ANYone know where I can find a used e40d? The cheaper the better, Im going to rebuild it myself.

I have another question..what year did ford start putting plastic parts in the e4od?

 

There are plastic pars in them from the get-go, for instance check ***** in the VB and a big part of the solenoid pack.

 

So what year should I go for when buying one?

 

If you're rebuilding one from the ground up with all aftermarket heavy-duty parts then it don't matter. But IIRC from severla post by David85 the best factory E4ODs were '96 and up, but you'll have to swap solenoid packs to make one work in your truck (not a big deal).

 

If you need a speedo provision 92 down, if your 4x4 you can go newer.
I know when the six speeds came out the bellhousing was different, I think they stopped using the E40D about that time though. Going by Davids list of hard parts, I think it was 98 that was the factory best.

 

96 will fit?

 

98 will fit IDI?

 

They're all the same, as long as they came out of a diesel. You'll need to swap converters (or drill your flexplate for 6 lugs) and then swap solenoid packs. Also like Star said with a '92-up trans you lose the cable for the speedometer...

 

it switches to electronic, or there`s no way to hook speedo up?

 

Not sure, but I think you are referring to the sprag cages that later E4ODs used to prevent excessive wear on certain hard parts. I think the year was 1993 when they started phasing them in. Any OEM quality rebuild (rebuilt under factory ford warranty for example) should have those upgrades too privided the rebuild was done after the factory issued updates were made. The roller bearing center support is also something that should be in any E4OD that was originally built, or rebuilt after the introduction year of the update (1994 I think).

Other plastic parts like the check valve for the overdrive section are bad and should be replaced with an aftermarket made of metal. Original ones can melt and choke off lube flow to the OD section. I don't know if ford ever replaced that with something more resilient.

Basically, unless you have a build sheet that comes with the transmission, you are not going to be able to be sure of what is inside it. Best I can say, is look for a transmission that was rebuilt as recently as possible and ideally one that was done by or for a ford dealer or other reputable outfit. All the more reason to start on a separate tranny instead of tearing into the one already in your truck. I think you have the right idea.

Wish I had a better answer for you.