dropped the transmission pan to change the filter and found some "spare parts" in the pan.
simply routine maintenance, no issues with the tranny shifting ever.

vital parts? would it be safe to put the pan back up and go about my business?

thanks~

The broken plastic piece in your hand looks like a piece of an old filter, they can be hard to get out so someone that has never done it probably snapped it off instead of pulling it out. How it ended up in the pan... not sure. Is there not a filter in your trans?

The metal piece inside of the broken filter piece doesn't look like anything I've ever seen before. Perhaps someone stuck it in to try and pry the broken filter piece out and got it stuck as well? Again, begs the questions how it was still in the pan and whether you have a filter in your trans.

Not sure about the clip, but one of the gear heads should know.

As for the broken park, is that plastic or aluminum? If aluminum it'* part of the trans case, looks like a pin for one of the bands. If so, not good.

The broken piece looks to me like part of the (overrun) servo that is in the pan. I would look @ the servo and make sure that everything is fine. The servo comes down easily by removing 3 10mm bolts.

You can see by the illustration that Dan posted where the thermostatic element is and # 122 is held in place by #121. So make sure that both pieces are in place.

its aluminum ...... that illustration looks to be it. #122 is still there

so, whats a servo? and what can it do for me, or at this point what can i do for it

no plastic pieces. the piece in my hand is the end view of the piece in the other two pictures. the filter was in place.

I think that part is what holds one of the bands in place. I will have to look over the manual and some pictures. If you need a rebuild or replace, let me know.

I read something on the FAQs on an automatic transmission site recently;
Q, I've just dropped my trans oil pan anf found some odd bits in it, the trans works fine though, what happened?.
A, Congratulations!, you are the first one to remove the pan on your car. When the car is on the assembly line the transmissions have plugs in the oil filler orifice, it is pushed into the pan when assembled onto the car and does no harm.
Doesn't look like a plug you have found though, is the trans working normally?.

I've dropped many trans pans and have never found a plug.