Trans questions
05-06-2011, 08:51 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Michigan
Posts: 28
Trans questions
After looking around for some transmissions for my car I have come up with 2.
A C4 (rebuilt) or so he says, B&M manual valve body, 3,500 stall, Ratchet shifter $500 (in s strip car, few passes, been setting in garage for 6 years)
Bought a set of 15x10" weld prostars w/ slicks from this guy already for next to nothing, and seems pretty straight forward.
AODE (rebuilt) or so I'm told, Manual valve body, not sure of stall, no shifter $400 (in a street/strip car).
What do you guys think?
The AODE is an "electronic controlled" trans so I am wondering if this is a true "full manual"
I guess depending on how they were rebuilt would determine the longevity and strength of each trans but that aside which would be a better all around trans? I am doing my homework now, but I know there is some knowledgeable people on this site and would love to hear first hand experience with these 2. EDIT:::: this is going into a street/ occasional strip car
We really need to make a transmission discussion page. there is one for suspension and audio stuff. ?????
A C4 (rebuilt) or so he says, B&M manual valve body, 3,500 stall, Ratchet shifter $500 (in s strip car, few passes, been setting in garage for 6 years)
Bought a set of 15x10" weld prostars w/ slicks from this guy already for next to nothing, and seems pretty straight forward.
AODE (rebuilt) or so I'm told, Manual valve body, not sure of stall, no shifter $400 (in a street/strip car).
What do you guys think?
The AODE is an "electronic controlled" trans so I am wondering if this is a true "full manual"
I guess depending on how they were rebuilt would determine the longevity and strength of each trans but that aside which would be a better all around trans? I am doing my homework now, but I know there is some knowledgeable people on this site and would love to hear first hand experience with these 2. EDIT:::: this is going into a street/ occasional strip car
We really need to make a transmission discussion page. there is one for suspension and audio stuff. ?????
Last edited by Dwoody85; 05-06-2011 at 08:56 AM.
05-06-2011, 09:19 AM
#3
Banned
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Lil' Rhody
Posts: 22,376
You should contact the guys at Performance Automatics. They answered alot of the questions I had.
The C4 wont have overdrive... which sucks. If you go with the AODE, full manual, you can shift 1-2-3 and then you have to flip a switch for OD
but seriously, call performance automatics
The C4 wont have overdrive... which sucks. If you go with the AODE, full manual, you can shift 1-2-3 and then you have to flip a switch for OD
but seriously, call performance automatics
05-06-2011, 11:06 AM
#4
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Michigan
Posts: 28
I know I was looking at that no OD part....
No "drag car" by any means yet, but I rarely drive this car, and almost never drive on express way. Slowly getting it up to par.
I guess the only other thing I would have to weigh would be clearance issues in my '98. I dont know how big that C4 is and if i will have to hammer out the tunnel, which I really dont want to do.
Waiting on a call back from them now.
No "drag car" by any means yet, but I rarely drive this car, and almost never drive on express way. Slowly getting it up to par.
I guess the only other thing I would have to weigh would be clearance issues in my '98. I dont know how big that C4 is and if i will have to hammer out the tunnel, which I really dont want to do.
Waiting on a call back from them now.
05-06-2011, 04:44 PM
#5
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Charles Town WV
Posts: 2,288
with a C4 you will not need to pound your tunnel it is a very small trans. They are much cheaper to fix when they fail and converters are cheaper also they also take less HP to turn then the OD trans. What gears do you plan to run? and what size rear tire? that is the main issues with no OD it can really suck at times. but at the same time they take a lot of abuse and are very light and compact. It is really gone to come down to what you are gone to do with the car. I run a c4 and have for years I love them. BUT at the same time I am looking into a OD trans to build also. just for the OD and I run 331 gears and a 28in tall tire so we dont spin the engine real hard and the turbo loves the tall gears. But I would like to be able to run 80+ mph with no real RPM.
