at least that is what my trans builder calls it. i have a built c6 behind my built 352. trans has a TCI full manual reverse pattern valve body.2200 stall canvertor. redline clutches. etc. very few miles on it like maybe 200 when i shift from 2-3 it doesnt shift right away. the motor sort of revs a bit. not much-maybe 100 rpm or so. but, it takes about a half a second to engage 3rd. its really kind of annoying. trans builder says that is common on c6's. he has rebuilt trans 3 times in last 3 years. due to excessive clutch wear.(once due to TCI convertor failure)(and then the trans slipping in 2nd). i am really gettig sick of pulling this trans, it this common or should i find someone else to build my trannies?

 

The C6 is a pretty good transmission. It should last, even for drag racing duty, as long as it was rebuilt properly and the oil kept clean. When Ford "designed" the C4 and C6 transmissions, they copied an excellent existing design.

3 rebuilds in 3 years sounds a little crazy to me unless your car runs say 10 second quarter mile times or a transbrake.

Where in Wisconsin are you located - I may be able to help you if you are near Milwaukee.

 

did your tranny builder check/replace the accumulator springs?? that my be causing the problem..my old '78 bronce did that..when it shifted it would really slam..to the point of making the truck lurch and 65-70 mph..not cool in rainy wet roads..give that a check..any other recomendatins..I am interested too.

 

Boy we can sure help each other out here. I have the same valve body and the same problem. In the instructions it will tell you that you will need a rubber type servo and you will also need to plug that hole under the servo cover. Wait!!! I have pictures. The instructions can be downloaded from www.tciauto.com. If you gave them to your tranny guy like I did he didn't follow them. Mine threw them to the side and did it "his way". If he is a good guy I don't know if I would not let him build my tranny but he needs to folllow the instructions. Also that valve body has the detent already built in so if you have the big mechanical clicker inside your trans you need to remove it or it will take tons of pressure on the shifter to get it to move. Lemme know how it goes. I am in Korea and the truck is parked so I won't be able to fix it until next year. I would like the fix action that makes it shift just right for ya so I can do mine.

EDIT: I also use redline clutches and my converter was stalling at 2400 with my 360 but stalls at 3200 now with my 390 so we almost have the exact same trans. These valve bodies don't relate to normal ones when it comes to troubleshooting.

 

here is the strange thing. the tranny also did it when i had a TCI manual/automatc valve body. i changed over on the last rebuild in sep. 2002. the trans shifts hard 1-2, 2-3 sometimes flair shifts, sometimes it doesnt. and amount of throttle doesnt seem to matter. i am stumped. BTW i live in Oak Creek, which is just south of milwaukee.
thanks
matt

 

Did you ever figure this one out pastrd? I installed the neutral plug and ground the servo lips down myself while I was on leave. The 1-2 shift is dramatically better (harder) but the 2-3 flare is still there. I sent an email to TCI to see how they could help me or replace the valve body. It shifts great with a stock valve body.

 

Give it 500-700 miles. Mine did the EXACT same thing and then one day it slowly starting shifting better and better about 500 miles on it and now it shifts just fine. I can chirp 1 to 2nd and the 2nd to 3rd shift at WOT gives me a firm, quick shift.

 

I have about 3,000 miles on it now.

 

I have seen misadjusted modulator valves cause this, but if you have a manual valve body, then this won't help.
Jimmy

 

Hopefully TCI won't charge me 75% of the cost of a new one. I'm sending it back. They seem to have the "There's no way it doesn't work; we test all of our parts on the dyno before they go out" type attitude. We will see in a few days when they reply back to me though. The flare is so bad that I am positive that if I went to third at 6,000rpm WOT I would loose both the engine and the tranny.