Ford C6 Rebuild, Part 2: Final Assembly 

Awesome, glad to hear the videos have helped you and your son complete a rebuild! Thank you for watching, Paul!

Thanks, Anon One! I appreciate the kind words....I'll be doing more C6 videos in the near future - please sub if you haven't already so you can be notified when they're up.

​@mytransmissions5390 👍I've subscribed today and I'll be watching your other videos.

@@anonone8954 thanks for sending me here and I have to agree. He covers everything in great detail in short time.

Thanks, Chris!

You're welcome, Manuel and thank you very much for the views and kind words!

​@@nickstransmissions I made a mistake at the beginning of the assembly, and I damaged the low/reverse piston, it has now some cracks on the top external of it which not affect the sealing, but I'm afraid to loose small parts in the trans. Do you sell parts ?

Hi Manu, I don't sell any parts but any hard parts supplier or transmission shop should have another piston...I'd also double check to see if those are actually cracks or just 'casting flash', which is sometimes leaves crack-like impressions in the part...If it is cracked, you'll want to replace it since it will eventually come apart once the vehicle's back on the road.

@@nickstransmissions Hi, I found one on Ebay, and on the pictures I see like cracks but it's not, should as you say "casting flash", but unfortunatly he does not ship to France. I maybe found by another way. Thank you.

Hi Nick, I found a late low/reverse piston, can it replace the early model ?

Thanks for the feedback, Darren!

Thanks, Sam! Glad it has helped you.

@@nickstransmissions I agree with Sam. Great video, very informative/educational video. You are a great teacher. 👍 👏 impressive. I do still have 1 question however, You didn't address output shaft endplay: What is an excessive amount and how would you suggest troubleshooting and repairs?

I never measure output shaft end play on any of those transmissions as any movement is dictated solely by the thickness of the output shaft retaining snap ring and that snap ring is not selective. You should have a slight bit of movement but not too much (As long as the snap ring isn't excessively worn, your shaft movement will be within acceptable limits. If you want, measure it and reply with the value and I'll tell you if I think it's excessive but I'd say between .005-.020 is prob what you will see and if so, that's fine.

Thanks, man!

Thanks, dogdann!

Thanks a bunch, Jimmy and glad you have taken on the project!

Thank you for the kind words, Greg!

Thank you for the feedback, OperationRV!

Awesome, great job Tyler - thank you for watching!

Great tip, Louis - thank you for sharing!

Hi Aurian, thank you for watching...Yes, using the open ended wrench to hold/retain the band adjustment screw is the best approach...IIRC, i didn't go 1-1-2 turns initially, something like 1 and 1/4 and allowed the screw to tighten appx 1/4 turn more...As long as the band isn't dragging, you'll be fine (1-2 shift may be ever so slightly quicker with the band adjustment that way) but won't hurt anything...But I have since been using the open ended wrench to hold the adjustment screw while tightening the lock nut with a larger wrench then torquing it once tight to minimize/eliminate addl movement of that adj screw.

@@nickstransmissions Awesome and thank you for the response. I fixed an issue with my neighbors C6 today and made a little side money doing it. That's the whole reason I ended up here to begin with, to refresh my memory since it's been 2 years since I have had one apart. Thank you for the detailed video.

Nice work, man and you're welcome. Please sub if you haven't already - I'll have more C6 videos coming out, including one later today. This way you'll get notified when those videos get published.

Thank you, Tim!

Thanks, man! Appreciate the kind words.

Thanks, Harry!

Thank you, Crap Hitting The Fan! I may also be doing a high performance C6 soon and if I do, I'll film and put it on the channel as like you said, there will be some key differences between a largely factory build and one for HP.

You're welcome, icesawman - appreciate it!

