the mystery plastic (see how well you really know these cars

RiceRocket · 01-09-2004, 04:34 PM

I was driving home last night and noticed a scraping noise coming for the front left wheel while rolling up to a light (like it had a leaf stuck in it, it scraped once each rotation). When I pulled into my garage it was still doing it. I looked under the car and there is this piece of black plastic laying on the ground in the front left side of the car (just in front of the tranny). Its very dirty on one side and perfectly clean on the other, so I'm assuming its a dust sheild of some kind. It has stripes on it that match the strips on the cooling fan shrowd (sp?) and the dirt is also the same kind. It also has a raised circle in the middle with grease on it. Normally I wouldn't worry about this execpt for the scraping sound and the fact that it fell off in the garage and not on the road.....

I'm worried that this thing fell off BEFORE I left and whatever is was holding is now scraping on the wheel.

Here's a very bad pic I just made in paint:
http://24.197.74.135/saturnspot/1234.GIF

Thanx for the help.

CAmos · 01-09-2004, 07:28 PM

I have no idea what it is, but I am laughing so hard at your drawing I am having trouble typing.

Cxtra_ION · 01-09-2004, 07:42 PM

Thats Beautiful!!!..lmao

RiceRocket · 01-09-2004, 08:06 PM

Glad I could give you a good laugh.

I spent about 45mins under the car looking around and all I accomplished was to break the scoop for the radiator. So now its time for another question. Am I still gona get enough air to the radiator without it?

Coldsolderjoint · 01-10-2004, 12:55 AM

under my car, i got like this plastic thingy on like a spring loaded mount... it htiss my driveway every moring and when you do an oil change, it hits you in the stomach.. i dont know what that is for either

tristanlee85 · 01-10-2004, 01:16 AM

It's the airdam. Take it off. It's ugly.

Coldsolderjoint · 01-10-2004, 01:18 AM

what is it supposed to do?

Robert-sl2 · 01-10-2004, 02:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tristanlee85

It's the airdam. Take it off. It's ugly.

Do not take it off!

Tests have shown that the airdam brings down the coolant temps on our cars quite a bit. Remember, we dont have a grill in front of the radiator, so that pushes air up and through it. Someone tested this out... I think it was posted on the spot a while back... go search

wolfman · 01-10-2004, 03:29 AM

That looks like the lower portion of the left side fenderwell splash shield. It should have clips that hold it to the engine cradle and staples (or hole where they used to be) to hold it to teh upper molded portion of teh splash guard inside the wheel wheel. The cut out hole is where the halfshaft used to come through it going to the drive wheel.

Joeybagodonuts · 01-10-2004, 07:19 PM

hey wolf, how was your holidays? i was gonna write but before christmas had a crash and lost ALLOT of personal friends contacts.... should have looked on spot but was having some health issues.
as for the post, rice, yes it is important that all splash sheilds, airdam etc as rob pointed out remain. if you need a new one cause yours is ripped or damaged let me know and ill throw you one with clips....