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How fragile are oil pans?

Phil Esra · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 100
Jake Jones wrote: I saw that too. The point where the pan was breached was a high spot between the ruts on the road. I was actually walking behind the car when it happened. The funny thing is that you're supposed to park further back I think, so karma caught them cheating perhaps. It's not even that far of a walk. Less than a quarter mile. I thought the same thing when I saw the sticker. Unless they're from Germany... but then I don't think "Buy Local" stickers are a huge deal over there like they are here.
I'm sure that if possible she would have bought a car built at a plant near the crag. "Buy local" is more of a food/messenger bag/hardware store strategy. "Buy American" is the one about cars. Although Toyota apparently does make some engines and transmissions in West Virginia, according to wikipedia.
Anson Call 1 · · Provo, Utah · Joined May 2014 · Points: 5
Jetta w/busted oil pan

This happened at Moe's Valley. I seriously thought I would clear the baseball-size rock by a mile. I was obviously wrong.
Morgan Patterson · · NH · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 8,945
Gunkiemike wrote:Plastic "skid plates" e.g. on the Subaru, are there to smooth airflow under the vehicle (and thus improve mpg, which can be HUGELY important to OEMs) rather than to provide any protection.
Well they used to be metal on my 98... lol
Morgan Patterson · · NH · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 8,945

If you VW users are serious about your traveling offroad why woudln't you buy a skid plate? Seems like a huge gamble for not a lot of money. . . So much cheaper then dealing with your brokedown ass in the middle of nowhere with a hole in your oil pan. Maybe some people just like to be vulnerable.

evolutionimport.com/Volkswa…

Bob Dergay · · Colorado · Joined Oct 2006 · Points: 101

I gotta laugh at all the VW hate....
If you're cracking your oil pan, that's driver error, not the car!!!

If you're driving off-road in a low-clearance car, and you don't know what your various clearances for the differential, oil pan, whatever... and you whack something..... like I said, not the car's fault!!!!

Phil Esra · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 100
BDergay wrote:I gotta laugh at all the VW hate.... If you're cracking your oil pan, that's driver error, not the car!!! If you're driving off-road in a low-clearance car, and you don't know what your various clearances for the differential, oil pan, whatever... and you whack something..... like I said, not the car's fault!!!!
I would have thought so too. But it's clear to me now that VW aluminum oil pans are unusually fragile.
John Duffield · · New York City · Joined Apr 2011 · Points: 10

Surprisingly, I found the Lincoln Town Car, to be very sturdy in off road situations. Even those, where it would be difficult to distinguish the road, from an intersecting arroyo.

mark felber · · Wheat Ridge, CO · Joined Jul 2005 · Points: 41
Phil Esra wrote: I would have thought so too. But it's clear to me now that VW aluminum oil pans are unusually fragile.
The 3 time loser that gtluke and Jake Jones refer to seems to have been driving carelessly- when the ruts get too deep you drive between the ruts.

The plastic "skid plates" on cars are splash guards, they keep water and mud out of the engine compartment. No impact protection intended. I ripped them off my Honda in deep snow a few years back with no measurable effect on fuel consumption.
Phil Esra · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 100
John Duffield wrote:Surprisingly, I found the Lincoln Town Car, to be very sturdy in off road situations. Even those, where it would be difficult to distinguish the road, from an intersecting arroyo.
I imagine the long wheelbase can get tricky sometimes. But I'm sure it doesn't have an aluminum oil pan, or aluminum anything else.
Chris Owen · · Big Bear Lake · Joined Jan 2002 · Points: 11,617
wankel7 · · Indiana · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 10

Most cars have aluminum oil pans. They are either cast or they are stamped. Some have stamped steel oil pans.

Regardless, car oil pans are not designed to take hits where the weight of the car is driving it into the object.

Bob Dergay · · Colorado · Joined Oct 2006 · Points: 101
Phil Esra wrote: I would have thought so too. But it's clear to me now that VW aluminum oil pans are unusually fragile.
As Wankel states above-- oil pans aren't designed to be strong!

