splash guard

[GJEMD]

2004 M45. The plastic splash guard under the engine compartment just bit the dust.Broken at 2 corner attachments. I removed it. Looks pricey $280. Whats the verdict on replacing or not?

[cremecreme]

mine has broke off in a spot also, but you can barely see it unless your bending down....it aint on my to do list

[GJEMD]

question, is the plastic splash guard a critical component of the car

[szh]

Minor breaks probably do not matter. But removing it entirely may have some consequences.

In Infiniti models, this is often part of the heat management system - without it, the airflow on the engine is not probably not as originally designed. But, strictly speaking, we do not know how critical this is! If it breaks to the point where it has to be removed, most previous advice has been to replace it.

BTW, the heat shield being left off(!) after oil changes on first-gen Infiniti Q45 has been one of the reasons not to take the car to Jiffy-Lube (and the like) quickie oil places!

Check with Joe Tsensky at http://www.everythinginfiniti.com to see if he can get it for a better price for you.

Z

[GJEMD]

Minor breaks probably do not matter. But removing it entirely may have some consequences.

In Infiniti models, this is often part of the heat management system - without it, the airflow on the engine is not probably not as originally designed. But, strictly speaking, we do not know how critical this is! If it breaks to the point where it has to be removed, most previous advice has been to replace it.

BTW, the heat shield being left off(!) after oil changes on first-gen Infiniti Q45 has been one of the reasons not to take the car to Jiffy-Lube (and the like) quickie oil places!

Check with Joe Tsensky at http://www.everythinginfiniti.com to see if he can get it for a better price for you.

Z

I have driven it city and highway in 90 deg ambient temps since removal and engine temps are not apparently affected. It is listed in the cooling section at Infiniti. $214 best price for a plastic piece that did not hold up under normal driving conditions. I have never bottomed this car out on anything. It has had a number of 1000 miles sustained trips at 80-85 mph. thats it.

[szh]

Like I said, no one really knows for sure how critical this item is. The consensus has been that it may make a difference (did you really measure the engine temp in the lower section where the airflow is controlled by it?), so it is considered best to replace it when it is not present.

I kinda prefer my cars to run with all the parts that the original designers put into it! But it is your choice in this case!

Z