Greetings, its been a while since I have posted about my '65 Econoline pickup. This has the factory 3.03 toplader 3-speed transmission, backing a 250ci I6 from a '78 Ford Fairmont I have no idea when or why the engine was swapped, but it works.

Truck has been running well generally, I got it painted in March of 2023.

It needed a clutch. Last weekend I pulled the transmission to find that the clutch was not nearly as worn as I had thought (I was unable to et it up ramps without the clutch slipping) but that the front input seal was hard, and had been contaminating the bellhousing with oil since time out of mind.

The nightmare is trying to order parts. It's been two weeks, and no end in sight.

It took three clutch kits before I finally got the correct one, from Fort Wayne Clutch & Driveline. They, by the way, had it listed as for a '64 Falcon.
Can't be installed until the seal is replaced.

I ordered a front seal for a '65 Econoline with the 144 (per the VIN, this is how it left the factory) and 3.03 toploader 3-speed. (Ford Part #7052 - don't bother searching by that P/N; there's nothing there)

I've ordered four so far, and every one of them has been wrong, both ID and OD. Except today, on this latest one, the inside diameter / soft seal ring was correct - but the OD is too large a diameter to fit (1.56") into the flange housing. (SKF seal #11123, see photo)

What I have measures:
1-1/2 / 1.42" O.D.
1" / 1.00 shaft diameter

Part of the problem is getting ahold of anyone on the phone to confirm the measurements of the part that they want to sell me. I have had no choice but to order based on vehicle spec and I could spend the rest of the summer ordering & sending these things back.

I went to Timken's site & put these dimensions into their seal search engine & nothing came up.

If anyone can offer a part number or shed some light on how I can find the correct seal, I'd appreciate it.

I have ordered a timing cover kit & gasket. for a '78 Fairmont Futura 200ci. Hopefully, that will go a whole lot smoother.

Original on the right,

 

I think you are looking for this: C0DR 7A283-A

Here is a good exploded drawing with a parts list under it.
3-Speed Ford 3.03 Synchro. Transmission

 

Ja, I could not find that anywhere. I ordered a couple that were of the 7A283 family but apparently some iteration of that part changed in the early 80s so they were way off.

I did get one that had the proper ID and was less than 2mm off on the OD, so I stripped all of the rubber from the original seal and found the new seal nested neatly into the steel frame, so I laid in a bead of oil-resistant adhesive silicone gasket maker and splorped it together. Trimmed off the excess the next day & sent it. Stood the unit on the bell & left it over night; no leaks.

I got a call from a eBay seller - by this point, I was sending the measurements for confirmation before I'd buy; she micrometered the one her outfit was selling & it sounded dead-on. It showed up a couple days after I put the transmission back in. She said that seal was for something called a "peanut box" 3-speed (after googling it, mine is absolutely not one). It micro'd up as correct, so I saved it for later.

Also, the Mr. Magoo in charge on my memory file cabinets had me ordering parts for a 250 I6, which was never in the '78 Fairmont - I have a 200 I6 so parts folks were shrugging & sending me parts for a 300.

Once I finished slapping my forehead, I had no problem getting the proper timing cover seal/gasket kit (and pan gasket set...)




Hmmmm yes, I am using up leftover cans of spray paint, why do you ask?

 

There is no TRANS ASSY ID TAG attached to the main case? Main case CASTING ID NOS?

They may have done a TRANS swap along with the engine.

There should be STAMPING ID NOS. on the seal itself. If you take it to a BEARING AND SEAL SPECIALTY SHOP, they should be able to ID the TRANS and get into the correct parts list.

 

 

OK, w/o the TRANS ID TAG, it is all a guessing game.

Are you sure of the input shaft diameter? That period TRANS only lists a 1 1/16" and 1 1/8" input shaft.

No STAMPING ID on the outer surface of the seal?

 

There is a number plate on the other side; no letters, just numbers.

Yes, I am sure of the ID: a hair under an inch. That's why she thought it was a "peanut box."

I'll never pretend I know much about Fords, especially older Fords; I know even less about the transmissions. I have no idea if this is the original box or not, but it looks like what's in my factory service manual for this truck. This poor thing's been though a lot of hands and mechanical mods over its life.

Thank you for your efforts and data. I really appreciate it.

Te seal was a FORD, I could only make out a logo. Whatever else may have been inscribed on it was lost to the ages.

 

Please post or attach photo of the tag. The CASE ID you showed only ID's the main case.

I am describing the actual input shaft, not the seal. Can you mic it and give the shaft diameter?

It is no matter how experienced you are with FORD. You need an answer.

 

I'd have to crawl under it to read it. It is a metal tag, screwed to the side; 6-7 numbers in a single string- no letters or spaces. It was so faint that painting it made it almost illlegible, so I wrote the number in sharpie under the stamping before I screwed it back on to the case.

As for the input shaft seal:housing seal: Ford P/N7A283

ID: 1-1/32” / .99 - 1.00

OD: 1-1/2” / 1.42”

OK I took a video still when I had it ready to go back in: number appears to be: 033943

 

That must be the TRANS SERIAL NO or a RE-BUILDERS TAG.

7A283 is the FORD BASIC ON for a front seal. It will not help identifying the correct replacement. Neither will be the inside lip measurement as it will be worn. The measurement is determined by the TRANS ID TAG and using the parts catalog to get into the correct parts list for the trans, or measuring the outer diameter of the actual input shaft (7061 on the ILL) where the seal rides, or crossing the ID STAMPING on the seal itself.

There are two possible seals listed (FORD PN) for your trans (if it is original) -

1 1/16" INPUT SHAFT DIA - C0DR 7A283-A
1 1/8" INPUT SHAFT DIA - B7AZ 7A283-B

At this point, it is either going to be matching it up by size (at a bearing-seal vendor) or pulling the trans back out.

 

The ID measurement is off of the shaft itself. I do not have a micrometer to measure from in--->out.

The old one was actually a snug fit on the shaft, but had hardened.

I tried reaching it to Timken but they had nothing in that configuration.

FYI there were no other stampings on that plate. I examined it under strong light on the oblique after wirewheeling it. Not a trace.
No other tags were on it, so it was likely lost to the ages.



So far the fix is holding. If it contaminates the clutch, I'll replace it with the other seal should it be correct.

Thank you again.

 

Let's try this again. You need to know the OD of the input shaft where the seal rides. It should be either 1 1/16" OD or 1 1/8" OD.

You cannot go by the seal lip opening diameter.

 

And I will tell you again - per the very first line of my last post: I micro'ed the input shaft when I had the transmission out. It's a hair under an inch.

It was neither of those diameters. I've ordered and checked both seals against the input shaft, and they. Are. Too. Big.

Maybe it's some weird franken-loader, but it works fine.