Today I put an aluminium plate on the skid frame. I am really not sure if I will leave it on there. Now with the skid plate there, it becomes the closest part to the ground. It is about 3/8" lower than the rear skid plate, this one:


<a href="http://s137.photobucket.com/albums/q204/1997KLDE/?action=view&current=skitplate025.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q204/1997KLDE/skitplate025.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Here it is installed without the aluminium cover/guard:

<a href="http://s137.photobucket.com/albums/q204/1997KLDE/?action=view&current=turboguard002.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q204/1997KLDE/turboguard002.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

And with:

<a href="http://s137.photobucket.com/albums/q204/1997KLDE/?action=view&current=skitplate009.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q204/1997KLDE/skitplate009.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s137.photobucket.com/albums/q204/1997KLDE/?action=view&current=skitplate010.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q204/1997KLDE/skitplate010.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s137.photobucket.com/albums/q204/1997KLDE/?action=view&current=skitplate024.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q204/1997KLDE/skitplate024.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Turbo with plate installed:

<a href="http://s137.photobucket.com/albums/q204/1997KLDE/?action=view&current=skitplate017.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q204/1997KLDE/skitplate017.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

At this point I really don't know what to do, leave it on or take it off. Like mentioned, it is now 1/2" lower than the rear skid plate. With it off, the turbo is about 1/4" higher than the rear skid plate. I really don't think the turbo will EVER hit anything with the guard off.

What do you guys think? I am leaning toward no skid plate..

 

no skid plate

 

I kind of like it. If you drive over some roadkill it could save your turbo.

 

Did you ever scrape before? If the turbo assembly is higher than the bottom of the car, and you hadn't scraped before.... I vote no skid plate. How much does the skid setup weigh?

 

Hal, I have never scraped before, and the skid plate weighs in at about 25lbs.

350Z400whp, I am really not worried about road kill, just speed bumps, and they are not high here. I think it looks like crap..lol. One of the ugliest things I think I have ever made.

So far no skid plate.


I think that I will put the car back on the ground tommorow and see how it looks.

 

What's the clearance from skid plate to the turbo housing?
Solid motor mounts?
I'd be concerned about vibration creating contact with the turbo-
making a rattle sound at best,
cracking your turbo manifold at worst.

 

About 3/8".


Stock motor mounts.


No vibrating, turbo is isolated through flex pipe from the engine. There won't be any rattling, everything past the flex pipe is soilid and cannot be pushed over to touch any part of the car. I tried really hard. Turbo down pipe and beyond is on stock hangers so there won't be any problems there. This should give you a better idea:

<a href="http://s137.photobucket.com/albums/q204/1997KLDE/?action=view&current=turbo2002.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q204/1997KLDE/turbo2002.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s137.photobucket.com/albums/q204/1997KLDE/?action=view&current=turbo2003.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q204/1997KLDE/turbo2003.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

I like the idea.

 

I vote you put a filter on the turbo.

 

Remove the skid plate and put a turbo blanket on the turbine section

 

i dont think thats even in a rub prone spot.
just drive without it and do some test bumps.

 

I'd be a little concerened about heat with the plate on.
Hard to tell airflow from pics.

 

+1 put vents in the plate if you keep it ...

Also, to the comment previous to this, there's no need for a blanket since there should be sufficient air flow under the car to prevent heat soak on the turbo.

 

Yes If it stays on I know I need some vents, and I agree with you on the turbo blanket.


Thanks for the input guys, looks like the plate is staying off.

 

kinda like it w/ out

 

just one more observation, it looks like the turbo is tucked up high so no problem there, but some of the piping you may want to watch out for. It looks lower.....like I said hard to tell from photos.

If you're not slammed you should be ok. Had a Z31 that had innercooler where piping went underneath front support under radiator and didn't have any problems, and they were lowwww.

tom

 

^^ all the piping is waaaay up, absolutly no chance it will ever touch the ground. The compressor housing is the lowest part on the entire setup. The way I look at it is that many guys here run dual 3" exhausts, and I have never seen/read any compaints with clearance issues. All the piping is 2.5", with the exception of turbo intake, but even that is higher than most of the other OEM stuff.

 

nice, I think you'll be fine from your description.

I have 4in piping under my car for the exhaust and I have no scrapping issues.

Next time you are taking pics try to get some from the front looking all the way under.

good work again.

tom

 

Haha, I have tried that, but it never comes out good because the flash is higher than the lense, so the bumper gets lit up like a christmas tree and everything else is dark.

 

well turn the camera upside down, then just flip the photo in paint or photoshop lol

t