O.T. Ford C6 tranny

The neighbor kid needs to rebuild a Ford C6 trans.
I've never done this, neither has he. He is going to pay for all the parts.
My friend Joe says 'do it, just keep everything super clean, just take it apart and put it together.'
???
good luck
Kenny

In my younger years 1960-1975-- I rebuilt hundreds of C-6 Transmissions.
Like I tell most people--You can rebuild, just take apart and remember the order of disassembly.
Clean EVERYTHING like you would kitchen utensils.
Assemble by hand--No Impact wrenches!
Most mechanically inclined people will not have problems, However when they do--that's when knowing what to do after a problem appears is when the professional is needed.

I do my own trans rebiulds , but not for customers. The guys that do it all the time know the units like the back of their hands, I dont. For me, the biggest thing is to take pictures, mark everything, and keep notes. I lay everything out on large cardboard sheets and write notes beside each part and group of bolts. It can be overwhelming with all the parts in there, but its not really difficult. There are usually ways to get around the special tools.Last one I did was a 5 speed auto in a 2002 Explorer, and its working great. A C-6 is much simpler with no electronics and only 3 speeds, no overdrive. I say try it, but you know there are guys out there who will rebiuld a C-6 for about 4-500 bucks.

The labor for rebuilding a C6 isn't that much if its already pulled and sitting on a bench. The KNOWLEDGE to know what parts need replaced and what can be reused and spotting issues out of the ordinary can be priceless.

The rebuild kits run about $100 and a decent new or rebuilt TC for towing (not racing) runs about $150.

Just stay out of the valve body; ya don't need to be in there.

Allan

I think there are some YouTube videos about rebuilding transmissions.

Just don't go halfway and think you got it fixed. Be sure you replace the seals on the clutch piston in the back of the case.

I've done several C6 Ford transmissions among others. The C6 Is a very basic unit to work on. I'll echo what the other fellows have said. Keep it clean and neatly laid out. Take lots of pictures for reference. Take the torque converter to a transmission shop and either have it flushed out and tested or replace it. I've seen quite a few good trans rebuilds go wrong when a worn out or dirty torque converter is put back on. As to the valve body, they aren't that hard either. Same principal applies , keep it neat and clean and don't force anything. You want the valves to slide in the bores with ease with no binding. I wish you the best of luck and success on your project ! Joe.

Downloading an ATSG repair manual can be a lifesaver. Their transmission repair manuals are pretty darn good.

(quoted from post at 17:42:52 12/19/13) Just stay out of the valve body; ya don't need to be in there.

Allan

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The valve bodies on C-6 & C-4 Ford transmissions were a major problem with these transmissions, even after professionally cleaning.
A lot of them would not shift/downshift correctly and many times another VB would have to replace it.
I worked at a large independent Auto repair and we did nearly all transmission work for the local dealerships also. Many times I would repair a NEW C-4 or C-6 with only a few miles, that had shifting problems.
My suggestion--if the transmission is reasonably clean, drop the VB in fresh fluid immediately.
I think a lot of VB problems were created by Ford in that they used a metal SCREEN for a filter!!
If you do decide to clean the VB DO NOT USE SANDPAPER on any part of the VB.
All VB of this era--and really, ANY valve --has a sharp edge designed to clean the bore. When sanding you will break this edge and contaminants will Jam the valve.
I am not trying to show off, just trying to help.

Just make sure you replace the seals in the clutch pacs. You will need to compress the springs to remove a snap ring to get them apart. & compress it again to assemble.

and check the clearences on the clutch packs. Makes for a better shift, Brian

Wow. Not for the faint of heart. I have rebuilt transmissions professionally for over 40 years. My suggestions are as follows:
1) get the ATSG manual. You will regret it if you don't. They don't cost that much, and have a world of information in them.
2) Be sure to replace ALL clutch pack seals and servo seals. A primary cause of failure is that the seals get hard over time and begin to leak.
3) Check and adjust clutch pack clearances to the lower end of the tolerance. Clearances are set with selective snap rings.
4) unit end play is also important. Too much end play will prematurely wear out the seals and will beat up on the thrust washers. Keep it to the small end of the tolerance, but do NOT go outside of tolerance. Need to have room for thermal expansion as well as keeping things fairly tight.
5) As has been already stated, clean the valve body in solvent and make sure each valve moves easily with a small screwdriver. Valves that have springs should move easily against the spring and return on their own. Valves without springs should move either way on their own weight. No need to disassemble any more than necessary to check the valves. Check ball location is also important. Above all, do not use any abrasives on valves or bores.

Good luck.

All of these guys are correct, but there is one other very important point to take care of; buy a good, stand-alone transmission cooler and mount it in the truck, completely bypassing the radiator cooler. Reusing a cooler full of crud will cause a good rebuild to go bad very quickly. Well worth the money and time spent to do it right.