I really need help

[Cali65]

Didn't know if I should have started a new thread but here goes.

I have a 65 mustang 200 ci 78 block with a 2.77 3 speed trans with 8.5 inch flywheel/clutch with a early small bolt pattern style bell housing and I believe it had the wrong starter on it because it chewed up the ring gear. I took the trans out to replace the ring gear and found more problems. The flange on the bell housing that holds the bracket for the clutch fork spring broke off when i took the bolt out. The flywheel is bad (too thin) the pressure plate is bad, release bearing is bad, clutch disc is still good. The previous owner had a new clutch installed and the installer had to know the flywheel was too thin but maybe they couldn't find another one and had it machined anyway then let it run. So now I have a bell that needs repair, bad pressure plate and release bearing in addition to a bad ring gear and starter....great.

A while back I bought a 66 mustang 200 ci 2.77 trans as a spare and it was bad so I scraped it and kept the bell, good 9" flat flywheel and block plate, bad clutch kit for a refence. I was going to use the 66 bell and flywheel since my block has the duel pattern and I have to find and buy less parts. I had the flywheel resurfaced yesterday and last night i ordered a 9" clutch kit from Rockauto. I know I should've done this early but today I found that the bad clutch disc from the 66 2.77 trans has a bigger inner diameter and will not fit my input shaft on my 2.77 C4OR-7006-A casting number trans. CRAP! I thought that all 2.77 trans were the same diameter since they 10 spline so now i have to cancel the clutch kit order.

Where can I get smaller diameter 9" clutch kit (disc and release bearing) that will fit my earlier 2.77 trans with the smaller imput shaft. Is there one available? If not then I Guess I'm stuck with the 8.5" flywheel/clutch. And i need to find a good with enough thickness to be turned without being too thin. I wonder if another member on here had one because I can find one where I live and on the internet. I'm really stuck between a rock and a hard place now. i would like to do a T5 swap but I cant afford that for a long time so im just trying to get the car moving again. I really need some advice from you guys on what direction i can go and thanks for reading my big spill.

 

[rbohm]

go with the larger flywheel. to find a throw out bearing, take the input shaft retainer to your local parts store, napa is probably the best, and have them match up a throw out bearing to the retainer. at the same time you can take the input shaft from the bad trans and find a clutch disc that will work as well.

 

[Cali65]

thanks for the reply rbohm. I'm a little confused now I don't have the bad 66 2.77 trans anymore i scrapped it a while ago because thought i couldn't use it. So you don't think I can get a smaller throw out bearing and clutch disc for the smaller diameter input shaft on the 2.77 that came out of the car? or I didn't understand what you meant.

 

[rbohm]

since you dont have the trashed one anymore, you obviously cant take it down and use it to match parts. if you have a way to transport the trans in the car, then take it down and use it to match parts. you can also try places like mac antique auto parts, they carry a lot of hard to find parts for the early cars.

 

[Cali65]

Thanks for the link. I can get the throw out bearing there. They offer the 8.5" clutch disc and pressure plate too but I don't see anything for a 9" clutch for a 2.77 trans. I guess I could take the trans and clutch components to a transmission shop and see if anyone there can measure the input shaft and see if they can give me a measurement for a clutch disc or see if they have one. I was hoping someone on here has gone through the same issue of changing out the 8.5' flywheel/clutch for the 9" flywheel/clutch and running into the problem of having two different year 2.77 transmissions with different diameter input shafts.

 

[rbohm]

the other option would be to use the 8.5" clutch disc with the 9" pressure plate and flywheel. the difference is only 1/2" total, 1/4" at each edge, and you are not making a lot of power such that it would be detrimental to the clutch.

