Buying a C4 transmission - Need help

[jbrown414]

I have been checking craigslist for a C4 transmission. Will any C4 work? WIll my speedo cable only fit a specific year? Is there anything else I should be aware of other than bellhousing and tail housing? I'm going to be putting it on an inline 6 300.

The one I am looking at now, the man says it fits a 65-69 mustang.

[joesawer]

To the best of my memory, the early C4, (until 66?) vented out of the top of the trans, so when it got hot or under a heavy load it would puke the atf out on the road instead of back into the pan. These early C-4's are usually considered less desirable than later models. To ID these is simple, just look for a short, metal 90 degree tube stiking out of the top of the trans.

[AlleyCat]

Something else to watch for on the early C4's is the bell housing pattern.The early ones used a 5 bolt pattern that will not bolt up to your 300.This was changed in mid 65 to the more common 6 bolt pattern.221, 260 and early 289 V8's used the 5 bolt bell.

[cdherman]

Yeah, well read some of my recent posts and you might be ahead. I am in the process of doing the same thing.

Some good reading over at www.fordmuscle.com

You want a 1970 or later tranny, as the internals are stronger. Haveing went with a casefill tranny, I cannot now recomend it -- the bell I got bolts up fine to 240/300, BUT I am now finding out that the filler tube I got with the casefill tranny was for a Mustang and it hits on the exhaust hanger on my 240.

On the topic of bells, you will want a SBF bell, and probably want a 164 tooth size. There is a link to a very nice database of bell details over at fordmuscle as well. I have a spare one, but it doesn't have the bolt holes to bolt up the throttle kickdown, which I think are necessary with a F100. If you are going from manual to automatic, it will require a new starter too......

If perchance you have swapped over to the EFI exhaust manifolds on your 300, the problem with the filler tube may be a moot point, as I am sure that the EFI exhaust setup no longer uses the stock exhaust hanger in the 300.

I also had trouble getting the tranny in, but I have later learned that you should get it overwith and cut/grind/drill the rivets out of the middle cross member (between the radius arm pivots) which will greatly simplfy things.

I have not yet tackled the drive shaft (will need a new one) or kickdown linkage. I am also upgrading to power steering, and putting a column shifter in, so its a major process.....

Clearly the very best solution is to find a donor truck and get all sorts of stuff. If you can find a 67-78 truck with a C4 and 300, you should be able to get a boat load of little parts from throttle kickdown, to correct filler tube, perhaps even a drive shaft that can be used etc. Wish I had done that -- it would have been worth the extra cost of rebuilding the tranny I think. I got a good tranny (I think) for free, but none of the "extras".


Hope this helped a little.....

[jbrown414]

I got the numbers off of the transmission I am looking at. PEB B and 200 7D5. Can someone tell me what they mean? He did say it has a 6 bolt pattern.

[cdherman]

None of those numbers mean much to me. You would want to find a tranny that on the main housing starts with "D0" or "D1" etc. D is for the 70's and D0 is 1970, D1 is 1972 etc.

I near 100 certain that a C4 from a 65-69 stang is NOT what you want. These were weak trannies that have an early valve body that cannot be upgraded as easily. They take a nonstandard oil filter which in turn limits you to the standard depth pan. They have 24 spline output on the tranny end of the shaft from the TQ to the tranny -- that shaft is weak.

Sure, If you had a parts matching Mustang from 1967, you WOULD rebuild such a tranny, but if you are doing a swap to a truck, then get a better tranny to start with. Patience will pay off.

Just my $0.02

[jbrown414]

I don't know for sure that the tranny I am looking at is out of a mustang. The man that I am talking to says he bought it for a hot rod project and was told that it fits 65-69 mustangs. He was going to put it on a flathead v8. From what I have read from the net is that mustangs have a ocde letter of Z. I was hoping someone could tell me what the tag numbers mean.

[carnuck]

If you get really lucky, you might find a C4 from a 352 (which doesn't bolt to a 300, but it does work with a 360/390!)

[jbrown414]

So, would this be a case fill or a pan fill?

[jbrown414]

Oh well. It only cost me 80 bucks. The guy even threw in the Haynes tech book for it. It will eventually go behind my I6 300 so I'm not too concerned with durability.