My wife is using her 2008 LR3 for work now that she is back in an office. We live in the Midwest and her commute is about 450-500 miles per week - so the frequency of oil changes as gone up, of course.
I hate removing the skid plates on the front and wondering if they have any affect on things other than protection for off roading?

I would like to clean them up and store just wondering if others have done the same. We still have the air suspension and I can lift it to high setting and throw some jack stands under it and it's easy to change the oil.
With the skid plates as most of you know its a bit more involved and I don't like being under there too long even with some temp jack stands.

My DII has a more front skid plate off the old RTE front bumper so I imagine the LR3, or any Land Rover would be fine without...Anyway not reinstalling would make the future a lot easier - can't imagine they are there for anything more than protection.

Thanks!
Erik

 

It is not really required. The only thing it *might* do it help funnel engine cooling air past the transmission but that is probably negligible. I have run without mine from time to time for weeks on end. But I off-road so it stays on but I also installed a Fumoto drain with a hose so I can drain the sump without removing the skid plate and since I have one large plate I access the oil filter from the side by removing the small plastic splash cover on the driver side.

 

Good stuff...thanks. I prefer to have it on...buttttttt, until I do something similar to you feel like I may put it on until winter is over. Doing the under carriage car washes due to all the salt.

Again, thank you!
Erik

 

A Fumoto drain is a good idea anyway....after many cycles of installing/uninstalling that drain plug, the threads on the pan will wear out.

 

The threads will wear out or the plug will sieze up like mine did, and you'll then be extracting the oil instead.
The skid plate probably isn't that important if you never go off road. I did find some sizable dents in mine but I do go off road.

So on the subject, is there an oil filter relocation kit for the 4,4 engine? I'd never have to get under the thing again!

 

My modified 04 is the off road truck now - the LR3 is my wife's commute truck and weekend errand running vehicle. I will put it on for a few undercarriage car washes to get the winter salt all the gone - the place we use has an almost too powerful undercarriage wash cycle and don't want that shooting all over the engine. Owned too many British cars and and the Lucas electronics still haunts me
As most cars do not have skid plates I am sure I am fine, just curious of everyone's take. Silly question but you never know.

180,000 miles and going strong...

Erik

 

I never considered the effects of the car wash flooding the bottom side of the engine but yeah you could be on to something.
Yes it has a job to do, protecting the motor, but it seems way heavy for the job it has.