I know this is not the tranny forum, but you guys have lots of answers. I have 69 C4 in my 46 Ford. I am attempting to get an aftermarket pan fot it, but they all seem to designate to fit only 70 and later.Looks like the only difference is depth, as far as I can tell. You guys had any experience with this? Joe

 

my first reaction would be to compare the gaskets...........

 

my though exactly. I would also install a drain plug while it's off if it doesn't have one, makes maintainance a whole lot less messy.

 

Joe, I just went through this myself. The difference is the oil tube and dipstick. Some C4's, I believe the later models had the dipstick tube actually going into the side of the oil pan. The earlier models, like mine and yours, had the tube entering the casing of the tranny. Any C4 pan will work as long it doesn't have the opening for the filler tube. I'm in the process of putting an aftermarket deep aluminum pan on mine.

 

Thanks Ed, that does seem to be the case. I guess there are internal differences but the pans will work as you say. Joe

 

The difference is not in the model years but in the designation by Ford:

1. Passenger car C-4 has dipstick in case and the bellhousing bolts through the front pump. These are the "weak" sisters, especially for a truck. These came out in '62 and were "Cruise-O-Matics until late 69-early 70 when they became Selectshifts. You can change the valve body on an earlier model and make it a Selectshift. (Cruise-Os had D1 and D2 modes) Selectshifts had PRND2L. Best to avoid these unless running in a light Mustang, or Falcon with a stock engine.

2. Truck C-4 has dipstick in pan and the bellhousing bolts to the case directly. These transmissions are very strong and are the ones to use for buildup. This type of C-4 (also called a C-5 after 72), is the model the aftermarket pans are built for, also only has a bellhousing that is 6 bolt, and uses the large (168 tooth) flywheel. Stronger areas in the case, also include the intermediate band strut. There were never any desireable pans made for the passenger C-4 since it is basically worthless for building. The aftermarket pans are all finned, have drain plugs, and the screw-in dipstick. They can be used on the passenger C-4 if you plug the dipstick hole and lengthen the dipstick.

 

Seems like most aftermarket are for stick in case. At least the ones I have seen. I did see a couple that have an "add on" for stick in pan. Thanks for your reply.

 

Back when I was building a lot of them up, there weren't any for passenger C-4s, only 727 and 914 Torqeflights and TH350s and 400s. The finned cast one I used was made by B & M for the Truck C-4 and the C-5. It holds more oil and mounts the filter and pickup lower.

In draining a C-4 with no drain plug, best to do on a rack, take out all the bolts except the front ones and one rear one. Loosen the front ones, then take out the rear one and hold the pan up, position the drain unit by the rear lip and lower the rear of the pan. The fluid will break cleanly off the rear lip; and it will all go in the drain unit.

If you are going to build a C-4, be sure not to use the passenger model that bolts the bellhousing through the front pump bolts.

 

Have that very trans, pass model C4. Local guy rebuilt about 30,000 miles ago. Done great untill cork gasket started leaking and I decide I wanted a more attractive pan for it. It is a 69 trans and the box the chrome pan was in said "only for 70 and later". Turns out the manufacturer made the error in the "70 and later" notation. The trans is in my 46 Ford Buss coupe with mostly stock 302. New pan is on. Thanks all.

 

Doesn't the C-4 pan have 14 bolts, and the C-6 12?

 

The C-5 did not come out untill the early 80's. Many cars had the dipstick in the pan also. Not really much difference in the trans other than bellhousing and pan in the 70s. Same pump, clutches, gears seals and gaskets.