***Grinding noise when in reverse...***

I like having the panels underneath. As you can see in my photos when I changed over to the spin Oil Filter, my boots and joints look brand new and my car is 4 years old! Anything to prolong the life of this car is good for me.

 

Well over 20 complete engine under panel removals, I mighta replaced one or two of the pins. Can't remember, but I still have a couple, so guessing I bought 3 or 4 and used some. The kosher ones.

The forward piece, which I believe @ChapmanF was talking about, has taken a bit of a beating. I've had it off twice, repaired with 2 part epoxy coupled with Fiberglas mesh. Plastic welding sounds intriguing though.

 

Well, the other part that came off in my case, "cover, engine under, no. 2", is the smallish one just aft of the big engine under cover/flap thing. It shares one clip position with the aft edge of the flap.

 

Ah ok. I have troubles with piece just aft of the front "bumper", the first black-coloured piece. I'm wise to it now, but what happend was rolling up to concrete wheel stop, it would brush up-and-over the concrete, then hook on it, when backing off. Poor design I think, since that's such a common scenario.

 

C

Can't say the same living in the North East. I think I have removed the under panel twice, and used the oil compartment door 15 times. Seeing burnish metal and minor rust on the welds.

 

Yes, there are two sizes, for 7 and 9 mm holes. The smaller size is more numerous and less expensive. Strangely, some outfits selling them via Amazon fail to specify the size. I bought a pack of spare 7s.

 

There are even several different flavors of 7 mm pin used all over the car. My favorite is the 90467-07117; I buy those by the bag, and they generally end up replacing other 7 mm pin flavors that I have any reason to take out.

They're the ones with the little stem that you push in to secure them, and push further in to release them. No trying to fiddle with lifting some little cap upward.