Transmission service?

Discussion in 'Transmissions' started by PaulS, Jun 20, 2009.

?

how often do you service the automatic transmission ?

Poll closed Jul 20, 2009.
  1. at regular intervals of less than 10000 mi. or 12 mo.

    1 vote(s)
    4.5%
  2. regularly at 12000 mi or 12 months

    1 vote(s)
    4.5%
  3. regularly between 12000 mi. and 24000 mi

    3 vote(s)
    13.6%
  4. every two years

    5 vote(s)
    22.7%
  5. between 24000 mi. to 36000 miles

    3 vote(s)
    13.6%
  6. every three years

    1 vote(s)
    4.5%
  7. between 36000 to 48000 miles

    2 vote(s)
    9.1%
  8. every four years

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  9. regularly at 60000 miles or 5 years

    3 vote(s)
    13.6%
  10. every time I spend a day at the track racing

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  11. They need servicing?

    4 vote(s)
    18.2%
  12. when I get to it but with more than 5 years minimum

    2 vote(s)
    9.1%
Multiple votes are allowed.
  1. PaulS

    PaulS Member extrordiare

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    Do your transmission a favor and change the fluid before you put it back into service.
     
  2. PaulS

    PaulS Member extrordiare

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    Will this make it easier?

    :rolleyes:

    Or maybe this?
    :yikes:

    OK, do you adjust the bands with the fluid change? (that is part of the service!)
     
  3. PaulS

    PaulS Member extrordiare

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    Oops! too late by the time it starts making noises.
     
  4. PaulS

    PaulS Member extrordiare

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    The best answer would be every 2 to 3 years or 20000 to 30000 miles for a fluid change and band adjustment.

    If you are racing with more than 400 HP you should consider changing fluid after every weekend of racing and adjusting the bands before each race day.
    That would help your transmission (no matter what type it is) last a lot longer.
     
  5. 73rustymav

    73rustymav Member

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    i say two years, unless your like me and have to do a new tranny every year and a half...(need to stop using old j/y trannys)
     
  6. Bryant

    Bryant forgot more than learned

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    what is the correct way to adjust the bands on a c4?
     
  7. Maviboy

    Maviboy ForOnlyRealDrivers

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    How can you tell when you need a band adjustment?Ive had my tranny in the car a little over five years and the fluid stays clean,and ive got a lead foot
     
  8. sierra grabber

    sierra grabber Certifiable

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    yeah that adjustment tip from your perspective would be Terrific! i know only if the gear slips and fluid is good= too loose or broken band. if the gear grabs too hard no matter how low of throttle= too tight and on its way to too loose (see broken band):slap:
     
  9. courier11sec

    courier11sec Member

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  10. madman21

    madman21 Beer is good

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    :urock: paul is awesome...
     
  11. PaulS

    PaulS Member extrordiare

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    There are many specs for adjusting the bands on a C4:
    Ford factory specs are: tighten to 10 FOOT pounds and back off 1.5 turns for the front band and 3 turns for the rear. These should be used unless your transmission builder or valve body maker have different specs.
    Thos who have my transmissions have a sheet with all the adjustments listed but if you have lost them then here they are:
    tighten to ten INCH pounds and back the front off 1.5 turns and back the rear off 2.5 turns.
    Just to show some of the different adjustments:
    some are 12 inch pounds back off 1 turn in front 2.5 in the rear
    Some are 10 FOOT pounds and back off 2 in front and 4 in rear
    I have seen one that said snug with a short wrench and back off 1 turn in front and 2 in the rear.
    It is important to follow the specs given by the one that modified your valve body to get the best results.
     
  12. blugene

    blugene Senior member Supporting Member

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    What if one doesn't know? :oops:
     
  13. PaulS

    PaulS Member extrordiare

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    If you don't know????
    Have you modified the valve body? (installed a shift kit?)
    Did you buy the valve body as a modified valve body?
    Did you buy the valve body with the C4?
    What is the shift performance? (shift speed at light throttle, medium throttle and full throttle) does it shift manually into 2nd at speeds above 50 mph?
    does it shift into low at speeds above 30 mph?
    Are the shifts crisp at all speeds and under all conditions?

    If you answer these questions I can probably give you a decent spec for adjusting the bands.
     
  14. blugene

    blugene Senior member Supporting Member

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    LOL! Well, the car isn't driveable now. I was just curious and jumped the gun with the question, I guess. My trans has had many hands in it. Eagle transmissions screwed it up three times and Hootens (Dallas area) took my case in and told me I had a trans that was pieced together :mad:. He found my input shaft splines cut in half, that's why they stripped when I was racing a TA 6.6. I was in front 2 cars, till I hit second. My origional is gone. Anyway, it's a C4 and something about the bell and input shaft are different, I don't remember what's up anymore. Like I said also, I only have 200- 300 miles on it, could be slightly more but definetly not 500. Before I began my projects from everlasting hell, I would manualy shift at around 7000 into 2nd, points would be floating or something. The builder told me it would handle it, but I don't know what it will do now that I have gone from 3:00 rears to 4:68 with spool, or something like that. It does shift up automaticly, but I also didn't have a down shift rod. I now have the Lokar, but never tried it yet. It's been sitting a LONG time with few start ups like once a year or two years. I'll hit you up for tips once I get it going, which I HOPE is this year. Hey, I still got 6 months to go. :D
    :whew:That was long, sorry.
     
  15. PaulS

    PaulS Member extrordiare

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    blugene,
    before you drive the car change the fluid and let it run in park for about 20 minutes to get all the frictin materials resaturated with ATF. They tend to dry out after sitting for more than 6 months. If you don't get then saturated with oil they can glaze and you will then need an overhaul to fix the slipping.
     

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