Hi Steve, thank you for watching! The thrust washer kits typically have to be bought separately though some retailers include them in the main kit...Check the stator support's working surface to make sure it's actually flat (many are .0015"+ off and need machining) as well as pump body and new gears for clearance (pump gear faces to body surface, drive-to-driven gear clearance and driven gear to pump body inner diameter clearance) to ensure everything is in spec...Otherwise you will have to machine (or replace) the pump body as well. Lastly, check the drain back valve and spring in the stator-pump cover to make sure it's not stuck and spring is in good shape..I believe those valves were eliminated in 88 but present in all other years...converter drain back is a known issue with those pumps and the result is delayed engagements/neutral condition in all gears when cold (revving the engine to circulate fluid back into the converter is the spot remedy). Please subscribe if you haven't already done so...I'll likely be doing more videos on the C6 in the near future so you'll get notified when they (or any transmission-related videos) are uploaded.

Take the race or race bolts to ACE Hardware or similar and try bolts until you find a longer bolt that works

@@nickstransmissions thanks will do

Hi Larry, the OD by itself doesn’t tell us anything. You want to mic the inner diameter of the bushings to generate a clearance figure (s). Also, id remove those rear case bushings and install the Sonnax one piece bushing instead.

I dont think so as the driven gears aren’t side specific however I always mark/index them with a paint pen before removing from the pump body so i know which way they go back in at a glance if I reuse them.

All my SR pliers are Snap-on and OTC.

Double check to confirm the parking gear thrust washer isn't bound up inside the governor housing between the parking gear and rear of the case. If that's not the problem, start taking stuff out one by one until it no longer binds. That said, I'd absolutely install the one-piece case bushing as i consider that best practice for any C6, E4OD, 4R100, etc...

The piston w/the check ball and loose springs / retainer plate belongs in a ‘76 and earlier case while the one without the checkball and return spring assembly goes in a ‘77+ case. The check ball’s function was relocated to the valve body in the 77+ cases and the two pistons aren’t interchangeable. Ford also switched from using clutches that take type F to those that are designed to use Dex transmission fluid. I believe these changes went into production with late 76 model year vehicles so you will want to confirm via the casting numbers what year trans you’re working with, if it was made in the 76-77 timeframe.

Greetings, Jimmy, thank you! Nothing was left out of the L/R that shouldnt have been. You always leave out the two snap rings when installing the e4OD/4R100 low roller as its too tall to accommodade them. I then install the brass thrust washer for the output ring gear/hub shortly there after. You can rewatch starting at 20:34 where i talk about the two snap rings..

Thanks so Much Nick, for getting right back to me ! I first got puzzled because I was not seeing any wear marks on the backside of the L / R hub, or the spring plate surface...I later realized there is a "Solid brass thrust washer held in by one or both of those snap rings that get left-out .....(snap rings left-out, that is ) when using the plastic caged roller. I just had it in front of me, and see No way that you can let the hub rub up against the spring plate without something separating the steel.....against steel.....The brass thrust washer I am talking about here is Not like any other th. washer in the C6, it has an ID of 3.2, OD of 3.74 and a thickness of .080 with 16 teats around the outside, and w/ the original roller, the rollers themselves beared against it. @@nickstransmissions

@@nickstransmissions AH, I got it now ( I think) The hub gets "snapped-ringed " to the planet, so the hub never touches anything on it's back-side.... I do not remember taking out the snap ring...

Hey Jimmy, here's a Ford C6 diagram: www.wittrans.com/parts?type=C6 Be aware that not all C6s were configured exactly the same so that diagram may not be representative of all C6s. Some had certain thrust washers and/or bearings in spots where others did not. In fact, it sounds like a good choice for a topical video for me to do so folks know each of the differences; there are numerous so it'd likely be a separate series of videos where I focus on one area of the transmission for each video. One thing you can do to determine if a bearing or thrust washer is missing is to move the case components back and forth on disassembly while the case itself is still together but valve body is out of the way. If you see an unusually large amount of longitudinal movement, that may indicate something was left out by mistake in a previous rebuild.

@@nickstransmissions Thanks Nick, you are the BEST !

At 24.15 or so, I think mine is too tight.

