Yes, your 2002 GT with the 8th vin digit being X has a Romeo engine...I think

So the clutch recently kicked off on my 2002 mustang GT. It has relatively low miles, but it has long tube headers. So while im paying the stupid amount of money in labor to get everything out, I'm going ahead and replacing the entire clutch assembly...including the flywheel.

Now, which flywheel to get? I start doing research, and learn that all late 01 and newer new edges had Romeo built engines, meaning 11 valve cover bolts, and most importantly, a 6 bolt crank. The 8th digit in the vin should be W to indicate a Romeo engine. Well, MY vin's 8th digit is an X, which indicates a Windsor engine. This is where confusion sets in.

According to my model year, I have a Romeo engine. according to my vin, I have a Windsor engine. I concluded my series of testing by just counting the valve cover bolts on my engine. 11 on each side. So, even though the 8th vin digit on my 02 GT is an X, I seem to have a Romeo built engine, meaning I buy a 6 bolt flywheel...right??
 
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I went through this recently, I have like $750 worth of clutch parts sitting on the floor. I remember a thread about this on another forum and I found it. This info is legit. The guy Randy who posted it was a Ford parts specialist at a dealer in the Midwest if I remember correctly. You have a Romeo engine from the factory. Just like my October 2001 build 02. Do you have the 3650 trans? TR code on the driver's door jamb. Romeo's have the 3650, earlier Windsor T-45. I don't know if that is gospel though. Here's the post:
#5 Feb 13, 2008



Yellow03 said:
I think I purchased the wrong flywheel for my 2003 GT. According to Ford the X in my vin number means I have an 8 bolt windsor which I have purchased a spec flywheel, but I have 11 bolt valve covers. Does anyone know which engine I really have?


Ok, lets set the Record Straight: There IS NOTHING In the Vin # that tells you Windsor or Romeo:nono:... what ever you read in a magazine or catalog is incorrect......the "X" in the vin # simply meens it's a 4.6, NOTHING MORE..... your 2003 is a Romeo, which you can tell by counting the # of bolts on the cam cover, which is 11 and 6 bolts for the flywheel/crank....Windsor engines have 13/14 bolts on the cam cover and uses an 8 bolt flywheel/crank




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