...whose bright idea it was to put a skid/splash plate under the front third of MKZ's. Decided the hot rod needed an oil change, didn't have my manual on me, can't see the filter from the top side, looked underneath and there's a frickin splash plate...didn't see any access covers either. No biggie...just irritating, and I see no purpose for it.


/rant

That's odd... you people do much off roading in your hot rod lincolns or what?

You should do an oil change on a Raptor!!!

it's probably to deter people from trying to do their own oil change.

My truck has it and there are little finger-twistable clips that make it stupid simple to remove and replace.

I'm fairly certain it's purpose is to reduce turbulent air under the vehicle (to improve gas mileage).

^^^I figured that was the reason, thanks for the tip...but I didn't get a good look at it. On the drive home from work, decided it was time to change the oil, when I got out to pick up the filter, I realized I didn't know which one I needed, and didn't have the manual...popped the hood, couldn't get a visual, look underneath and noticed the splash pan...and since there's about 4" of ground clearance, and my head is bigger than that, I walked in to the dealership like an ignoramous and said me need a filter thingy...or something like that. For the record, the filter at the dealership was the same price as the same filter sitting at Walmart.

Another thing that might be mentioning, why on earth does the manual state it needed an FL-400-sb12??? I was under the impression that 'b12' was a Ford suffix meaning 'bulk 12' when they get a bulk box of 12 filters???? Another deterrent for the general consumer to get confused when all they see are the FL-400s's...then run to the dealership to get their change.

To conclude my pissing and moaning...an oil change should not be that time consuming or 'difficult'. First pull out the jack and stands, find the oil filter access panel and the two recessed bolts. Starting going at the bolts, they're not pulling out. There's a little cut out for a low hanging exhaust pipe...so I work my fingers in there to try and feel around...I feel the access plate is nested with another portion of the splash plate and also feel it has those little screw through clips...and they're broken and spinning freely, thusly retaining the bolt. So I get one finger on the top broken half of the clip and put pressure on the plastic with my thumb to keep the bottom part of the clip from spinning...eventually get them both...small victory, yay me. Pull the panel off and realize there's about 2" of space all around the filter. I make my best attempt at getting my belt filter wrench around it...no go...and decide to head out and pick up one of those end cup 'sockets'. AZ is closed, NAPA is closed and finally, halfway across town Advance is open. I looked at their extensive wall of 'sockets'...and test fitted a filter from the shelf and grab the best one. I get back home, fit everything together, and the flutes start to distort (not round off)...apparently the guy that did the last oil change was trying out for the world's strong man competition. So I throw the newly purchased 'socket' to the side and grab a screw driver and pound it through. As I said, space was tight, and my screw driver was too long. All of the handles on my screw drivers were too long, so I cut the handle off one and finally got it aligned back through my initial hole, and got the filter off...yay second victory, go me. Remember the strongman, apparently he was on drain plug duty too. After lots of PB and busting out the 1/2" drive...that came free as well...another small victory. So after a new filter, new oil, new filter, new retaining clips and a new 'socket'...it only took me 3 hours to do an oil change on the Lincoln.

I hear ya Ben - i have no idea why these "strongmen" exist and have yet to find anyone who admits to doing those filters up so tight ..... i like your screwdriver trick - haven't had to do that for years luckily.

yea i been there to,i always go hand tight,then 1/4 turn with the wrench.my Fusion is similar to the mkz but no skid plate thank god..lol i change it from the top side as well.

Aerodynamics is why it's there.

And I'd no more change my own oil to save a $29 bill than I would fly to the moon.

well i use synthetic in the fusion since it was new,i do save by doing it myself in this case,but yes normal oil change cant beat the price,just make sure they get the filter tight..lol but not to tight.one of my first changes were done by the dealer,my wife came home from work one day & say's "honey the car is leaking oil" sure enough the filter was very loose.i called up the dealer & had a few choice words with them..lol