I used to think the belly pan (thing under the engine that prevents you from seeing at the ground when the hood is open) was to keep dust off of stuff. But I found out later it's an important part of the car. Keeps rainwater off your electrical components and it was designed to reduce the air drag coefficient.

The other day when my MB left me STRANDED due to the alternator flywheel getting loose and causing my serpentine belt to come off, the mechanic had to take off the front half belly pan. When done, I told him to leave it off, I was going to change oil the next day anyways.

The next day, I was driving at 80 mph down the hwy, when the rear half caught too much wind, and came off at the front. The wind was banging it down HARD onto the pavement, but the screws remaining on it, were pulling it back up. So it was BANG, BANG, BANG for about 3 miles til I could get it to where I could work on it. Moral of the story, the front part of the belly pan should be on to prevent the rear part catching wind and ripping it off.

Jeff 1991 300d, 101k

lol, yeah that will happen, especially since the front and rear pans share two screws. if theyre off, the rear section is left to flop around. I somehow managed to lose half of the rear section of mine (all screws were in) some time ago and half been semi looking for another one ever since.

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1980 500SE/AMG Euro
1981 500SEL Euro
1982 380SEL
1983 300TD
1983 500SEC/AMG Euro
1984 500SEC
1984 300TD Euro
1986 190E 2.3-16
1986 190E 2.3
1987 300D
1997 C36 AMG
2003 C320T 4matic

past: 1969 280SE 4.5 | 1978 240D | 1978 300D | 1981 300SD | 1981 300SD | 1982 300CD | 1983 300CD | 1983 300SD | 1983 380SEC | 1984 300D | 1984 300D | 1984 300TD | 1984 500SEL | 1984 300SD | 1985 300D | 1986 300E | 1986 560SEL | 1986 560SEL/Carat | 1987 560SEC | 1991 300D 2.5 | 2006 R350

Sounds like you need to just drive around and follow Jeff.....

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

I wonder if the mechanic thought "whatever you say " when you told him to leave the front of the pan off....

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)