Pulled engine and found this -- what is it?

[MustangGT 11]

Pulled engine yesterday and tore it apart today. While I was rotating it on the stand I noticed a roller bushing looking "thing" connected to the block. It is covered in a felt like material surrounding a plastic roller. Can't figure out what it is or what it does. I never disconnected anything from it before I pulled it so it is a mystery.

 

One suggestion is that it part of a manual shift setup. This is odd to me since the car is an automatic and has been since birth. So I don't know why the Ford folks would have slapped one on the block if it was going to be an automatic.

 

Any hints/suggestions???

[66stang 11]

Its for the clutch it holds the z bar

[MustangGT 11]

Any idea why it would be installed on a automatic?

[66stang 11]

are you sure its the factory installed moter or has it ben replaced at some time

[MustangGT 11]

According to VIN stamped in block it is the original engine. So my best guess is yes - original motor.

[66stang 11]

not sure then my 69 came with a crate moter and did not have that i had to drill and tap a hole for it

[rwcstang 201]

could be that the previous owner changed it to an automatic? have you looked to see if the drivetrain is original? or was originally manual?

[JTG 10]

Plus I could see it happenning accidently on the assembly line. A guy puts this part in then double checks the sheet and says "Oh crap, it's an automatic" and leaves the part there anyway.

[MustangGT 11]

The car was built with an Automatic (door tag and Marti report) -- so I guess the worker on the line at Dearborn was thinking quitting time instead of assemble time. Must have just left it there.

[Fordrevhead 29]

...OR someone was going to do a conversion years ago. Grabbed some parts from a boneyard, starting fitting things up then bagged the idea. Who knows.