 

[bubba22349]

You might also check the clutch disk or complete assembly for a 1954 Ford Customline 223 six with 3 speed & OD. Mine has a 9 1/2 inch Borg & Beck clutch that I had rebuilt at a locale SoCal shop, it has a 10 splines and fits a 1 1/16 inch Dia. input shaft. Good luck

Borg & Beck clutch catalog

http://www.borgandbeck.com/new-clutch-c ... -amp-beck/

 

[Cali65]

I didn't think of that, reusing the 8.5" clutch and throw out bearing with the 9" compnents. Im willing to try it the car is stock with no power. Now I have to cut off and carefully grind down the old bell housing dowl pins flush with the block cause I can't get the out and I don't have a torch at home. I picked up two used dowel pins at the machine shop where I had the flywheel machine so I can aline the 66 bell up.

Thanks for the link bubba. I tried it and couldn't get anywhere on that site. So I look online and couldnt find a 1954 customline 223 9" clutch kit. Did they offer two clutch sizes for your car?

 

[Cali65]

I will see if I can order a new 9" pressure plate, 8.5" release bearing and 8.5" line up tool tomorrow so. My next day off will be spent on the dowel pins.

 

[edgewood bronco]

I was surprised to find how difficult it was to work on those dowel pins. I had to relocate several with my engine swinging from the rafters and even with a large pair of vise grips and a hammer, it took a while to coax them out!

 

[bubba22349]

I think this is the clutch unit your looking for it was a one year only part (1966) part number C6ZZ-7560. It's has 10 splines and a small 15/16 inch input Dia. The pressure plate should be the same as the 1967 and later 9 inch for a 3.03 , but that disk might be a tough one to find. Below is a link to a kit you might try searching for that part number to find other sources. Also If your input shaft Dia. is the 15/16 inch then forget about the 1954 disk mentioned above is not going to work as it's the larger 1 1/16 10 Spline disk. I have a 2.77 and a few other parts been pieceing together (no bell housing yet) don't remember what size clutch will look and see. By the way you will need a different starter for the large bell housing (2 Bolt). Good luck in the hunt

http://www.american-mustang.com/index.p ... ejrquqlug7

 

[Cali65]

Hello Edgewood. Those dowl pins have been a real PITA! I tried everything I had on them from several pairs of vise grips, penetrating oil, hammers, chisels and punches. I can twist them about an 1/8 of a turn but that's it. Figured I could shock them loose to get them out but those suckas are in there!

 

[Cali65]

Thanks for the the link bubba. Is there a way to measure the diameter of the input shaft? I've got a set of dial calipers but I know I cant get the right measurement of the imput shaft

 

[Cali65]

With that type of tool I will put pictures of eveythj g up as soon as I can

 

[bubba22349]

Thanks for the the link bubba. Is there a way to measure the diameter of the input shaft? I've got a set of dial calipers but I know I cant get the right measurement of the imput shaft

Sure it's easy just use your dial calipers (outside calipers) on the highest part of two splines (180 degrees apart), or you can use the (inside calipers) on the clutch disk the same way on two splines (180 degrees apart). To double check yourself use a 6 inch machinists rule or a good tape measure to measure the opening of your calipers, this should give a close enough measurement to tell if you have a .9375 (15/16) or a 1.0625 (1 1/16) input shaft it's a only a difference of .125 or 1/18 inch.

To my knowledge all the early six powered Compacts / Intermediates like the Falcons, Comets, Fairlanes, Monarchs, & Mustangs up to 1966 model year with a 3 speed peanut transmissions and ending with the last of the 2.77's transmissions are the .9375 or 15/16 input (mine is). Also all the 1967 and latter models with a 3.03 top loader 3 speed transmissions have the 1.0625 or 1 1/16 input shafts like all the full sized Fords and Mercury's used from about 1949 up. Good luck

 

[Cali65]

Didn't know you could use them to measure it using them thanks bubba. I will get started as soon as I get home, hmmmm.........I wonder where my dial caliper is. Bubba what year is your 2.77 trans?

 

[bubba22349]

I would have to check the ID tag, it was out of an early Mustang Coupe either a 65 or 66.