If you're asking about the low reverse clutch pack snap ring, it installs into the case lugs. Interestingly enough, there's no range of travel specified in the ATSG manual but IIRC, mine had ~.050-.060". If you watch at roughly 24:15 for about 10 seconds, before I install the snap ring, you can see the top of the case lugs just before the bottom of the snap ring groove...looks to be about .040" or so between the top of the apply plate and the top of that lug where the snap ring resides... Add .010 between the snap ring's surface and the groove itself, would give the .050-.060...That's what I would guess is acceptable.

Hi John, thank you for watching...Check eBay, Transpartswarehouse.com, Transtar and/or your local transmission parts suppliers...All should have snap rings available...A last resort is local pick-and-pulls for good-used parts.

Man, you’re a boss!!! Thanks so much for making these videos 🙌🏻

Go to your local trans parts shop and ask for a 4T65E sun shell or order one online. Shouldn’t cost more than $40 or so and you may be able to find one laying around in a wrecking yard - that’s where I got mine.

@@undisclosedlocations4623 I looked it up and it doesn’t look like what was in your last video

It’s called a “reverse reaction shell”.

Hey Frank, removing and reinstalling the pump in the C6 is literally as easy as you saw me do it in the video starting at 29:30. You can usually remove it via a pump removal tool or simply yanking the input shaft then knocking the pump's stator shaft back and forth with a composite hammer until it comes loose then pull it out. You wont have to remove any other parts including the pan...Just keep the direct drum from 'falling' forward by wedging something underneath of it as it will want to come out of mesh w/the forward drum/front planet/sun shell assembly...Best way to do this is to ensure the trans is laying at roughly 30 degree up-angle to discourage the drum from coming out of position. To reinstall, put the new pump o-ring on, lather it up with assembly lube (Transgel or similar) then lather up the pump bore. Use a threaded rod or long bolt w/the same thread pitch but with it's head cut off as an alignment aid. Install the pump-case gasket and then install the pump as shown starting at 29:30 (first remove any objects you put in to keep the direct drum in place). Once it's installed, put the input shaft back in and spin it to make sure you're able to do so (it will take a little effort but you shouldn't feel anything catching/binding, etc). Once you're confident it's good to go, put the converter back on (put assembly lube or trans fluid on the converter journal) and reinstall it back into the truck.

Hi Larry, why do you want to remove the KD lever?

@@nickstransmissions i`m not going to use it..... the van ran fine just before the seal went out and the kick down lever was not attached to the carb and nither were any wires .

@@nickstransmissions do they remove the kd lever for racing applications ?

the k/d was not in use and the van rolled right down the hwy like it owned the road...... i bought this van to move materials to build a boat with...... once the boat is launched .........i will discard the van.

Hi Lorne, thank you for watching....There's no one overarching cause of front end play interference as a bunch of things can cause end play to be out of spec including assembly errors, too thick a washer(s), mis-measurement and more. Are you having an end play issue w/a C6 at the moment?

Hey Kevin, I believe some of those took o-rings - check your overhaul kit as the paper and rubber kits come with o-rings that fit that general size for those fittings.

@@nickstransmissions thank you very much! Excellent work on the videos

You're welcome, Kevin and thank you for the kind words.

Dr. Tranny assembly lube. TransGel brand is also good.

Hi Tyler, I assembled that on the bench but I purchased my engine stands and holding fixtures on eBay...I'll be doing a general 'transmission building tools' video in the near future where I'll share exactly where I acquired certain tools that are in common use for rebuilding transmissions and transaxles. I've been getting a lot of questions about tooling and equipment so this vid should answer those and point folks in the right direction for where to buy the tools/equipment they see in my videos.

@@nickstransmissions Thanks for the reply, I will be watching.

You're welcome, Tyler!

Thanks, Richard. Sorry, but I wouldn't know how to translate or subtitle them in Spanish. Perhaps there's a Google translate feature or app that can do so for you but not sure.

I installed it by first soaking it and the bore w/WD40...Thought the camera was rolling but failed to press 'record' and didn't realize it until after the fact.

Nvm lol, I found it in my spare parts bucket. Installed it everything looks good! Do you have a video section for the tailshaft housing?