05-06-2011, 11:07 PM
#6
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: st clair shores MI
Posts: 6,028
where u at in michigan ? i would contact "lentech" for a crate trans
will be cheaper than doing a rebuild on what u have, will be more reliable than buying a "caveat emptor" used trans that is best a crap shoot.
i would consider a 5-speed swap personally.... in fact there is one is lincoln park i think for $950 , fresh rebuild from liberty (so it probably wont downshift easy on daily driving....they usually set them up for no blocked powershifting)
anyways... or check http://www.ddperformance.com/ they are in wixom
c4 is tiny and light and strong.... but no OD, just 1:1 so at 70...turning 3k
other than a lentech AOD, i would never bother (for the 4th time) with any automatic other than a c4 or glide
will be cheaper than doing a rebuild on what u have, will be more reliable than buying a "caveat emptor" used trans that is best a crap shoot.
i would consider a 5-speed swap personally.... in fact there is one is lincoln park i think for $950 , fresh rebuild from liberty (so it probably wont downshift easy on daily driving....they usually set them up for no blocked powershifting)
anyways... or check http://www.ddperformance.com/ they are in wixom
c4 is tiny and light and strong.... but no OD, just 1:1 so at 70...turning 3k
other than a lentech AOD, i would never bother (for the 4th time) with any automatic other than a c4 or glide
05-08-2011, 01:26 AM
#7
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: alabama
Posts: 1,812
If you can manage the overhaul yourself it is quite a low parts cost, i just had to do this myself!
Lentech by far if you have a few grand to toss there way, PA is a very good alternative suggested by adder ! there only about 2k!
I dumped about 280$ in parts and fluid and about 8hrs teardown and reassembly!
my local rebuild prices were 1000-1500$ thats when i decided to give it a shot!
If i would have known it to be a success i`d have used better frictions and steels and upgrade to a hardened stub shaft! that would have added about 250$ to the bill!
a C4 is a good transmission but if you make any decent power dont get your average 600$ deal!
Lentech by far if you have a few grand to toss there way, PA is a very good alternative suggested by adder ! there only about 2k!
I dumped about 280$ in parts and fluid and about 8hrs teardown and reassembly!
my local rebuild prices were 1000-1500$ thats when i decided to give it a shot!
If i would have known it to be a success i`d have used better frictions and steels and upgrade to a hardened stub shaft! that would have added about 250$ to the bill!
a C4 is a good transmission but if you make any decent power dont get your average 600$ deal!
05-08-2011, 10:10 AM
#8
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Michigan
Posts: 28
I appreciate all the info guys.
As of now I am running 4.10's and just picked up a set of 15x10 prostars w/ 26.5 /8 goodyear's. For the price I wasnt going to pass them up. I cant buy 1 wheel for what I got them for. I can always get a taller tire. This was my main concern was how high that motor would be spinning 3/4 of the way down the track. I rarely get to drive this car and at most around town is 40mph so I guess OD isnt that big of a deal. This car almost never sees the Eway and run 55 mph at most if I do which Im turning 3K. I originally set out to build a mild street car, As years go buy I am slowly setting up to make it faster and would like to see some track time.
I ended up getting that C4. The other guy with AODE seemed kinda flaky. I figured for the $500 I couldnt really loose. I live in Ann Arbor Bob. My dad and uncle grew up with the guy that owns Phils transmission in Clio, so if it came down to getting something put together I could get a good price, and I started doing price matching between trans and I noticed the price differences in parts as well. I ended up with.......
C4 manual valve body
Nice Trans cooler
3,500 converter
B&M shifter
2 driveshafts (1 HD w/ yoke for tremek, and one with yoke for C4)
The Trans lines wrapped in heat shield
Flex plate
I figured this C4 is tried and true for many years, and worst case scenario I still have my 4R70W I could build in the mean time if need be. Like I said Im not really out anything. This car is a work in progress for sure and money is the limiting factor, thats why I didnt just splurge on a new crate trans. I had royaly messed my back up last April and had surgery in July, and am still suffering the effects from it both physically and financially.
