PaulS gives some great advice here. One you rebuild it you will be surprised by how simple it really is. As PaulS said, if you can rebuild an engine, you can rebuild a C4. Make sure you get a copy of the aircheck diagram that is floating around too. That way you can test everything before you put it back in the car.
How complete does this kit look to you? https://www.securepay.com/easyshop/products.asp?id=1&cat=C4 Transmission Parts&mMerch_ID=36422 I'm looking at the 500hp rebuild kit, I told them that I already have the shift kit and he said the rebuild kit minus the shift kit would be $280... $20 more than a Hughes kit from Summit but it seems to be more complete. I know I would most likely be fine with a standard level kit but with my luck I think something stronger would be better.
The link won't come up. To tell you the truth, I am a C4 newbie. Paul (and others) helped me out a ton during the process of rebuilding my first. I finally got it in the car yesterday and it works awesome. (Took me 4 or 5 times of bench pressing it in and out of the car for changes, but that is how I learn. The hard way...) I think you can get as crazy as you want with the rebuild kit, but the stuff Paul listed above is going to be what you NEED to have for the process. I started with a $70 "Master" rebuild kit and didn't need half of the stuff in it and it was missing the other half I did need. I ended up ordering bands, thrust washers, bushings, and a planetary gear separately. Make sure you get the selective thrust washer kit. There is a metal thrust washer on the other end of the pump shaft that can be used to tighten up the input shaft end play, put a thicker one in etc. There is also a plastic thrust washer on the other side of the pump that adjusts the drum end play. If i were you, I would pull it apart and see what needs replaced, then go from there.
I am just moving into my first house and I don't exactly got a bench or a press for that matter, I have plunty of hand tools and afew c-clamps I don't know if this is something I can do on a coffee table (what I was planning on doing) with the use of afew c-clamps, vise-grips, etc... I'm not sure if I would need any special tools though... and I'm wandering whats the best way to get my car high enough to pull the trany, the easiest way I can think of would be to pull the engine and trany but than again I also don't have a cherry picker right now, I barrowed the last one I used a couple years ago. I've been told I could put the car up on blocks and do a process of jack it up, add a block till I get it high enough. if I could find a pair of ramps high enough that would be great... this had to happen at a very inopertune time.
The kit I tried to link to is at www.broaderperformance.com at there store under "C-4 Parts" it's the 500hp kit.
The only special tools you should need is access to an air compressor and a piston compressor(You should be able to rig something up or use c clamps). I jacked my car up high enough to get two jackstands under the lower engine brace. I then dropped the tranny, then used a 6x6 chunk of wood with a scissor jack on the front frame to get it high enough to clear the bell housing and drag it out. It worked good. I used a floorjack under the tranny pan to lower and raise it. Once it was down, I slid it off of the jack to get it out from under the car. BTW, it will be super messy. Get plastic and kitty litter.
I found a C-4 from a '66 mustang which according to the seller was rebuilt less than 2000 miles ago, thing is it was a rebuild to stock, no performance upgrades. I've heard that the later c-4's are stronger than the older ones, is that true? I know the shiftkits are differant depending on year of trans, but what about the actual valve body? cents I have a shift kit in the one on my car could I install the whole valve body onto a '66 trans? thanks
I'm guessing here, but I would say the VBs won't interchange, and the bell is probably not going to work for you. See how many bolts it is, you need a 6 bolt (if the 289 is the same bolt ptrn as 302). You should look for a newer C4. Why not grab one in the junkyard cheap and rebuild it, then swap em out. That way you will have a spare too. I found a good, strong one in an old station wagon behind a 351w.
1965 is the last of the 5 bolt I think, I don't have enough room for to many extra parts, that and I would want to get another car to put the parts in...
Well than hell, put it in. lol. You can get a shift kit for $20 and it takes like 15 minutes to mod the VB. You would think they would of put a shift kit in it when they rebuild it.
http://www.bulkpart.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=2&Category_Code=C-4vbkits $18 BTW you are pretty close to me. I have a 72 4-dr daily driver for you to put parts in. My wife wants me to sell it.
David, If you have a tranny in your car now that is any later than the '69 the valve body will NOT interchange. Any valve bodies from 70 - up will interchange with any 70 - up, the 67-69 valve bodies will interchange with 66-69.
The 66 C4 may have a 24 spline input shaft and will not work on your converter if your present one is 26 spline. Can be changed to 26 but is much easier to just get a good used one out of a salvage yard. 26 is perferred, also try and find one that has an input shaft that does not have a step in it. I like the solid one's for strength and some were even hardned from the factory, no #'s to go by, just have to use the old file and scratch method to see if it is. All this and more is in the Haynes book available at most auto supply store's.
david, sorry i haven't been able to find mike fox's new number. i know he was at the track this year.
Old Guy, I am another old guy 35 years on the Ford trannies. Those stepped shafts are the factory hardened shafts and they are stronger than the straight shafts even though both are from Ford. The title of that Haynes book is "Ford Automatic transmission Overhaul" by Haynes Techbooks