Sounds great and thank you for watching, man! What specific questions do you have on the extension housing?

@@nickstransmissions mainly the seal proper replacement number/how to remove/install without damaging. And what I assume is a speed sensor or something rpm related. It's bolted with a locking bracket and has an orange thing that rotates on the inside.

The seal can be removed with a screw driver with the extension housing on or off...Don't worry about damaging it as it gets replaced during overhaul or if it's leaking anyways. I don't know the specific part number for the seal but any auto parts store will have one available for purchase OTC; same with on-line retailers like Rock Auto. Just input/provide year, make, model and engine - that should be sufficient to get the correct seal. The speedometer consists of a drive and driven gear and the drive gear rotates the driven gear which rotates the speedometer cable that then works the speedometer gauge in your dash cluster.

@@nickstransmissions where / how would I find a new cable for that? Mine is only about 4 inches long. It was cut before I got the trans

Cork - hell no, haha! Don't use any cork or purely rubber gaskets, they frequently leak out of the box...If you can find them for the C6, run a performance bonded steel and rubber gasket...These are reusable, come on later model vehicle transmissions and feature an internal steel core with a rubber shell. I have one on my Tahoe and re-used it three times now with no leaks. If none exist for the C6, a standard composite gasket will work just fine - they are available for a couple bucks at any transmission parts supply shops. Just don't buy from places like Autozone or OReilly's as they will supply cork or plain rubber gaskets.

@@nickstransmissions excellent advice thank you

You're welcome, man.

What year is your c6?

@@nickstransmissions not sure, the van is an 82 ..... it does have a metal tag on it ..... can i tell by the case markings ? i am not at this very moment at the area where the transmission is...... i can send any of that infomation later this after noon

i also looked at a video and i was trying to install the new bearing sprag in the wrong way..... i will try the other way this afternoon .

Ok, the C6 didnt take a rollerized rear hub until 1988. Swap in a 88+ hub or have yours machined to accept the bearing. You can find them on ebay or Cobra Transmission Parts’ website

Thanks, Louis...will keep that in mind for the next one....I sometimes install it first like shown or leave it until last but your point is well-taken...Appreciate you watching!

Hey, I just remembered that I got a new plate sun shell snap ring plate that was a bit thicker… I’m gonna pull that off and use the old thinner plate! Aside from that though, I’m still lost 🤦🏻‍♂️

How thick is your selective washer that goes onto the pump stator?

The one I had boughten new was .088, but I just ordered one for 3$ online (.057, part number 36210A, if anyone else needs #). To be honest, I found the old stator thrust washer and it still looks good and mics at .070… I’m gonna play with this and see if I can get my end play sorted out w what I’ve got. I do have one other question I may end up send your way in the next hour. Again Man! Thanks so much for all your support along the way 🙌🏻

You're welcome, Jon...You should be good with one of those other washers.

Hi Jim, are you referring to the cylinder head stand that I put under the back of the trans to hold it up off the bench?

I think so. It looks like it's made for that.

@@jimlauth7587 yep, those cylinder head stands come in handy when building older Ford and Dodge/Chrysler transmissions.

Hi Hector, thank you for watching and subcribing! I think you can rebuild the C6 with what you have though you will want to pick up a few specialized tools that you see me use during reassembly, including: Low Reverse clutch spring compressor Clutch spring compressor for the direct drum Dial indicator and magnetic base Set of feeler gauges Shop air source, rubber tip nozzle and length of 1/4" vacuum hose to test the intermediate servo apply Inch lb torque wrench Foot lb torque wrench Bushing driver set Blind hole bushing/bearing puller set w/slide hammer Most of the above tools are less than $100 individually, except for the bushing driver set as those can be very expensive for a master transmission bushing driver kit. You can always take your parts and new bushing kit to a transmission shop local to you and have them R/R the bushings for a couple hundred bucks or so. But I like the C6 (and Chrysler 727 and GM TH350) for folks who are new to transmissions but otherwise mechanically inclined and used to more complex work like engine building. So I think if you acquire the tools above, along with the ATSG manual for the C6 and watch my videos, you should have all that you need to take on the project!

