IIRC I've heard it's pretty straight forward if you've got a book/dvd. How long do you guys think it would take to pull one apart and rebuild it? If I just find a good kit will I have everything I need?

I have two that are bad and my car is in need of one, my original plan was to rebuild them at school in a few months but I can't wait haha.

 

Get ahold of these guys: http://www.transtarindustries.com/ and get a manual. C-4's are pretty easy to build and a pretty good tranny for a beginner to attempt.

 

I would take a look at getting a dvd from bad shoe productions. The instruction is easy to follow from a ford master tech with 35 years experience. It cost about $35.00. I found it on youtube. And, no I don't have any affiliation with this company. Just a good product.

 

It takes me about 4 or 5 hours to go through a C4, Th350, or a 904/727, they are the simple ones, the longest part of them for me is cleaning everything. The C4 doesnt use lip seals like most other transmissions do, and the springs on the clutch pistons are light enough you can remove and install them by hand, well I can anyway. The C4 is silly easy to rebuild, the big thing about them is getting the torque specs right on the valve body. Aluminum valve bodies dont like being over torqued, and the value is in inch pounds so you need a small inch pound TQ wrench.

Cleaning the VB is another big thing, I pull them completely apart and lay the valves and springs out in the order they come out, then clean the body and parts individually. Reverse order to put them back but never ever force a valve to go back in, they get cocked in the bore easily and it just takes a little persuasion and rocking to get them in, or just pull it back out and try again.

The first trans I did in school was the powerglide, the second was the C4. You start with the simplest and easiest first, then move up to the harder stuff. The worst one I ever did was an A4LD, I hate those stupid minivan transmissions.