OK I've got a C4 that I bought used from a dude at the world ford challenge 3 years ago. Finally putting it in the car. I have no idea what is in it, he was from the south and said it was built, its got the manual rev VB, a brake, I can see the PA servo on the outside. Well the problem is (at least I think this is a problem) when I bolt up the bell housing, the input shaft won't turn and the output shaft won't turn. When I pull the bell housing off everything spins freely. I noticed that the pump (I think it is the pump) has to locate into the tranny case and if that goes in a little crooked it doesn't turn. So I got it in there flat and when I bolted up the bell, I could turn the output one way really easily, but it won't turn the other way. The other thing that I noticed is there is big input shaft and a little input shaft inside of the big input shaft. The little input shaft spins, the big one doesn't, at all. What is going on here. HELP!!!!!!!
C4 install
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The big "input shaft" is not an input shaft. Thats what holds the stator inside the torque converter still. It doesnt turn and isnt supposed to. The little shaft in the middle is the input shaft and it should turn if you havent bound it up bolting the pump on wrong.
The output shaft should only go one wayunless its under power to go the other way. Theres a mechanical diode inside the transmssion that prevents the shaft from turning the other way.
The output shaft should only go one wayunless its under power to go the other way. Theres a mechanical diode inside the transmssion that prevents the shaft from turning the other way.
Thanks chipmechanic,
So this all sounds normal to you. The thing that got me is that when the pump (or pump cover) isn't bolted on, the output shaft spins freely both ways, yet when I bolt it on it only spins one way. Is that mechanical diode somehow enganged by the pump (or pump cover) when it is bolted into place? Thanks again, hopefully it'll go down the road this weekend!!!!
Jason
So this all sounds normal to you. The thing that got me is that when the pump (or pump cover) isn't bolted on, the output shaft spins freely both ways, yet when I bolt it on it only spins one way. Is that mechanical diode somehow enganged by the pump (or pump cover) when it is bolted into place? Thanks again, hopefully it'll go down the road this weekend!!!!
Jason
Bolt on the bell and torque the bolts. With the trans in neutral you should be able to turn the input shaft. If not, at least one of the washers in the gear train has gotten out of place. Also with the trans in neutral you should be able to turn the output shaft in both directions. It may require a set of large pliers but it should turn. As you noted the pump has to go in straight and there is a gasket behind the pump. Hope it's in good shape or you'll have one hell of a leak.
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1,745 Posts
If you've pulled the pump out, (like to check the gasket) there is a really good chance that a thrust washer has fallen out of place. I've seen people do this and cram it back together unknowingly. No good.
Yeah, I saw that, I believe that is the #2 thrust washer. I'll bet that I didn't get that back in there quite right. I just bought a manual and they recomend to put some petro-jelly on there to hold it in place when you put the stator support/pump back in. Now on the washer there are tabs. Are those tabs supposed to be flat or are they supposed to be up and locate the washer into holes in the stator support? The ones on my thrust washer are flat. So I'm thinking that I smashed them when I bolted the pump back in. But I could be wrong. The manual is not that detailed.
Thanks
Jason
Thanks
Jason
I'm a moron, I found a picture in the manual. Confirmed my suspicion, the tabs are supposed to be bent up. So I did smash that monkey in there. Looks like I'll need one of those and a gasket from my local parts store. Yeah thats right there was no gasket in there (between the pump and the case). I'll give the dude the benefit of the doubt here, he didn't sell me a convertor or a bell, just the trans so maybe he though I'd go through it first???? Oh well, maybe its true what they say... you get what you pay for. If I get it in there and something else is messed up... I'll end up borrowing an AOD from a friend to run this season.
Jason
Jason
I may have messed that thing up but it is also possible that this guy sold me a POS. The low/reverse drum is cracked. It is a concentric crack all the way around. I am pretty sure that I didn't do that. So it is time to pull the whole shootin' match apart and find out what else is wrong with it. Sometimes a good deal isn't a good deal...
Jason
Jason
Bummer.
First C4 I put together I messed up #3 (IIRC) thrust - the one with 3 tangs. Bolted the trans in, gee it felt a bit stiff leaving the driveway. I made it around the block - chewed up a drum and had a bucket of the prettiest pink/gold/silver oil you've ever seen.
First C4 I put together I messed up #3 (IIRC) thrust - the one with 3 tangs. Bolted the trans in, gee it felt a bit stiff leaving the driveway. I made it around the block - chewed up a drum and had a bucket of the prettiest pink/gold/silver oil you've ever seen.
Sometimes a good deal isn't a good deal...
You know i recently repaired/rebuilt a c4 for a guy who paid good $$$ for it.I said i would have a look since i had a strange feeling about it and the convertor wasn't what he was told it was either.Well it was all burnt up inside.
You will have piece of mind if you freshen yours up that it is right.I'd be keen to see a pic of that cracked drum if you can.Never heard of one of them breaking.
You know i recently repaired/rebuilt a c4 for a guy who paid good $$$ for it.I said i would have a look since i had a strange feeling about it and the convertor wasn't what he was told it was either.Well it was all burnt up inside.
You will have piece of mind if you freshen yours up that it is right.I'd be keen to see a pic of that cracked drum if you can.Never heard of one of them breaking.
I had a guy bring a transmission to me for installation that a competitor rebuilt.
As I was installing the convertor it felt strange.
I pulled it out and looked into the pump.
No gears.
It was some time before I could compose myself.
Mr. Customer was watching all the time.
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As I was installing the convertor it felt strange.
I pulled it out and looked into the pump.
No gears.
It was some time before I could compose myself.
Mr. Customer was watching all the time.
Hey RC:
This is pretty much where the monster thread came from. I didn't want to pay thousands for a tranny to hold up to the stroker I'd built, but I didn't know sh*t from shinola and I didn't want to buy a pig in a poke.
I started the "build levels" thread so I could make some suggestions to the guy I wanted to build my tranny. It got out of hand and with the contributions of the brain trust here and a couple of manuals, I ended up building mine myself. (Although I couldn't carry Stu or Greg's drop light.)
I'd bet in a week or so you could have yours up to snuff.
C'mon, you won't regret it. Don't fall back on the AOD. Do it once and do it right.
This is pretty much where the monster thread came from. I didn't want to pay thousands for a tranny to hold up to the stroker I'd built, but I didn't know sh*t from shinola and I didn't want to buy a pig in a poke.
I started the "build levels" thread so I could make some suggestions to the guy I wanted to build my tranny. It got out of hand and with the contributions of the brain trust here and a couple of manuals, I ended up building mine myself. (Although I couldn't carry Stu or Greg's drop light.)
I'd bet in a week or so you could have yours up to snuff.
C'mon, you won't regret it. Don't fall back on the AOD. Do it once and do it right.
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