Will a c-5 automatic fit in my maverick with a 302 (easily?) and also...is this a good idea? I have the original 3spd, but im thinking about buying a 302 and its attached to a c-5. Also, how well will the c-4 perform with a 302? I ask because on my inline 6 it would definately be nice to have another gear....there is no way i would put this thing on the interstate the way it is now...if im going to go through the trouble of putting a v8 in it i dont want the limitations of a 3spd that im experiencing now. Thanks!!!
C4 is still just a 3 speed transmission, A C5 is pretty much just a C4 with a lockup torque convertor. The C5 does generally use a bigger bell housing then a C4 does if I remember correctly. So either one of those transmission hit the 3 speed "limitations?" that you are facing. And yes a C4 works nicely behind many 302's as they did come stock in the 302-C4 configuration for many years. Untill it was replaced with the shortlived C5 and then the AOD with the fourth gear. So if you are looking for an automatic with an overdrive you will need to look at an AOD that does fit nicely if you use one of 71golds crossmembers.
Yes they will be just fine, just to let you know the final drive on a C4 is 1:1 so it is not an overdrive transmission, so if you plan on cruising allot of highways depending what gears you have in the rear you might be limited to 65-70mph before your RPM's get too high. If you want a manual transmission the T5 is the way to go, that way you have the overdrive gear, which is great for highway cruising.
Thanks a lot i really appreciate it....one last question; will my c-4 bolt directly up to the 302? even if its a later model engine?
If you really like a manual more ........ you should consider the T5 swap. It is well documented here, fairly easy to do and a very nice transmission for these cars. Having an overdrive gear is great on the freeway.
The C4 will have to be from a 250 six cylinder or a V-8 to bolt up to the 302. The smaller engines used a different bellhousing and converter. The C5 is basically a C4 with some internal oiling mods and a locking converter. However, the C5s converter lock-up feature was not very good and most C5 converters no longer are locking models. The lock-up was performed with a centrifugal clutch and there was no adjustment for wear.It wasn't strong enough and never lasted long anyway. The valve bodies are different in the C5 too but you can substitute a 70 or later valve body from a C4 and it will be a well lubricated C4 instead of a C5. You can also swap the bell housings and converters from a C4 to the C5 and the change is complete.
