Any recommendations on an auto trans for a 429?

 

Without a custom bellhousing adapter your choices are pretty much C6 or E4OD. C6 super easy. E4OD requires electronic control - can be factory ECM for E4OD or custom controller from Baumann etc.

 

C6 unless you plan on a lot of hwy miles, cheap and easy to find,strong tranny.

 

X2 on a C-6 with a fresh rebuild and a shift kit and get ya some.

 

C-6 …… for reasons above.

 

All seven of my Fords are equipped with C6 Trannies (four 429-460 bolt patterns) and (three FE bolt patterns)....my only gripe on the C6 is I just wish that all three versions have the same bolt pattern.

All my C6's are equipped with 8 tube coolers too, and of course me being old school and all that - I think in my opinion they ARE the best automatic trannies ever made and are strong as mentioned.....

I love drain plugs on the torq converters WITH easy fluid maintenance upon 30,000 miles of replacing all 13 quarts of fluid - as my 1970 Thunderbird C6 trans was reconditioned by Art Eastman of AAMCO in Anaheim California on Katella Ave. back in 1985, as I driven it from Fairbanks Alaska to Los Angeles California and back 6 times between 1985 and 1991 as I am originally a Los Angeles native raised in Hollywood and other places in the Los Angeles metropolitan areas and also resided in Orange and Riverside Counties of Southern California as well in my younger days.....Going on the last 37 years residing here in Alaska now.

As the C6 trans in the 70 T-Bird was neglected by the previous owner with severe burnt fluid and slipped the first 9000 miles I driven it, I tried to save the tranny with fluid maintenance and band adjustments to no avail and driven it until the slippage became severe and found out the tranny slightly shifted with a missing dowel pin in the housing as well before being rebuilt.....

Fast forward to 34 years later and logging over 151,000 plus rebuilt miles on my $600.02 reconditioned C6 transmission in my 70 Thunderbird (and yes I still have that sales receipt on file and every sales receipt I ever spent on all my rigs since 1984), the C6 trans still functions like brand new and performs strong as ever to this day with only 5 fluid and filter changes and three intermediate band adjustments I ever done to the tranny, and with the 8 tube tranny cooler it never exceeded 155 degrees F in fluid temperature ever - which registered that reading in Palm Springs CA and Las Vegas NV during mid summer of 1989 (130 degrees F when parked), and along Grants Pass OR on a hot day climbing that grade in the summer of 1991 as I have a custom mechanical sender gauge that also functions as a drain plug on the side of the pan for easy maintenance.

When I first checked around tranny rebuild shops for estimates and good vibes, Art Eastman AAMCO was the third tranny shop I visited, the first thing this man asked me was how long I owned the T-Bird and if I loved the car or not - I told him I knew what I had with a 429 and C6 powerplant and felt strong about my $325 car I bought in Alaska and it was NOT for sale !!!!! - Then tells me in his opinion (back in the day) that the Ford C6 is the BEST automatic tranny ever made ! - He given me a $600 estimate and escorted me with a VIP walk thru his shop showing the current work on other vehicles elevated on the shop's 5 racks, mentioned to me that each vehicle was at least a $1500 and up job and that all those trannys are just junk with no drain plugs to the torq converters as they need a flush out on a machine for proper maintenance which costs even more money and time to deal with....

With a C6 that YOUUUU-- HAVE, you only need the basic 6 month warranty on it as they will last FOR--EVERRRRR with basic maintenance, you wont need ANY extended warranty at all !!!!!!!!!!

He sold me going out of his way like that and old him he had my business and I gave him the green light to MAKE IT HAPPEN back in 1985, the rest is history and here we are in 2019 - same transmission with over 151,000 plus miles on it.

So yeah, I can confirm results and maintenance logs on file proof at every interval on all my rigs upon how well a Ford C6 really is.....stock and custom parts are still available too.

All my other six Fords with C6 trannys from previous owners were also maintenance neglected with old and burnt fluid, I actually saved those trannys with just band adjustments, new filter and FRESH fluid in the torq converters and pan, those C6's to this day are NOT rebuilt and run strong as well.

