Urgent: Am I missing a screw or some kind of cover?

[DKVL]

I was doing a routine self check of my 02 GT and I noticed something looked odd in the engine department.

Please see picture (I have it circled).

What is this part and what does it do? When I look from the top, down I can see oil of some sort.

Am I missing something here or is that how it looks?

 

[DKVL]

Third picture.

 

[DKVL]

no one?

 

[96SCstang]

no your not missing anything. that is the steering gear and what you have circled should look like that. and almost every car as they age will have a little bit of fluid seepage out of that. not a whole lot but a little and is perfectly normal.

 

[BurningRubber]

96scStang is right, just fine.

The oil you are seeing is likely from oil changes. It gets a little messy down there taking the filter off sometimes.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Get a can of Gunk engine degreaser, spray down the entire area, wait 15 mins and then hose it off and it will look new.

That area gets filthy from oil changes, and it's common to look like yours. Every time i did an oil change, i'd buy a can of Gunk and degrease the entire underside of the car as well

 

[85 Coupe 5.0]

That is the rack pinion preload adjustment screw. I agree that the oil that you're seeing is probably due to improper cleaning after an oil change. I usually hose down the whole area with brake clean and dry with compressed air when I change a customers oil.

Clean the whole area off, test drive and re-check. No oil should be leaking, no matter the car's age. A slight film or 'seep' in that area would be acceptable, but if there's a drip you have a leak that needs attention.

 

[DKVL]

Thank you all for the replies. I took my car to the mechanics today and he said the same exact thing all of you did.

Thanks!

 

[85 Coupe 5.0]

10-4 bud, that's what we're here for

 

[tag4car]

get a better filter!!!!!!!!!!! lol

 

[SaleenGT2001]

you're fine. mine looks like that too!

 

[the98stang]

get a better filter!!!!!!!!!!! lol

Seriously, is that a Firestone filter?! Please, for the love of God, get a Motorcraft filter!!!

 

[DKVL]

Yup that is a firestone and Yup, I know they are not the best and probably one of the worst.


How would the GT benefit from a motorcraft filter? I understand it is good, but how good is it?

 

[tag4car]

Yup that is a firestone and Yup, I know they are not the best and probably one of the worst.


How would the GT benefit from a motorcraft filter? I understand it is good, but how good is it?

Proven. Search on oil filters here and see how reliable it is, I'm not a filter expert by any means but, I've never read of any problems with an Fl-820s

$3.89 online advance auto, Actually the 3rd cheapest one listed after pentius and purolator , They have a $22 fram filter wtf?

 

[tag4car]

Hmm

Engine Oil Filter Study