@@nickstransmissions thanks for the Reply, what you mention regarding tools makes, sense on my situation because i could pay to have them rebuild, but i want to learn to do them my Self just for joy and learning more, i have 8 FE's at the moment and each one of them gonna need a rebuild C6, . Thanks for posting videos and the effort you tru because i know they take time and paciace..

You're welcome, Hector! By the time you're done with those eight C6s you will be quite the subject matter expert on them! Let me know if you have any questions along the way.

Hi Kevin, new torque converter for stock to mild builds.

@@nickstransmissions thank you

@@nickstransmissions do you have some go-to brands you like for stock rebuilds? I noticed auto zone and advance auto can provide them but wanted to ask if they are known for poor quality or suspect because of national chain? Or maybe there’s one main rebuilder anyway?

Hi Kevin, I'd avoid auto parts stores for anything transmission related other than perhaps a filter or front/rear seals. Check out parts kits on eBay...I find that you can get some 'Deluxe' kits that include Alto high energy frictions, band, steel module, filter, bushings paper and rubber for about the same price as a Transstar Cal kit but those come with stock-grade frictions.

@@nickstransmissions thanks I was referring to torque converters specifically. Sorry I should have clarified

GM, Larry. No clue, never tried that. Fluid: Dex3 or Type F...Type F will typically provide firmer shifts than Dex3, all other things equal (don't ask why or how as I don't know other than the difference is in the formulation). Filter extensions should be available on line or at hard parts suppliers in your local area.

@@nickstransmissions again thank you for your help, i have a really clear pring of the atsg repair manual...... just found it today..... was sort of dissapointed with it before..... but now along with the videos you have it gives a better refference to assembly ...... along with the k/d removed & plugged...... i don`t see any difference in how things operate...... it was not hooked up and never was in operation ?

You're welcome, Larry. You can always reinstall the KD lever if you realize you'd prefer to have it.

@@nickstransmissions as I look at the up shift bracket I don' t see that it does anything if it is not in working order....

Hey Larry, you should be able to find a good, used one at a transmission hard parts supplier or even the junkyard. If all else fails, try eBay.

@@nickstransmissions there are a bunch of transmission suppliers here in albuquerque, nm.....hell everything is going to be new parts in this transmission so i might as well get a new torrington bearing.....i wonder if a bearing supply would have them ? 1 other question: on the very first fire-up of the new rebuilt transmission.....how long should i wait before put it in gear ?

Once you have it at or close to capacity I would do a pressure test to confirm line pressures are within normal ranges in all range settings (P, N, D, 2, 1). I would do this while the vehicle is off the ground. Take readings at idle and at 1000 rpms for P, N, D; pressure readings in reverse can be taken just at idle. You will need a transmission fluid pressure gauge that reads up to 300 psi or so; do NOT use an engine oil pressure gauge as the pressures at 1k rpm will destroy the gauge. Once you’ve verified pressures look good, check fluid level one last time, top off if needed then take it for a test drive.

@@nickstransmissions OK nick..... how does on take a pressure test like the one you have recommended ?

@@nickstransmissions i have ordered a torrington flat bearing $13.00 bucks free shipping..... hell its the only one i could find.

Hi Paul, Thank you for watching...What procedure did you follow for the band adjustment? Did you replace the servo piston with a new piston of the correct variant based on your servo cover code? Any anomalies observed on the inner diameter of the servo cover upon inspection? Did you air check the servo-band to confirm everything was mechanically working as it should before bolting the valve body on? Here's how I air check the servo: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6qLcDYCgnpg.html

It was the 2 full videos on the c6. I probably watched 20 times. I didn’t replace the servo so I just ordered one. I’m going to start there and then I guess go to the valve body next if servo doesn’t fix it. We did do a shift kit from transgo and would prefer not draining transmission again to check that right now. All of my tolerances were great accept the input shaft. I don’t know if that could cause a really bad slip in second. The tolerance of the shaft was .036 thousand and I believe your video said max of .040 but you would prefer.030. The motor is roughly 450hp. Thanks again I will let you know if the servo fixes the problem with second.

