Have always used Mahle or Genuine oil filters but Genuine is getting too expensive to be worth it and Mahle is mostly making these in China now, so switching to either Mobil 1 M1-204 or M1-301 and wondering if the longer 301 fits with that little splash panel in place. Currently with the smaller filters I don't need to remove it to swap the filter, but wondering if I'll have to with the longer one.

 

It should fit

 

Or, you could remove the splash guard. My '99 doesn't have one.

 

Yep I've never been a fan of that diaper to be honest. It limits taking quick glances from underneath and IMHO hides potential issues you could have seen before they ended up being to far along or fatal. Heck back in the day at LR sponsored wheeling events all the loaner 03-03 D2's lost their adult diapers in a river crossing. We were helping clean up, and were the last to cross the river and we saw all these black things along the spillway. It was 5 lower splash guards that fell off due to the water breaking them lol. We tossed em in the back of one of the loaners and dropped em off at the shop. It was just funny to us that they all broke off. Some got put back on and others simply were thrown away.

On all my 03-04's I yanked em off. I still have one sitting in my shop somewhere because a friend/customer wanted one so bad, but then they never came to claim it, so I put it on a shelf.

 

Oh I'm not talking about the full on underbelly tray thing that came on 03/04s, just the little plastic part that covers from the front of the radiator to the sway bar.

 

I can't even remember the last time I saw one of those intact lol!!! It should be fine if isn't remove it you aren't loosing anything by it.

 

I dont know that i have ever had the splash guard you reference, but the longer filters do fit. I think Fram makes one as well. I do have the steel aftermarket steering protector that has worked wonders.