Engine belly pan.

[red107]

I was on a facebook forum and noticed a topic about a fiat spider belly pan for a 81. I questioned it, and ask my buddy a factory rep back in the day about it. He said it doesn't exist. I was still curios and asked for a photo. The guy posted a photo. It looks factory. Anybody ever seen one? Anybody have one on their car? Are they factory or dealer installed? Here is the link
https://www.facebook.com/n/?groups%2F57 ... 0gmail.com

[spiderdan]

I have one on my 68 (1438). I was going to remove it since it's a PITA to change the oil filter.
My mechanic figures if they (Fiat) put it there, it was for a reason.
Sorry no pic.

[bobplyler]

Mine came with one. Makes changing the oil filter more painful. Got rid of it decades ago.

[kilrwail]

That's a stock factory part and it incorporates the front air dam. It's not hard to remove for an annual oil filter change and will prevent road crap from flying up into the engine bay. It will also give you a flat clean surface to inspect from above for any coolant leaks.

[RRoller123]

Leave it on, it helps direct cooling air flow, deflect stones, keeps a relatively rare original part of the car, etc.

Just modify it to allow easy access to the oil filter, which is a reasonable accommodation to originality. Works very well. Lined the sharp edge with a piece of heavy rubber hose, split lengthwise and held in place with black RTV. Has worked fine for about 5 years now.

[sptcoupe]

All the FIATS I had in the late 60's/70s had the belly pan. During that decade I lived in Northern Wisconsin and Ohio, and we drove these cars as daily drivers, to include the winter months. Lot's of snow for lots of months.

Doing any kind of maintenance or repair work on those cold winter days was a PITA, and removing the belly pan to change the oil was the biggest of them all. In fact, I used to change to 10 wt. oil in October to avoid having to change the oil in the winter.

The point is that many guys removed the oil pan out of frustration, and soon discovered why it was on the car. If you tried to drive the car in about 6' or more of snow (not much for those areas) without the pan, the snow would accumulate between the timing belt and the crank pulley, and instantly freeze when it was compressed between the two. Result - the timing belt would break. This happened very frequently.

Of course, when the car was towed into the dealership for repair, the ice was long gone, and the warranty claim was for a broken timing belt. In fact, it was so common, that if the car was brought in after a heavy snowfall, with the belly pan removed, FIAT would not cover repairs under warranty.

I know this because I removed the belly pan, drove the car about 20' from my driveway on our unplowed street, and broke the belt. When I looked under the car, the ice ball that formed between the belt and crank pulley was still there, and the cause was obvious.

Keep in mind that in those days, DOHC engines with aluminum heads and an exposed rubber timing belts (as opposed to timing covered chains) were simply unknown to most mechanics - and budding gear heads like me. But FIAT took hits in reliability ratings because of guys like me who didn't understand why the owners manual talked about replacing the belly pan after oil changes.

[aevansgatech]

Wow, great point sptcoupe and something that never would've occurred to me.

I wonder how many spiders are used in winter conditions these days?

[RRoller123]

+1!! That is a fascinating explanation!

Pete

[Betis]

Anyone reproduces one?

[DieselSpider]

Even in the absence of snow it also helps keep the low hanging oil filter from getting punctured by gravel and stones thrown up while driving on say mountain roads that get sand/gravel washed out on them. An oil filter puncture can put a real damper on a drive out in the country. AFAIK European Rally Inspectors may disqualify cars missing the shields from participating.

[RRoller123]

They wouldn't like mine then!

[spidernut]

They are definitely original. My 81 had one when I purchased it new. I have two in my garage that haven't been installed yet. If you look at the photos above, you'll see the rubber trim near the oil filter. It is common for people to trim back the sheet metal so the oil filter can be removed as in the photos. If you don't trim them, you have to remove the shield to change the oil. That is a pain in the behind to say the least.

[DieselSpider]

I'd have cut it and made it into a hinged flap.

With the Diesel having the two chamber oil pan the design will have to be a modified a bit more. Oil filter is on a remote mount up near the top passenger side radiator mount far out of harms way.

[gregarious]

Longtime reader, first post! I have had my 1976 spider since 1985...and my "belly pan" disappeared a while ago after a move when the car was shipped cross country. I had it off for an oil change and was in a hurry at the time so left it off, and it went missing in the move. I've never known what it was officially called but have looked for a replacement on and off over years... anyone have one to sell or know where I could get one?

[gtmedley]

Me thinks the pan is a precaution to keep any debri from flying up into the timing belt, snow or otherwise.

Also, don't forget the aerodynamic advantage of the pan. Could reduce the Cd by a few thousandths...

I have 1974 sedan, with a splash pan -- but it has a small section just below the oil filter that comes off with just two screws -- so you don't have to remove the entire thing.

Spiders do not have this? Odd...