Installing engine protection - basic requirements

Every experienced or novice car enthusiast knows that installing engine protection significantly increases the level of safety of its operation. But, firstly, it is not so easy to find, and ordering it from a workshop is too expensive. Therefore, if a person knows how to work with tools, he can make the protection himself and save a lot on it.

In factory production it is made by stamping. The main difference between such a part and one made by yourself is the stiffening ribs, which are made using a press. Before purchasing a steel sheet, a car enthusiast, first of all, should pay attention to its thickness; it should not be less than 4 millimeters.

Protection location

Basic requirements for materials

Since protection for the engine is one of its most important parts, the choice should be approached as responsibly as possible. It must have sufficient rigidity (deformation rate 20-30 mm). Weight should be no more than 7-15 kilograms. It is also worth paying attention to the number of technological holes; there should not be too many of them.

For sufficient heat transfer, it is necessary to maintain a distance of 2-3 centimeters from the steel sheet from the crankcase. To prevent noise caused by the protection in the car interior, it is necessary to adjust the contact with the subframe. Since safety always comes first, the installation of this part should not affect the deformation of the body intended by the developers in the event of an accident. To do this, you must correctly draw the crankcase protection drawing.

Note! If possible, it is better to purchase original factory protection. It will have all the necessary holes corresponding to the relief and details of the bottoms.

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Bimast or Vizomat come first because they act as vibration-isolating materials. You can already use Splen, Madeline or Accent behind them.

If you get too confused, you can even dismantle the engine, tape everything under it, and then put it back in place. But usually this is an unnecessary event that requires additional time and effort. Often it is enough to remove attached and easily dismantled equipment. Since the motor is located in the center, it usually does not interfere with the wrapping.

Have you ever had to carry out soundproofing from the engine compartment yourself and what secrets can you share with us?

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Types of car tray protection

Most car owners are faced with the problem of choosing the right material. For the manufacture of this device, the following raw materials are often used:

titanium;
steel sheets;
stainless steel;
carbon fiber or fiberglass
aluminum.

Each of these materials has its own original properties and characteristics. If we are talking about making crankcase protection with your own hands, it is better to give preference to a material that is easy to process and at the same time is able to reliably protect the engine.

Pallet Protection

Steel

To make homemade engine protection from steel, only high-strength material should be used. If everything is done correctly, the shape of the product will ensure the invulnerability of the most important elements of the car for many years. If in the future the car encounters any obstacle on the way, the steel sheet will eliminate the possibility of damage, which means that the person will not have to spend money on repairing his car.

Most of the protective elements that are produced in factories are coated with polymer paint. In addition, an additional zinc layer is applied to provide an anti-corrosion effect, which will increase the service life of the steel.

Aluminum

A DIY aluminum engine guard is just as durable as a steel one, but you'll have to pay more for the material. Regarding durability and reliability, aluminum is also not inferior to steel in these indicators. One of the main advantages is convenience and ease of installation due to its low weight.

Plastic

Homemade plastic engine protection is made from special composite polymer materials. It will not cost the car enthusiast as much as other varieties. But, after the first few months, it may be necessary to repair the plastic protection that covers the engine, since its service life and reliability are not as high when compared with materials such as steel or aluminum. After a strong impact, the plastic may become deformed or burst.

Engine compartment

Do-it-yourself engine soundproofing starts with the engine shield. The main feature of the work is the need to remove elements attached to the partition. Since the engine shield is one of the most vibration-loaded body elements, the “vibration” on the side of the internal combustion engine must be glued over the entire accessible plane. You should prefer a material with a foil front layer, which will reflect heat waves, maintaining the temperature of the engine compartment (especially important for diesel internal combustion engines).

Pasting the inside of the engine shield is impossible without completely dismantling the dashboard, which on many foreign cars will require a lot of effort and care. If necessary, photograph the location of certain elements in order to put everything back together correctly.

Instructions for making protection with your own hands step by step

The manufacture of homemade crankcase protection occurs in several stages, namely:

first, the car should be driven onto a lift or pit;
Now you can start taking measurements of the bottom where the sheet will be installed;
the obtained data is transferred to a prepared sheet of steel, aluminum or plastic;
Before you start cutting out cuts and shapes, you should think about how to attach the shield to the car. At this stage, there is no need to drill holes in the body, frame or other parts of the car;
now it is necessary to find suitable threaded connections, this could be a torque rod bracket;
On the protective mechanism, two types of brackets are sometimes used. The first is to make the lugs as an extension of the steel sheet. If this option does not work, the bracket will have to be made separately from pieces of metal.

