people up front and provide directions they STILL follow nav and call me from the wrong turn wondering what happened. What is wrong with people??
7 bolts hold the pan on the Volvos. I’ve replaced three of old pans with an aluminum aftermarket pan when they started breaking down.
I replaced those 7 bolts with flanged head stainless steel. A dab of anti seize as well. Our cars often see salt water and the combination of stainless and anti seize works.
For my Mercedes, it’s closer to nine fasteners just to change the engine oil. Another five fasteners, if I want to be able to look at the transmission.
The pans are complex, and include air ducts that keep the engine mounts cool. The engine mounts are right underneath the turbos and the V-12 is tight on clearance all around.
Part of the reason I own an electric ratchet is because of the pans…
I replaced those 7 bolts with flanged head stainless steel. A dab of anti seize as well. Our cars often see salt water and the combination of stainless and anti seize works.
For my Mercedes, it’s closer to nine fasteners just to change the engine oil. Another five fasteners, if I want to be able to look at the transmission.
The pans are complex, and include air ducts that keep the engine mounts cool. The engine mounts are right underneath the turbos and the V-12 is tight on clearance all around.
Part of the reason I own an electric ratchet is because of the pans…
Our Atlas's pan has a ton of fasteners (2 different types - ~12 in total I believe) and yes, electric impact driver is your friend for these belly pans!
get an aftermarket one on amazon. I had to replace all the stripped hardware for my ford belly pan because they used metal screws and plastic inserts.
Same! Just ordered a cheap belly pan hardware kit for my son's Focus...red plastic inserts and metal screws...old ones were shot and I am a proponent of keeping the pan on/in-place...even though it's like a fabric/cardboard type material in this case.
I would definitely replace it. Daughter lost one on a VW many years ago after driving home from college. A few days later noticed a pool of oil on the driveway. She had cracked the oil pan. Fortunately, no damage as I caught it in time, Required new oil pan/gasket and oil refill. Each tray is vehicle specific so you may get away with it, but I would NOT risk it.
Quick oil change places are notorious for not correctly replacing these trays. Many years ago, after losing two I did all further oil changes on all my vehicles myself. Yet another reason to DIY and know it's done right!
Quick oil change places are notorious for not correctly replacing these trays. Many years ago, after losing two I did all further oil changes on all my vehicles myself. Yet another reason to DIY and know it's done right!