serviced my trans on my 04 5.4 friday after dropping the pan i saw what looks like a bobber in the pan, it has an o ring on the fat end but we couldn't find anywhere it looked like it would have went asked my mechanic said he had no clue and keep on trucking he had never seen something like that floating and he couldn't figure were it came from since it was too big to fit in any of the holes didn't know if anyone here might be able to help

 

It's the factory dipstick plug. Keeps crap out during assembly, nothing to worry about.

Alot of people freak out at the first trans service when they find it, and I think it still gives the engineers a good chuckle. You can toss it or make a key ring ornament out of it.

You are good to go.

 

just saw the sticky on it lol we both looked at each other like WTF is that.....its all good we decided if it blows up that belonged somewhere if not hammer down

 

Thats also means your pan hasn't been dropped in 8 years?

 

No big deal - most shops these days don't do pan drops any more, they just use an exchange machine.

 

I'd be questioning the knowledge of that mechanic!

 

Yeah - hasn't he ever dropped the tranny pan on a Ford before? Ford has been doing it that way for at least 30 years now.

 

On my last few police cars, when we serviced the trans at 30K steps, when near time to turn it in and knowing it was gonna be sold at auction before another, we (my buddy, a mechanic where I go to use his lift, tire changer, etc ... and I) would sometimes put two back in the pan.

 

well my mechanic is not a transmission guy he don't do that for ford, he is actually a diesil speacialist so idk if those are the same. and just cause he ain't seen it don't mean he never has dropped one, maybe just never a new one and 8 years ain't that long to keep from droppin the pan if its been exchanged.

 

That's funny!
I did a post here on the pan drop and put a golf ball size bobber in the pan,took pics of it,and posted it here.That was funny!