When I had my 06SV8 on a lift looking for the source of a "clunk" on bumps, I saw that the front splash panel is missing. Is this a functional and necessary item? Does it affect aerodynamics or engine cooling? And should I be looking for a used one to install?

Several of the smaller side panels were loose and one was cracked at a mounting bolt so I re-mounted it with a large fender washer and tightened the others. The lower ends on the rear sway bar links looked scruffy, but the exhaust hangers all looked good and I didn't find an obvious source of my clunk. Bushings somewhere?

 

Hey Phil. I'm not sure what you mean by front splash panel but if you're referring to the panel under the engine bay, yes it serves a couple of functions.

It will help with keeping the engine bay cooler by directing air out of the bay properly. One can normally test this by placing a thermometer in the upper drivers side near the bulkhead just under the hood. This is typically the hottest part of the engine bay. Temp is higher without the panel.

Ultimately this will affect wear on engine parts, plastics mostly that will be subjected to higher temps. On my 86, there is one between the bumper and the stabilizer bar. Removing it caused the engine to run hot. Air temp in the engine bay jumped 20 degrees. The hood was hot to the touch. Of course that was an 86. I presume the same concept applies her to our cars, albeit perhaps to a lesser extent?

Second, it does serve to protect the electronics from road grime and moisture.

 

Second part of your question, view this video. It's on an S Type but concept is the same.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7vf...ature=youtu.be

It doesn't address stabilizer bar but that's easy enough to test. Disconnect the ends and move the bar, up/down, forward/ backward. You will be able to "spin or rotate" but you shouldn't be able to move it p/ down, forward, backward at all. If you can, replace the bushes.

The stabilizer end links themselves can cause clunking. If they're sloppy, replace them. They are cheap.

Video and a crow bar should help you catch the culprit.

 

Phil,

Since a picture is worth a thousand words, if the part you are missing is Part 8 in the diagram below, it's called the "Valance Panel," and is considered part of the front bumper assembly. As such, it may factor into front-end aerodynamics, but it also helps protect electrical and electronic components from road water. I've been driving our '04 with that panel removed for awhile for easy access to the cruise control module, and in the process both of our horns were fouled by road water.




If the panel you are missing is the outlined Part 1 in this diagram, it's the engine compartment undertray that Sean described:




Cheers,

Don

 

Thanks, Don,

It is definitely missing the "engine compartment undertray" and I think it is also missing the "Valence panel" because I remember seeing the horns when I was underneath as well as the oil filter tucked up by the engine. I'll have to look under again to be sure, but that may explain why the horns are the one thing I've found so far that do not work. I had suspected it might be a horn relay because one of the relays in the engine bay box is missing a cover, but It may be the horns themselves if that panel is also gone. Seems someone (quite probably the lot that sold it to me) was not very interested in putting things back when they worked on it.

As a side note, when I went to register the car today with the "Buyer's Order" document that Maria at the car lot said was all I needed for registration, I was told that I had to have a Texas title and the girl at the revenue office called the Auto Shopper lot to ask if it had been sent. She said she spoke to Maria who told her she would send me the title but it would take 4 to 6 weeks and that I was told that when I bought the car (I was never told that) and when the agent said that in Arkansas you have only 30 days to register a newly purchased car, Maria hung up on her.