Blueprints

To make a drawing of an engine crankcase protection, experience is required. Otherwise, the product will not fit or will be attached incorrectly, which will only damage the car. To solve this problem, you can try to find drawings on the Internet. But for them to be accurate, you should conduct your search taking into account the model of your car.

What are there

There are two types of protection for the machine: composite (plastic) and metal. Metal ones are divided into: aluminum, steel and stainless steel. Composite ones appeared recently, but have become popular among car enthusiasts. The concept of “composite” includes several types of artificial materials - fiberglass, carbon or Kevlar. Compared to metal, car engine protection made of composite materials has the following advantages:

Higher strength and rigidity with the same thickness;
Not exposed to moisture, does not rust;
Does not have a negative impact on crash safety;
Has low weight;
Does not change the vehicle's ground clearance.
It has noise absorption properties due to its fibrous structure;

The main disadvantage of composite crankcase protection is its higher cost than metal ones.

Steel guards are made from ordinary sheet steel and are the cheapest product. Aluminum ones are more expensive because the material itself is more expensive. They have high rigidity and are characterized by increased strength. Stainless steel protection is similar in function to aluminum products, but the price is higher due to its impressive appearance.

DIY installation

At the second stage, when the engine crankcase protection and brackets are made, installation can begin, tightening no more than two bolts. Now you should check the product for excess metal and the presence of gaps in places where they should not be. At the same time, do not forget about the coincidence of the remaining mounting holes.

Depending on the dimensions, the hatch is cut out with a grinder or a crown. If it is left open, dirt will enter the engine compartment. To get rid of this problem, from the top of the sheet, around the perimeter of the hatch, you should drill 4 holes and weld nuts to them, which will be used to tighten the bolts securing the hatch. At the last stage, the protection should be primed and painted. When it dries, the work can be considered completed.

Best crankcase protection: steel, aluminum or carbon?

Protection made from structural steel , a relatively cheap material with a thickness of 2–3 mm, is most widespread. The plasticity of steel makes it possible to create stiffening ribs on the product by stamping (photo 4). Such protections can be easily adjusted in case of deformation from an impact.

Sheet steel makes it possible to manufacture protection with stiffeners

Most domestic manufacturers of steel protection coat their products with hot-curing epoxy polyester powder paint. This coating is quite durable with careful driving.

Inexpensive products for domestic cars are painted with ordinary nitro enamel. But even the best-quality coating cannot withstand mechanical impact, for example, when hitting a curb while parking.

Aluminum guards are lighter than steel ones, but are about five times more expensive. Therefore, they are especially often installed on sports cars, where weight plays a decisive role. For the manufacture of protection, both soft aluminum alloys and heat-strengthened (duralumin) D16T or B95 are used. In terms of strength, duralumin is not inferior to steel, but low ductility does not allow stamping of stiffeners. The design of such protections most often consists of a flat sheet 7–10 mm thick with several small transverse bends and holes for fastening and ventilation (photo 5).

Self-installation

It is important to know that it is recommended to fasten the arch linings not only with masking tape and sealant, but it is also advisable to use self-tapping screws, which will ensure maximum fit and reliable fixation. Most often you will need the following set of tools:

Most often you will need the following set of tools:

electric screwdriver;
flathead and Phillips head screwdrivers;
a set of drills with diameters of 3-8 mm;
socket heads and open-end wrenches.

Before carrying out the actual work, you will need to wash the car using automotive products and then thoroughly dry the surface. The fastening area must be degreased with available materials or an aqueous solution of alcohol (about 50%). The preferred ambient temperature should be between 19–26 C.

Self-assembly method

Before installing fenders purchased as a kit from a car dealer with your own hands, you must carefully read the accompanying instructions and manufacturers' recommendations. The algorithm for most modern car models will be almost the same.

Unscrew the screw holding the edge of the bumper near the arch. Next, we adjust the gap and apply the finished element - the arch. We fix the bumper without tightening it with a self-tapping screw, and then use a 24mm socket and a ratchet to unscrew the nut, which opens access to the plastic threshold of the car.

