The C4 was full of friction material. The front band is shot. The rear band has some meat left. The steels and clutches look good. The front planetary gears are clicking. Think the bearings are shot. I'm going to order new bands and a planetary assembly to go with my "Master" rebuild kit.
Be sure to flush the cooler and converter because all that contamination went through everything. It is important to clean out the debris to prevent ruining your newly rebuilt tranny. Ideally you should flush the cooler and lines and replace the converter with a NEW one. (most rebuilt coolers have more stuff in them than your old one)
That is always the best way to go. A new converter is clean and ready for use. Rebuilt converters are a coin toss. I have seen rebuilt units that were clean as new and others that were full of crud - from the same rebuilder!
Alright, a little update. The planetary gear has a washer inside it that can make a clicking noise when it rubs against the gears. $30 lesson learned. The direct piston looks like it has a crack in it The crack is only on one side. Think i can use it? I'm still waiting on a reverse drum bushing. One other question: do I need to use the valve body gasket? It didn't have one installed.
Yes, I would say that you can use the piston. If it was a crack it would go through. Valve body gaskets are used to assure proper sealing between the separator plate and the channel casting. If it is in perfect condition then you don't need the gasket. If you are installing a TransGo kit you have to use their gasket - it has special passages that are not in the valve body.
