Rust on oil pan

[Snikt89GT]

Ok so I was down under the car searching for the part # on my T5 to try and determine if I have a 8T gear 90-93 T5 (came on some 89 I guess) or a 7T gear T5 from 86-89 and I noticed some kinda nappy looking rust on the oil pan.

I poked around on it a little and it seems to still hold up. I don't know how thin that metal is there though. I really don't want to pull the engine or try and do an oil pan swap, especially since I just got the car.

I tried to take some pics of it, what would you guys do with this? It looks like the pan gasket obviouslly leaks, but since I put the car in the garage on Monday I haven't had any drips or leaks.

You can see it pretty well here in this pic:

 

[vristang]

The rust pretty common. The Ford gray paint on the pans wasn't that great.
I wouldn't worry about it too much.

The gasket may be just fine. Eventually the cork gaskets seem to seap similar to what you have.

There are now rubber gaskets available for the the oil pan and valve covers (as opposed to cork).

If you ever have to pull the pan or valve covers, the rubber gaskets are worth the moderate additional cost over a cork gasket.

EDIT: Actually that looks like it may be a rubber gasket?
IF it is, it may be worth the time to snug up the pan bolts. Maybe they have backed out over the years?

jason

 

[8950HO]

Mine has some surface rust spots also.
I just spray them once in a while with a rust inhibitor in a spray can.

I would go over those oil pan bolts to make sure they are tightened down,as they tend to loosen up over time.

 

[dkeiser1989]

I would grind the rust off and paint it. if you don't, you will eventually have an oil leak.