best trans for a 302

Discussion in 'Transmissions' started by JD71, Aug 22, 2007.

  1. LukeDuke

    LukeDuke Member

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    the problem with the c-6 is it takes alot of power to turn it.

    Ford_C-6______55-60 hp
    Ford_C-4______28 hp
    Ford_FMX______25 hp
     
  2. JD71

    JD71 John Kenney

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    well now im probably gonna be building a 351c that im gonna get from baddad457, so what would be the best auto transmission, and what would it take to swap out the c4 to it?
     
  3. ratio411

    ratio411 Member

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    You got a few choices:
    T5 (set up for a 302)
    C4 (v8 version, or build you 200 C4 to v8 specs)
    Toploader 4 speed
    Toploader 3+1 overdrive 3 speed

    Sounds to me, from talking with you, that you do NOT want a C6 or FMX.
    Neither of those trannys were available in our cars and do not fit the small tranny tunnel for beans.
    I have seen them installed in Mavericks, but it is an advanced skill level and even then the installs I have seen left MUCH to be desired. Big headache for heavy trannys. The C6 not only weighs twice as much, but takes twice as much HP away from your wheels too!
     
  4. baddad457

    baddad457 Member

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    ;)SSSHHHHHH!!!!! Don't tell him that !! :D I have a good FMX hanging in the shop for him too!!!!:biglaugh:There's always the AOD option as well as the others.
     
  5. PaulS

    PaulS Member extrordiare

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    From the standpoint of expense and the ability to take the HP of a built up 351C engine the C4 is your best bet. For about $800 you can get a C4 that will handle 400 hp and for $1200 you can get a C4 that will take about 600 HP.
    There isn't any other transmission that you can get for the same price that will handle the Hp that the C4 will. The AOD is about twice the cost of the C4 at the same build level, the C6 is too big to go into a small car and the case must be reinforced to handle more HP than the C4 (which can be made to handle 1000+ HP),
    and if you can build it yourself you can make a C4 take 600 HP for less than $400.
    The FMX has a center web that is prone to breakage under certain conditions and I would never recommend it for any real performance use.
    NOTE: I said "I" would never recommend it, you may find some who do. I have repaired a few cases on the FMX and they were not being used in performance cars.
     
  6. JD71

    JD71 John Kenney

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    i do plan to rebuild the trans too unless i find a working one cheap enough. i want to put the motor in a mustang but i probably cant find or afford an old mustang body so ill drop it in the mav until i rebuild the 200 (that really needs some gaskets) and find something else to drop the 351 in. that said i dont wanna mess up the original interior by by puting in a stick so ill wanna go wit a auto aslong as its in the mav, when it comes out ill probably go wit the T5. what is the Toploader 3+1 overdrive 3 speed yall talked about?
     
  7. baddad457

    baddad457 Member

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    The Toploader 3+1 was an overdrive version of the earlier 4 speed Toploader made from 1964 to 1974. The 3+1 was produced only for about 3 years in the late 70's. The later SROD 4 speed used in the 79-83 Mustangs was based on this transmission. There was also a truck version of the SROD with a shifter mounted in the top cover.
     
  8. PaulS

    PaulS Member extrordiare

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    The 3+O/D is a transmission that LOOKS a lot like the Top-loader but it uses a weaker gear set and 3-4 gears are reversed with the gear in third gear place is so large that they had to bulge the case out for it. the lever on 3-4 is reversed so that it gets 1:1 in "third" and the overdrive is in the "fourth" position. As I understand it you can put a top-loader gear set into the 3+O/D case but you can't put the O/D gear set into a Top-loader case.
     
  9. JD71

    JD71 John Kenney

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    i dont really dont understand the 3 gears plus the overdrive gear?
     
  10. ratio411

    ratio411 Member

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    Think of this tranny as a cross between a 3 speed Maverick toploader and a 4 speed Mustang toploader...

    It has 4 forward gears like the Stang toploader.
    So it is a 4 speed.

    However, it has the first 3 speeds in the same ratios as a Mav 3 speed...
    Basically a 1st (or low), 2nd (mid), and 3rd (high gear).
    3rd gear being 1 to 1 like a Maverick 3rd gear.

    Now, you have a 4th gear. But unlike the Stang 4 speed, it is NOT 1 to 1.
    It is an overdrive gear. Meaning the engine spins slower than the rear end.
    Saving fuel and making highway driving more pleasant, like a modern car with OD.

    It is a 4 speed, just a slight bit different.
    Think of it as an ultra wide ratio 4 speed.
    Toploaders come in 2 flavors:
    Close ratio (gears are closely ratio'd, so rpms drop very little between shifts) This is good for several types of racing because race engines generally have a narrow power band. 4th is 1:1 ratio.

    Wide ratio (gears ratios are spread further apart, so a streetable engine can have a nice low 1st gear, and the same 1:1 4th) Very nice street tranny.

    Now, the tranny in question fills a 3rd spot...
    Ultra wide ratio. (gears are spread evenly from a low 1st gear, to a fuel saving 4th gear which is overdrive) This tranny would not be wonderful for strip use, but would allow a nice performance gear to be used on the street without murderous highway mileage in a car used almost always on the street.

    If someone likes their stock Mav 3 speed, then they would love the 3+1 Toploader.
     
  11. JD71

    JD71 John Kenney

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    so its not auto?
     
  12. ratio411

    ratio411 Member

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    No.
    The automatic 3 speed/OD tranny is called AOD.
    There is an AODE, 'E' for electronic. You don't want that one.

    It is 'loosely' based on a C4 from what I understand.
    Probably has about the same gear ratios as the 3+OD Toploader.
    4 forward gears, the 4th being OD.
     
  13. baddad457

    baddad457 Member

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    The AOD was based on the FMX. From what I hear, they use many of the same parts.
     
  14. PaulS

    PaulS Member extrordiare

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    No, it is a manual. The only auto that came in the Maverick is the C4. It is the best from a performance point of view and the cost is the lowest for the build. The AOD can be made to work but it takes a lot of work and it therefore much more expensive. The AOD has the advantage of a locking converter and an overdrive but neither is usable for drag racing due at least in part to the lack of strength of those parts.
     
  15. JD71

    JD71 John Kenney

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    well i guess i gonna build a c4. the one in the mav now was rebuilt not too long ago. if i built it up for 600 hp would it still be ok with my straight 200? or should i build another one?
     

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