Ford C6 has my vote.

 

Is this your procedure for it?

<<1.Raise the vehicle on a hoist and position safety stands under vehicle.

2.Clean all the dirt from the adjusting screw (7A178). Remove and discard lock nut.

3.Using Torque Wrench Handle T71P-77370-H (Part of Band Adjustment Torque Wrench Set T71P-77370-A) install a new lock nut but do not tighten at this time. Tighten the adjusting screw to 14 N-m (10 lb-ft).

4.Back off the adjusting screw exactly 1-1/2 turns.

4.Hold the adjusting screw from turning and tighten the new lock nut to 48-61 N-m (35-45 lb-ft).
6.Remove the safety stand and lower the vehicle.>>

I found this quote on a 8 year old thread, have been reading about it lately for info.

Larry

 

My 460 has a C6 which has worked well so far.

 

I'm told that the AOD that succeeded the C6 is nearly the same except that it has an overdrive gear and some stronger parts. Indeed, some drag racers who use the C6 make use of a few of the stronger AOD parts. The only complaints that I've ever heard about the C6 are that it 1) doesn't have overdrive and 2) has a substantial amount of parasitic loss. The latter is mostly a racer gripe.
That said, it would be really nice to have a 10 speed auto tranny as the new F-150s do.

 

AOD is nowhere near as strong stock as C6. I think you may mean the E4OD.

 

Yes, whatever it was that immediately succeeded the C6.

 

Basically yes, that is the textbook procedure for the band adjustment.....

The only thing I done different was I had used the same locknut on the trans and never replaced a new one which has worked for me to this day but short of recommending for anyone else to do the same.....

How I done a little differently compared to textbook- as far as band adjustment to my C6's :


1. - Cleaned entire dirt and grime from trans pan and band adjustment areas....

2. - Applied two different colored touch up paints (or finger nail polish or white out - whatever I had available) and marked exact position of locknut to housing and locknut to adjusting screw position....

3. - Warmed up trans and done torq converter fluid and pan fluid changes....

4. - Taken a short test drive and making sure fluid level was adequate and parked vehicle....

5. - While trans was still warm enough (not cold), loosened locknut 1.0 turn while holding adjusting screw in approximate same position....

6. - Tightened adjusting screw to 10 ft. lbs. (120 in lbs. with my inch lbs. torque wrench) while holding locknut away from touching trans housing....

7. - Back off adjusting nut EXACTLY 1.5 turns and marked position with a small dot in the 12 o' clock position....

8. - Since I could not get my larger ft. lbs. torque wrench to retorque the locknut due to space constraints, I retightened the locknut to the exact marking line and a hairline more while making sure the adjusting screw was not out of the current position with my marking....

9. - After relocking adjustment, I applied a small bead of RTV silicone to the locknut/housing surface for piece of mind and double checked the adjusting screw making sure it felt tight and would not move and then remarked exact position of it....

Since none of the transmission shops in my area had a new locknut onhand, I still have the same locknut on the band adjustment assembly - as I have yet to have any problem with the adjusting screw ever re-adjusting itself on any of my C6's so far as I check my position markings at random as they never moved, however then again maybe I just had been lucky and overdue for a mishap on the adjusting screw coming loose one day.

 

silly question, as I've not ever done it, and really haven't researched it. How do you refill the torque converter? I know when you remove the tranny you should put a quart in the TC before reinstalling, The dipstick tube is lower than the TC so it wouldn't fill by gravity, the pump will suck the pan dry pretty fast, so are you just filling it rapidly?

 

What I do after reinstalling clean pan and torq converter drain plug, I pour 10 quarts of type F tranny fluid down the dipstick tube PRIOR to starting engine (it will hold without running out anywhere), then start engine at low idle and immediately pour two more quarts of trans fluid....

Then apply brake pedal and shift each gear and hold for 10 seconds and place in neutral or park for 10 seconds in any specific order : D - N - 1 - N - 2 - N - R - N - P ....

Once normal operating temp is initiated, I check fluid level and replenish if needed to capacity level, then drive vehicle a short distance and recheck fluid level - always worked for me.