Purpose and design

The crankcase guard is a piece of metal or composite material (fiberglass, carbon or Kevlar) that covers the bottom of the engine compartment. It is attached to the elements of the car body, if provided for by the design. The crankcase and gearbox protection is designed to prevent impacts with the engine sump and gearbox housing on uneven road surfaces and stones that sometimes appear on the roadway.

Since the engine oil pan, as well as the gearbox, is most often made of steel sheet less than a millimeter thick, in most cases it cannot withstand a serious collision with an obstacle. You cannot drive a car after such an incident, since oil will leak out through the hole formed, and the unit, working without lubrication, will quickly become unusable. On a car with a longitudinal engine, as a rule, only the engine sump is closed. Since the clutch housing and gearbox are located behind the engine, obscured by its sump. If the power unit has a transverse arrangement, then the crankcase protection, together with the engine, also covers the gearbox with the clutch cover.

Structurally, any engine sump protection is a thick plate with mounting brackets, which has one or two holes for draining used oil. If the engine layout does not allow the removal and installation of the oil filter from above, the crankcase protection must have a hole for its replacement from below.

Choice

To choose the right protection for your car, you need to know how similar-looking products differ. Oil pan protections from different manufacturers for a particular car model cannot differ significantly in their geometric dimensions, with the exception, perhaps, of the thickness of the plate, which for metal products should not be less than 3 mm. This means that you only have to choose the material from which the engine crankcase protection is made. Pros and cons of metals that are most often used for manufacturing.

Steel. Crankcase protection made of steel is most often found on sale. The advantages of a shield made of this material: low cost, sufficient strength and rigidity, as well as good maintainability. Disadvantages: heavy weight and poor corrosion resistance.
Aluminum. The advantages of such crankcase protection: low weight, excellent anti-corrosion resistance. Cons: strength and rigidity leave much to be desired. Low maintainability due to the fact that this metal can only be welded with a special welding machine using argon.

Composites

The general properties of composite materials are high strength and low weight. However, despite the fact that the car crankcase protection can withstand a fairly significant load distributed over its area, a strong blow to one point, as a rule, punches a through hole in it. The thickness of car engine protection made of composites is usually from 8 to 12 mm, which is slightly greater than that of metals. Therefore, the gain in mass is not as great as it might seem at first glance. The limiting parameters of each composite depend mainly on what fibers it is reinforced with. Below are some examples of composite materials used to make car crankcase protection.

Kevlar. It uses para-aramid fibers for reinforcement. They have high strength and heat resistance, as well as low specific gravity. For example, the breaking force of these fibers ranges from 280 to 550 kgf/mm², versus 50-150 kgf/mm² for steel. And its density (about 1.5 t/m3) is significantly less than that of steel, which is on average 7.8 t/m3. The color of crankcase protection made from this raw material is greenish-golden. This is the best and most expensive composite material for the manufacture of car engine oil pan protection.
Carbon. Reinforced with carbon fibers. They have a breaking force of 250–500 kgf/mm2 with a density of 1.75 t/m3.
Fiberglass, also called FRP. The glass fiber included in its composition breaks at a force of 170 kgf/mm2 and has a density of 2.52 t/m3. Although its parameters are inferior to the two previous materials, they are still somewhat better than those of steel. And the cost of protecting the engine crankcase from this material is noticeably lower than from carbon fiber or Kevlar.

Lightweight car engine crankcase protection made from composites is often installed on sports cars. Where there is no struggle for seconds, steel products are also suitable.

Element function

The main purpose of the protection is to prevent impacts from stones, high curbs and other obstacles on the crankcase - the engine sump that contains oil and supplies it to the entire system. For passenger cars, ground clearance is measured by the level of its lower surface. The bottoms are made of steel, cast iron or plastic. Oil may leak from cracks caused by an impact, and dents will disrupt the operation of the oil pump, causing the engine to overheat.

On some models, the clutch and gearbox are protected in this way (with a transverse engine).

In addition to preventing shock, the device also performs other functions. Car thieves have long understood why crankcase protection is needed. It prevents you from cutting the battery cable to prevent the alarm from going off. Also, the body element in question reduces the entry of dirt, sand, and water into the engine compartment.

Possible problems

There are several situations when the crankcase hits the road surface. Their consequences can be very different.

Therefore, let's look at the most common situations and determine what you, as the driver and owner of the car, should do.

