Oil pan cover?

I did my 1st oil change and there is a type of cheap cover over it. Surprised me. I guess it offers some protection if you don't have skid plates. I installed skid plates oem trailhunter and didn't know if I should remove that plastic cover or to leave it alone.

 

I'd leave it installed, unless it gets in your way during oil changes, and then put it back after the oil change.

I don't actually know what it's for, yet, but they bought zillions of that part and installed it on a zillion new Tacomas. It might have a reason to exist.
j.

 

Based on your profile pic, I'm assuming you have the Off Road. If that's the case, then you have the fiberglass motor/trans oem protectors. If your new trailhunter oem skid plates cover the same area, get rid of the fiberglass. Why make your maintenance (oil changes) more of an inconvenience.

 

Yes, i have the off road version. I installed a trail hunter skid and my concern was that plastic cover had some foam material inside of it and I didn't know the implication of heat and that foam over time.

 

Interesting, my OR didn't come with any foam (insulating material) on the guards...

 

I, too, wonder why they added it, but it must have a purpose since it can't be for cosmetic reasons.

 

Hmmnnn, I assumed that you were referring to the little plastic cover over the bottom of the oil pan at the oil drain plug. Nobody that I've seen posts from has any idea what it's supposed to accomplish. I don't know either, but it's not in the way of anything I plan to do, so I'm leaving it in there. For all I know, it's just a sound dampening device.

I have an aluminum skid plate coming to replace the cheezy stock fiberglass "not-a-skidplate". The one I ordered has removable panels to access the drain plug and the oil filter, but I may just remove it every oil change so I can take a look around in there for loose/bent/broken/missing things.
j.