As of now I am running 4.10's and just picked up a set of 15x10 prostars w/ 26.5 /8 goodyear's. For the price I wasnt going to pass them up. I cant buy 1 wheel for what I got them for. I can always get a taller tire. This was my main concern was how high that motor would be spinning 3/4 of the way down the track. I rarely get to drive this car and at most around town is 40mph so I guess OD isnt that big of a deal. This car almost never sees the Eway and run 55 mph at most if I do which Im turning 3K. I originally set out to build a mild street car, As years go buy I am slowly setting up to make it faster and would like to see some track time.
I ended up getting that C4. The other guy with AODE seemed kinda flaky. I figured for the $500 I couldnt really loose. I live in Ann Arbor Bob. My dad and uncle grew up with the guy that owns Phils transmission in Clio, so if it came down to getting something put together I could get a good price, and I started doing price matching between trans and I noticed the price differences in parts as well. I ended up with.......
C4 manual valve body
Nice Trans cooler
3,500 converter
B&M shifter
2 driveshafts (1 HD w/ yoke for tremek, and one with yoke for C4)
The Trans lines wrapped in heat shield
Flex plate
I figured this C4 is tried and true for many years, and worst case scenario I still have my 4R70W I could build in the mean time if need be. Like I said Im not really out anything. This car is a work in progress for sure and money is the limiting factor, thats why I didnt just splurge on a new crate trans. I had royaly messed my back up last April and had surgery in July, and am still suffering the effects from it both physically and financially.
Last edited by Dwoody85; 05-08-2011 at 10:22 AM.
05-08-2011, 10:15 AM
#9
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Michigan
Posts: 28
If you can manage the overhaul yourself it is quite a low parts cost, i just had to do this myself!
Lentech by far if you have a few grand to toss there way, PA is a very good alternative suggested by adder ! there only about 2k!
I dumped about 280$ in parts and fluid and about 8hrs teardown and reassembly!
my local rebuild prices were 1000-1500$ thats when i decided to give it a shot!
If i would have known it to be a success i`d have used better frictions and steels and upgrade to a hardened stub shaft! that would have added about 250$ to the bill!
a C4 is a good transmission but if you make any decent power dont get your average 600$ deal!
Lentech by far if you have a few grand to toss there way, PA is a very good alternative suggested by adder ! there only about 2k!
I dumped about 280$ in parts and fluid and about 8hrs teardown and reassembly!
my local rebuild prices were 1000-1500$ thats when i decided to give it a shot!
If i would have known it to be a success i`d have used better frictions and steels and upgrade to a hardened stub shaft! that would have added about 250$ to the bill!
a C4 is a good transmission but if you make any decent power dont get your average 600$ deal!
Did you have any prior experience with regards to rebuilding a trans before that tear down? I would think there is a "guide" for rebuild floating around somewhere. Im not to worried about it at this point in time. I doubt that C4 will be installed this year anyhow. It sucks not having a garage to work in and the car is crammed into a storage unit.
05-08-2011, 12:49 PM
#10
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: alabama
Posts: 1,812
no i didnt i just went for it lol, i bought a ATSG overhaul manual and found a old crapped out experiment tranny and about 6 months ago and tore it down for a practice run and scrapped it with some junk.
then about a month ago mine in my 95 took the dive, and i got my first run at it! I posted a few pics in the thread if you care to see it. it is really a simple but intemidating piece of machinary.
It isnt worth 1500$ to rebuild transmission shops are the biggest rip-off but they do have the market crimped cause most wont even think of tackling it! maybe 700$ for an honest mechanic!
then about a month ago mine in my 95 took the dive, and i got my first run at it! I posted a few pics in the thread if you care to see it. it is really a simple but intemidating piece of machinary.
It isnt worth 1500$ to rebuild transmission shops are the biggest rip-off but they do have the market crimped cause most wont even think of tackling it! maybe 700$ for an honest mechanic!