What is this? A part/tool ??? from Grand Marquis - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

mercdriver · 08-01-2009, 10:10

Hello, I changed my transmission fluid and filter this morning. When I got out from under the car and started to drain the pan to clean it I found this part as you see in the pic. This really scares me. I dont know if its some sort of install tool or a part of the transmission. I looked at the workshop detail on the transmission and could not match the part. This car is 2006 and I bought it used so I dont know its history. Someone could of worked on the trans and left that inside. Any Ideas" The part is about 1 3/4" long, the round part has a BLACK SEAL on it and is hollowed out inside. tHE rod part is solid. I found this number on the inside of it: K-351-2
THANKS
ART

stevenj · 08-01-2009, 10:27

I found one in my 93 f150, from what I was told it's put in the dipstick tube to keep trash out at the factory or something like that.

**Bert** · 08-01-2009, 12:57

As Steve said, it's in the hole where the dipstick goes and when it's installed, the dipstick pushes it in on the assembly line. Just throw it away.

mercdriver · 08-01-2009, 15:07

Thanks people! I can relax a little here now. I started on the car at 6:15 am with a headlight and was stalled with this little part trying to figure out if it belonged anywhere, so I finished around 9 a.m. Regardless for 30 bucks for a filter, 20 gasket and 22 for 5 qts fluid all from dealer, the job went smooth. Sure getting hard to crawl under the car. Probably could of bought fitler/gasket somewhere else cheaper, but I did want good fluid and hadnt been able to find name brand locally. I was actually surpirsed, the v-belt was 32 bucks,
touch up paint for 7 bucks. Some of the parts are reasonable.
Filter looked somewhat dirty, magnet had the metalic slush (normal look to me but a little more than I expected). Car has 49 k on it, so I guess it was the first time done, and the main indicator or shocker to me was that extra part. Again thanks for the information. All I thought when I saw that part was DEALER OVERHAUL TIME- 3 K $$$

**87_Crown_Vic** · 08-01-2009, 22:20

many places call it the transmission cherry plug. guess you can say you popped your cars cherry... lol... typically not found in maintained cars.. but something to worry about in a car that has higher miles and it is in there. many places toss them, i keep it as a precautionary to install if transmission needs pulled for repairs to it or the engine.

mercdriver · 08-02-2009, 17:01

Now thats a good car joke!!!!!!! Yes I guess they did!
I had never heard about that before. The previous two cars I had - I had the trans filter changed for the first times by the dealer so I never had seen a plug. Like I said I'm glad I didnt have to worry about another trans. I assume from the dealer it would be just under 3K.
Besides the a/c going south where you have to dig inside the front, engine internal and trans, I try to do what I can first. Those are major jobs and run a lot of money real quick. The problem is that I need the car everyday so I have to pay for some major job like this. I did buy the workshop manual and it has really come in handy. I found them on ebay. I have the electrical book also. These are certainly a lot better than the Chilton or Haynes manuals that you find at Autozone.
have a good day.

Mikeceli · 08-18-2009, 04:20

As soon as I read the title to this thred, I believed OP was refering to AT "cherry" plug. Guys have been asking about that part, since gas was .29 a gallon!