INTRODUSTION

First, I'd like to say that just to clear the air, I am not an expert in Ford electronics, I did not choose to learn the electronics as a career. What I did was after over 20 years of rebuilding automatic transmissions, engines, and drive axles, society pushed electronics onto we tranny guys. This is to say that when computers started controlling trannys, we either upgraded, or got out of the way. I was trained by Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors in driveability to augment my diognostic skills in regard to trannys. I have built numerous high performance trannys for a variety of applications, including a C-4 that runs behind a 600+ HP 460, or as I'm told, a 496 CI 600+ HP plant. The C-4 wasn't my first choice, but in a late fox body, it is a valid choice. I will attempt to describe the trannys by model, and describe their features, and availability.

C-3

The C-3 got its start in Pintos, behind the 2.0L , 2.3L, and the 2.8L.It has seen duty in Mustangs, Rangers and such thru the 80's. It is a french design I believe, and is featured like the A4LD, its new sister. The vachum modulator is on the right side ans some parts will interchange with the A4LD. It was never really used for performance applications, but it had a little potential.

A4LD

The A4LD is a modified C-3, with the addition of an od band, od one way clutch,and od clutch. It is a good tranny, but needs attention to really hit its potential. It was in Mustangs, Rangers, and the like behind 2.3OHC, 2.8 , 2.9,3.0, and a strengthened version behind the 4.0. The A4LD is starting to gain momentum, and a tranny machine shop in Arizona is building strengthened parts for it, to cure its weak links. It has a modulator valve in the right side, and two band adjusters. It had a computer controlled converter and in 1988 the od shift inhibit solenoid was added to prevent lugging, and clatter under certain conditions. I have a section with tips for rebuilding. For those tips go toA4LD tips

C-4

The C-4 made its debut in 1964, behind 260 and 289 V8's, and believe it or not, briefly behind a few FE's. 1965 found the C-6 behind the FE's as the C-4 was not really ready for that much torque. In fact in the early 70's the C-4 was found behind some 351M , thus could be bolted to the 429-460 family. The C-4 modulator points straight out the rear, to the right of the tailshaft.The C-5 was basically a C-4 with a lockup converter, and a valve body modified to reschedule shifts. It can be told from the C-4 by about a 1/2 inch deeper pan, but aside from that is interchangeable. The C-4 has a large following, and performance parts availability is excellent.It saw duty in nearly all car and truck lines until around 1982 or so, until the C-5 took over. It even saw duty in 4X4 applications, in Rangers and early Broncos.

C-5

The C-5 is basically a C-4, easily mistaken for the C-4, and essentially a bolt in swap. In fact when you do a V8 swap in a Ranger/Bronco II, most use the C-5 tailshaft in a C-4 to do this, but really you only need the C-4 valve body, pan, and converter to convert, and a V8 bell housing.

FMX

The lowly FMX, never got the respect it deserved, but it needed to be put on a diet, as it's case was cast iron, adding several pounds. It was a stout tranny, but when it failed was hard to rebuild correctly because of all of the little tubes failing to seal up. To identify it , the modulator points straight out the rear, and the pan is about 14 inches wide, and 5 or 6 long. It came out behind 351W, 351C, 351M, and 400M mostly.

C-6

AOD

The AOD appeared around 1981 in the LTD, and the T-bird lines, coupled to the 302. Later on it went behind the 351W, and 300 in-line.It never was offered behind the smaller V-6's except the 3.8.It is durable, but not much of a performer in stock form, but look out when tweaked. It has no vachum modulator, or external adjustments.

E4OD

The E4OD was derived from the C-6, but went thru many growing pains, and still needs some tweaking, but is a really stout tranny. In fact, it has seen use in off road races usually with the help of a stand alone computer, as it is totally computer controlled.It was put behind 300 in lines, 302, 351M, 460, and diesel applications.

CROSS INTERCHANGABILITY

The 2.8 and 2.9 bolt pattern is the same. The 2.3OHC, and the Ranger 2.0OHC bolt pattern is the same. The 170 and 200 inline pattern is the same. The 250 in line, 300 inline, the 3.8 V6, the 289 (after 1965), the 255 V8, 302, 351W, and the 351C bolt patterns are the same. The FE family (332.352,383,360,390,410, 427,428,430, etc are the same. The 351M, 400M, 370 truck, 429, and 460 patterns are also the same. In fact, point of trivia, the 351M, 400M share distributers with the 370 truck, 429, and 460 engines.

Building the A4LD

At the present time, I am still researching parts availability for the A4LD. At the very least for one to last you need to use the 4.0L rear roller clutch (40% more strength), the od planetary from the machine shop in Arizona (they guarantee it against breakage), a remote hd cooler, a shift kit ( I recommend the A4LD-JR from Trans-go, Transmission Exchange in Oregon), and posibly kelvar bands (I am checking to see if the bands for a C-4 will swap).

T L Miller 11/17/98