and it does a complete and total dissassembly and reassembly of the C4. Is this a 1 day job ... couple of hours or what? The pics make it seem like there's a whole lotta parts in there. Do rebuild kits include all of the bushings and seals that Haynes tells you to remove and discard? I have a Super Rebuild kit on the way. Do the kits package each part by name so you know exactly where it goes or is it all tossed in a bag and you gotta eyeball what goes where. Obviously engine rebuild gasket kits are just all dumped in a box but it's easy to figure out which gasket or seal goes where ... doesn't look so obvious for a transmission .... Thanks .... Dan
kits vary. some kits only contain the parts commonly needing to be replaced. most that i have seen dont label each part. when you disassemble it, take careful notes on each section of the trans, especially when different thrust washers go. in many cases you dont need to replace any bushings unless they are scored or gouged. think of the used ones if in good shape as already broken in to the trans. if you do need to replace any bushings, you may need special tools to remove old and press in new. disassemble carefully, clean well, use a lot of lube when reassembling. when you need to hold a washer in place, use wheel grease or vaseline if you dont want to invest in a tub of assembly lube (usually blue). just be careful and be precise in the reassembly. good luck
Thanks for the info on the bushings ... the Haynes shows them all being removed and replaced ... Guess I'll just have to see what comes in the kit ... Here is the eBay listing: This auction is for one of our custom TEC brand Automatic transmission overhaul kits. Transmission Exchange Co. pioneered The automatic transmission overhaul kit which includes all gaskets, seals, o-rings, lip seals, sealing rings, lined and steel plates (kits are also available less steels). The very popular Super Kit (this auction is for the super kit) also includes filter, front band, popular bushings and modulator(when applicable). Plus, you get five out of print baseball cards. This is a stock # AMK MRK2600C (could be MRK2600 or MRK2600A if it's for an earlier C4) kit for a C4 automatic transmission in a 1964-1981 RWD Ford car including Mustang, Thunderbird, and others (You can tell you have a C4 because it is aluminum and has 11 pan bolts. Please email for specific applications).
took me a day or two to get mine apart. placed 2 6ft tables together and laid the parts out all in order. came back a month later and they were in the same position. i had hoped somehow they would all go together by themselves. the haynes book is pretty good. tranny went back together and it even worked. actually for what my tranny man charges it's cheaper to let him rebuild them for me.
Save yourself the money and do it yourself. FWIW, I remember a few years ago, we had a '74 Chevy pickup that had an ailing TH350. We decided to take it apart and rebuild it ourselves. It was the first automatic I have been into (that I remember)...Dad & I did a Slim Jim Olds trans a LONG time ago in sub-zero weather..but I dont' remember much about it. Once you figure out how everything works and where everything goes, you'll kick youself for paying a trans shop $700+ for an overhaul. Watch out for the valve body gaskets. There are usually several different kinds in the kit and only one will work. I just hold the newer gaskets up to the old one and make sure every little tiny hole lines up. If one or 2 of them is not the same, it probably will not work right. Other than that, a C4 is one of the easiest transmissions to "play" with. Simple design for the most part, and it is basically the same with all 3 speed auto transmissions fundamentally. Good luck. Have any questions ask away...Old Guy and I have been into a few (though he has done quite a few more than I have)
Go for it, once you have done one you will see how it all works. There are some issues that are not really "go by the book" to deal with. Also, it is sometimes hard to find selective thrust washers and snap rings locally, to get the right clearance on the clutch packs and internal lateral movement, etc. There are also some shortcuts to make the job of reassembly a bit easier than shown in the manual. Have lots of towels and floor dry available too. Clean and inspect the parts and blow dry with lots of air, as with the engine gaskets, there are more seals and stuff for different trannys, in each kit. Just remove the old ones and match them up. Be sure and soak the clutch disc's in fresh fluid for at least ten minutes before assy. Usually more time is spent cleaning and getting the case and other parts ready for installation. Just holler if you need some more info.
It will be a month or two before I do the engine swap and tranny rebuild - it's still cold down here in Georgia and I don't have a heated garage or workshop .. Thanks for all the tips! Since I already bought the manual and the rebuild kit I have to do it myself now!
The first time you rebuild it will probably take a good half day with checking and rechecking your parts for interchange. Word to the wise, wipe your thrust washers off and number it as you go. Also, while you're soaking the clutches, be sure to soak the new 2nd gear band. Most kits reuse your own reverse band. Be extra careful with the valve body pieces (clean them well and check for burrs). Oh, and just an extra tid bit...make sure that the valve behind the vacuum modulator doesn't get turned around the wrong way. I did that once and burned up my tranny really fast. Good luck.
pay close attention to the rings for the pump stator. their size and thickness vary with year and there is a difference between early and late filters. only one pattern pan gasket. if this c4 is from your mav, it ought to be 1971-up which makes it late model. if the rebuild kit doesnt include a shift kit, get either a superior or a trans-go kit (usually about $15-$20) or b&m. it improves the performance and will help your trans live longer.
I have never done one but I watched a friend strip down the C4 from my 80 T-Bird years ago. He rebuilt the trans in his basement. He had what I thought was a cool idea he stood the trans on end in a 5 gallon bucket while he was taking it apart. The bucket caught the fluid and spared a lot of the mess.
I wouldn't own a Trans-go shift kit... my buddy had one, wasnt worth a flip. Ive seen several others not worth the money either. I've ran a B&M and it shifted GREAT in my 390 FE C6 w/ 3.70 gears Then i tried a Fairbanks shiftkit in my STOCK 302, C6, 2.75 gear 76 F-100 and it would bark a second easily. I have gotten a third out of it. I replaced the gears w/ 3.50 later on and i love that shift kit Its a bit more expensive than a B&M/Transgo, etc (around 40 bucks) but I'll never run another brand but Fairbanks As for C4s, You can do a shift kit in them for less than a dollar But I won't explain how to do it, because I honestly forgot, but Ive seen it done, and have ran a transmission like that, and works good
mavman, i agree if i had to spend $700+ for a rebuild i'd do it myself. but i've got a guy that treats me right, lets me use his lift and will do a quick rebuild for the race car. last tranny he did was $243. of course, that's tranny out of the car. anybody looking for a good tranny rebuild in the tucson area give me a pm and i'll give you his number and address.
I agree with Old Guy etc. I was the gopher when my buddy rebuilt mine. He is a trained mechanic and had built several C4 and C6 tranny's in the past. He won't touch the FMX however, he hates them. It seems like we really just took it apart and cleaned it. And I mean CLEANED it. Lint free shop rags are essential. He has a stainless steel pan that he puts all the parts in, probably 5x4 ft. He tried showing me how to tell when something was worn or burned. I wouldn't have noticed most of what he showed me without him pointing it out. He took the valve body apart 3 times until it was like he wanted. I think it took us about 3.5 hrs. with a freshly powerwashed tranny sitting on the floor. I took it to the car wash that morning after draining all the fluid out of it that I could. Be sure to remove the pump shaft before standing it on the bell. I cleaned it to a sparkle with the pressure washer. If water got inside, it didn't matter since we were taking it apart immediately. Good luck. Seth