A dent has formed, but the breakdown is not visible

There is a high probability that as a result of such damage the breather, that is, the oil receiver, has broken.

You should not rejoice prematurely if no traces of oil leaks are found after the impact.

The breather for the “ten” is often made of plastic or aluminum. Its design includes an oil pickup tube. It is located slightly above the tray - about 5 centimeters. Therefore, the place where the tube breaks may be higher than the existing oil level.

If such an impact occurs, immediately turn off the car and stop.

Next, you should check the breather for a break:

Start the engine by performing a test run. If the oil sensor light does not go out, there is a high probability that the breather will break;
Turn off the power unit;
Add oil to the crankcase, then start the engine;
If at the same time an oil stain appeared under the car, the breather still broke. You will have to call the evacuation service;
If the oil pressure sensor light goes off, you can hope that nothing happened to the breather after the impact. You can continue moving on your own. Only to a service station.

In such a situation, often the repair consists of simply replacing the breather. This is not so easy to do, but it is still easier compared to overhauling the engine.

The dent on the block is insignificant, there are no signs of breakdown

With such impacts, the breather breaks off extremely rarely. But the gap between it and the pallet may decrease. Because of this, the performance characteristics of the car are reduced, and the car may not withstand heavy loads.

What could cause such a nuisance? Oil hunger. For the engine, this is no better than a broken breather, and maybe even worse. You will not be able to get the necessary information from the ECU, since the control system for the systems on the “tens” is quite primitive. It is far from a fact that the corresponding error code will appear on the on-board computer.

It’s good if the oil pressure warning light on the dashboard does not light up. In this case, continue driving on your own and head to the nearest service station. You will need to remove the pan, level it, or replace it completely. At the same time, be sure to check the current condition of the breather.

Self-installation

Before you make arch extensions with your own hands, you need to know the general rules for attaching these tuning elements. If standard plastic elements are used, then you will need to use a construction hair dryer to fit the blanks to the real car as accurately as possible. It is important to know that it is recommended to fasten the arch linings not only with masking tape and sealant, but it is also advisable to use self-tapping screws, which will ensure maximum fit and reliable fixation. Most often you will need the following set of tools:

Crash test

Carrying out crash tests is an expensive proposition. The cost of a full-fledged study of changes in the nature of damage with non-original crankcase protection and without it lies in a different plane. Carrying out crash tests is an expensive proposition. The cost of a full-fledged study of changes in the nature of damage with non-original crankcase protection and without it lies in a different plane. In theory, additional protection certainly affects the distribution and absorption of impact energy throughout the power structure of the car and can lead to the fact that the engine will not be able to go under the car. However, no practical confirmation of this can be found in any body shop. There is also no consistent relationship that additional protection aggravates the consequences of an accident.

Non-standard engine crankcase protection, of course, affects the temperature regime under the hood, or more precisely, the aerodynamic air flows. Theoretically, its installation can worsen the cooling of the engine and gearbox. After all, its shape and location of the ventilation holes (if any) differ from the factory boot. However, in reality, there is no statistical evidence of possible harm on this issue. Failures of units due to overheating are mainly associated with their design flaws or malfunctions of the cooling system itself.

Choice

Elimination of extraneous engine noise using additives. Additives for engine oil to eliminate knocking of hydraulic compensators

Personally, my choice is either steel engine protection or aluminum, and it is better to make it to order, from a good craftsman who has the appropriate skills and equipment. Having purchased such protection, your engine oil pan will no longer be the weak point of the car, but, on the contrary, will turn into the most protected and even armored place.

The shelf life of such protection is unlimited, well, unless you really hit the reinforcement with a diameter of 10 cm at full speed, and even then it might save you, who knows.

In general, it will be very difficult to break through the crankcase with such a device. Therefore, it is better to take care of this in advance than to later lose consciousness from the price tag for repairing a broken pan.

Device

The engine crankcase consists of two main parts - upper and lower. The upper part is integral with the cylinder block and is not subject to any external influences. The lower part of the crankcase, called the sump, is a completely different matter. This is a stamped structure made of relatively thin sheet steel, which plays the role of an oil reservoir. A sealing gasket is installed between the upper and lower parts, and they are connected to each other using bolts. There is a plug at the bottom of the crankcase for draining used oil. Even such a superficial description of this unit allows one to imagine all the consequences that may occur if the oil pan receives serious mechanical damage.

Engine diagram