Would you like to have a BOMBER oil pan? So when you whack it on something, the force, rather than being absorbed by the oil pan (that can be replaced in 10 minutes) gets translated into.... busted engine mounts, tweaked frame, jacked engine/transmission seal.... who knows where that energy would be absorbed...?

There's a reason you don't want a bullet-proof oil pan......
wankel7 · · Indiana · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 10
BDergay wrote: As Wankel states above-- oil pans aren't designed to be strong! Would you like to have a BOMBER oil pan? So when you whack it on something, the force, rather than being absorbed by the oil pan (that can be replaced in 10 minutes) gets translated into.... busted engine mounts, tweaked frame, jacked engine/transmission seal.... who knows where that energy would be absorbed...? There's a reason you don't want a bullet-proof oil pan......
Very good point! Damaging a block is bad news.

Engines are mounted low in passenger cars to improve handling and keep the from of the car pleasing.
Malcolm Daly · · Hailey, ID · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 380

Lost the oil pan to my 2005 VW Golf TDI on the road leading into Creek Pasture at Indian Creek. It is a dirt road but it is well maintained and had been in there many times in the Golf. Here's the funny thing. The car was still under factory warranty so I called the number for roadside assistance that was stickered on the back window. They came out and towed me all the way to Glenwood Springs, about 250 miles, because they don't want anyone but suthorized dealers touching their cars while they are under warranty.

Keith Boone · · Henderson, NV · Joined Jul 2013 · Points: 492

If your concerned, imitate the rally circuit and install an aluminum skid plate to replace the factory plastic one.

Phil Esra · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 100
BDergay wrote: As Wankel states above-- oil pans aren't designed to be strong! Would you like to have a BOMBER oil pan? So when you whack it on something, the force, rather than being absorbed by the oil pan (that can be replaced in 10 minutes) gets translated into.... busted engine mounts, tweaked frame, jacked engine/transmission seal.... who knows where that energy would be absorbed...? There's a reason you don't want a bullet-proof oil pan......
The problem with the oil pan as energy absorbing structure is that it is full of oil. I propose that it's not bomber simply because it normally doesn't need to be.

VW clearly effed up by putting their pan a hair too low, making the aluminum a hair too thin, making the front springs and dampers a hair too soft, making their cars a hair too nose-heavy, and being too casual about pre-production road testing on American roads. Google "cracked oil pan"--at least 4 out of 5 instances are VWs. Often from on-road driving. Driver skill, caution, and alertness will play a role in some cases...but even Ayrton Senna had at least one big crash.
Guy Keesee · · Moorpark, CA · Joined Mar 2008 · Points: 349

Phil...... spot on.

No oil = Blown motor..... in about 10 seconds.

VW makes stupid cars, that fail.

It's not the old days of rock solid cars, like they made for decades.

It cheap, cheap, cheap and poorley screwed together...

Craig Childre · · Lubbock, TX · Joined Aug 2006 · Points: 4,860

The big issue with the TDI oil pan is how low it hangs, the aluminum is a marginal aspect. In stock configuration it's guarded by a rather thin piece of ABS plastic. Solid skid plate solutions are numerous. The optional steel oil pan provides slightly better puncture protection to guard against gravel damage and isn't intended to guard against blunt force impacts.

Good idea is to elevate. Any VW of this era is likely to suffer the dreaded saggy springs. Lowering the ground clearance by an inch or more than it rolled out of the factory with. Install the high lift spring set to gain 2+ additional inches of ground clearance. With armor and springs, they become formidable rally cars. Just most rally cars don't see 45+ mpg either.

Rockbanned brett · · Plattsburgh, Ny · Joined Dec 2011 · Points: 215

get the correct vehicle for what you want to do... if you don't, don't whine when your stuck in the middle of nowhere trying to get a bar on your cell to call someone to drag you out... I guess common sense is out the window these days...

Kiri Namtvedt · · Minneapolis, MN · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 30

I also busted the oil pan on a '99 Jetta--hit a speed bump that was really hard to see!

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

General Climbing
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