Gotcha, yea always replace the servo piston itself...My guess is the new one will fix the issue...If not then you'll have trouble shoot...Could be valve body or a cross leak between the VB and case at the intermediate servo circuit.

@@nickstransmissions Yes I hope so. Once again thank you for your help I would have never tried this myself but for your videos.

You're very welcome, Paul. Let me know what happens...

Im assuming it slips or feels like its in neutral when you shift into reverse? Does 3rd gear work? If so, my guess is you cut one or both lip seals on the l-r piston when installing it.

@@nickstransmissions Yeah. No reverse and no response when I shift to 1 in the selector. I did an air check before putting the clutch kit. I believe that also was a mistake.

Yep, that piston can travel quite a ways so more than likely you pinched/tore one of those seals when air checking w/o the clutch pack.

Thank you for your reply. You made a great video.

Hi Michael, when you say you lost second and third, do you mean there’s no upshift (it stays in first no matter what you do) or it upshifts and feels like it’s in neutral?

@@nickstransmissions It just stays in first, and has reverse. Even if I shift manually... it just stays in first. And Nick, I thank ya... I tried to watch your videos to find the part I found in the pan, but no luck. I appreciate it.

Gotcha-sounds like a governor issue. Will need to remove the drive shaft and extension housing (and t-case if 4x4) to inspect the valves to confirm they are moving freely or remove and clean out the governor (would have been nice if Ford/Dodge designed their transmissions to have the governor accessible w/out going through all the trouble). I'd also check vacuum at the modulator to be sure but I don't think that's the problem. Alternatively, if the governor's valving moves freely as it should then it's got to be valve body-related. Nothing in the case would cause a lack of upshift in all ranges. If this was a late model trans (E40D or 4R100) w/a speed sensor, I'd tell you it was the speed sensor but unfortunately not the case w/the C6. As far as the little bushing-like object in the pan, I'm also at a loss...Too bad we can't upload small pics in these comments as that would help. Only thing that even remotely comes to mind is the selector shaft seal but that's technically on the outside of the transmission so would have no idea how it could possibly make its way inside...

@@nickstransmissions Nick, I appreciate your time and knowledge. Ya didn't have to help, but ya did. I hope the best for you in the future. For real. MJ

@@Mr.EeToMyself You’re welcome, Michael. Good luck with it and feel free to ask questions if needed. Lastly please subscribe if you haven’t already-ill be doing more C6 videos in the near future so you can be notified when they’re up on the channel.

Hi John, thanks for the kind words and congrats on finishing up the build! Sounds like the output shaft should be fine per your description though I always install a one-piece case bushing from Sonnax in the C6/E4OD/4R100s as that bushing reduces the play and provides a better foundation for the output shaft, though it's not mandatory...The vid link isn't working but if it tightened up considerably once the case was assembled and your bushing pair isn't somehow wildly out of spec, I wouldn't worry about it but you can always double check and replace them with the one-piece Sonnax bushing if you're not feeling good about it.

@@nickstransmissionsThanks a lot! I was considering getting the Sonnax bushing, but didn't get to ordering it due to the additional shipping and overseas import costs. I've fixed the video link. It should be working now. It was filmed before any of the clutches were installed. Perhaps I might still get the Sonnax since the transmission isn't going back in yet.

You're welcome. Id go back into it now with the Sonnax bushing while its out and still dry/clean. Plus will give you an opportunity to spot and correct anything else that may be problematic. It's good practice. C6 can be emptied in about 1-2 minutes once the pan's off.

@@nickstransmissions Sonnax it is then, thanks a lot! I was surprised how quick I could do the previous bushing swap, so that should be ok. I was planning on opening up the trans again anyway to check the front pump gasket, since it was a tad oversized and didn't sit fully flat by itself. It looked fine after removing the pump immediately after installation to check if there were any kinks, but still it didn't sit well with me.