Just a quick update, I was able to fix it yesterday. The O-ring was $3.85 from Ford, local parts stores don't have it. The original was a orange silicone seal while the new one was black - probably viton, maybe it will hold up better. Anyway, getting to the seal was the only hard part as I had to drop the "Y" pipe and pull the front tires. Here's a short step by step procedure:
1.) Drain oil and remove filter - good time for an oil change
2.) Lift the front end and place on jack stands
3.) Remove both front tires and pop-out fender skirts
4.) Use a 15mm socket and several extensions to remove the 2 bolts that connect the Y-pipe to the exhaust manifold infront of the oil filter adaptor. You shoudn't have to loosen the manifold itself at all.
5.) Use the 15mm socket to remove the 3 nuts that hold the lower Y-pipe section to the catalytic converter.
6.) Use the 15mm socket and all of the extensions again to only loosen the 2 bolts holding the Y-pipe to the driver side exhaust manifold. This will allow enough play on the passanger side to reach the filter adapter.
7.) Now going in through the passanger side wheel well use a 3/4" socket and a few extensions to remove the bolt that holds the oil filter adapter to the block.
8.) Remove the old O-ring and clean the groove where it sits and the face of the block where it mounts to ensure the new seal seats properly.
9.) Bolt everything back into place, I found it easiset to get the bottom of the Y-pipe back on the 3 catalytic converter bolts first then put back in the 2 bolts on the passenger side to reconnect it to the exhaust manifold and then finally re-tighten the driver side.
10.) Finish up the oil change and you should be all set. No more annoying leak!
It took me about 4-hours total, but a good bit of that was spent trying to figure out how I was going to get at the adapter and remove the Y-pipe. I think I could do it again in about 1/2 the time.
Good luck.
(sorry for caps)
