AMC code is confusing me

[Kimball]

So I bought a CJ7 and it's supposed to be a 79 with a straight 6. I wanted to put in a new clutch kit so I looked on the block and read the build code. 910A08. It has a t176 married to a Dana 300. I'm thinking its a 79, October, 1 bbl 258, eighth day, but the 9 indicates it being 67 or 76 because it wasn't until 80 they used the last digit of the year right? I bought a clutch kit for a 79 and the through out bearing doesn't fit over the tranny's shaft. It also connects to the fork differently than the one I removed. The old one had a square plate with two clips. The guy I bought the jeep from said he had a clutch job done on it but it never worked after that. Its looking like his mechanic had the same problem as I. Help I need a clutch kit that fits!

 

[Al Lindner]

Two different size clutches came in that year with the 258CID 10.5" and 11" Dont know why. maybe you have the wrong kit??

 

[Saddle Tramp]

If a 1979 CJ7 your VIN should be : (J)(9)(A, F, or M)(93)(A or E)(A) then 5 sequential serial numbers

A 1979 CJ was only offered with a 3 speed T-150 or a 4 speed T18 with a Dana 20 transfer case so your tranny and transfer case are a transplant. In 1979 either a 10-1/2” or 11” clutch will work.

Check out this VIN decoder:

http://www.jeepfan.com/tech/decoding-jeep-cj-vin-numbers-1971-1986/

 

[Kimball]

Thanks for the replies. The vin # shows it being an 80. I thought it was a donor body because of the amc build date on the engine block. I'll do some more research. I'm new to jeeps and I'm having a blast!

 

[Saddle Tramp]

The engine build date is always before the vehicle assembly date for obvious reasons so it is not uncommon for the motor to have been built the year before the model year. 1980 is the first year of the T176/Dana 300 combo and is the last year the AMC 304 was offered in a CJ.

 

[Kimball]

After some research I've determined that the tranny is a T177 and the transfer is a Dana-300. What would be a good clutch?

 

[Saddle Tramp]

The T177 was never used in a CJ as the input shaft would be too long; it was only used in FSJs. Most likely you have the original T176 as a T177 with a CJ shaft would be a T176.

 

[Kimball]

There is a metal tag riveted to the tranny that has a few #'s on it and one of those #'s is 5359389. I read somewhere that those #'s were for a 177 and a 176 would be 5359390. Is there ant truth to this? Thanks for all the input guys, your all a big help!

 

[1986cj7]

If a 1979 CJ7 your VIN should be : (J)(9)(A, F, or M)(93)(A or E)(A) then 5 sequential serial numbers

A 1979 CJ was only offered with a 3 speed T-150 or a 4 speed T18 with a Dana 20 transfer case so your tranny and transfer case are a transplant. In 1979 either a 10-1/2” or 11” clutch will work.

Check out this VIN decoder:

http://www.jeepfan.com/tech/decoding-jeep-cj-vin-numbers-1971-1986/

Thanks for the link I've been searching for this info for sometime, to see just what my jeep came out with stock, and now I know.