engine protection plate

[sylba]

Hi there,

There should be a big protection plate under the engine, but I miss it, it wasn't on the car I've bought last week...

Is this plate absolutly necessary? I know on the Porsche 964 many owners put it away, and on your Esprit?

Thanks for your replies

sylba

[Simon350S]

It was fitted to pass drive by noise regulations appareny. Many people run without it, me included.

Some insist of having it as it reduces the crap being sprayed up into the engine bay.

[rogerch]

I run mine because I like to think (hope) that it helps keep mud, crud, water, grit, and any other foreign bodies, or as much of it as possible, away from the bottom pulley, where resides the timing belt.

[ramjet]

Mine is on the car and I reckon it helps with airflow for reduced drag to offset the supposed drag that the previous posting member believes is caused by a WING!

[cjtpb13]

Speaking from experience ( unfortunately ) I can tell you that if you hit a rather large deer and it does go under the Esprit, as opposed to inside the Esprit, you will be very happy that you have that on the car. After I had mine up on the lift I was amazed at just how much that had saved the engine bay area.

[sylba]

Is it possible to buy a new one? Or rather a second hand? And where?

[rogerch]

You can get a new one from SJ Sportscars

http://www.sjsportscars.co.uk/index.asp

It's caller an ENGINE BAY UNDERTRAY

[Bibs]

Lotus have them for sale, they were about a tenner in the last parts sale we had.

[sylba]

SJ Sportscars doesn't have it on stock...so I'm still looking for an used one.

[Bibs]

Did you try a proper Lotus dealer?

[sylba]

Bips, my problem is, there is no Lotus dealer near me...

[Bibs]

Any Lotus dealer in the UK will ship it to you where ever you are or we're just the other side of the channel!