C-4 guru's help needed

C-4 forward pattern built this year by Pro-transmission (Frank Lupo) shifts fine on return road and in the burnout box but will not shift into second after I leave the line. Engine hitting the rev. chip then I'm shifting to 3rd. Last pass it wouldn't shift into 3rd and when it did it shifted HARD! Thought the problem was shifter cable at first and changed that. The pin lined up perfect on every gear so I'm sure the alignment is good. After last pass fulled the dipstick on tranny and it has a burnt smell, and is darker then it should be. Tranny is coming out tomorrow but I'm not sure where it is going to go to get fixed. Any thought on what could have happened?

band issue, look at the piston sealing rings real good.

ValveBody, Valvebody bolt torque, Band adjustment. I would say the valvebody is thie big thing!

yep, dat too.

Well the tranny is on the ground and going to the shop tomorrow. The shop said I needed to adjust the band after it seats. I have never heard of that nor did they say anything when it was picked up. It is going to get refreshed and a reverse valve body put in, plus fix what is wrong.

That was a bummer on sunday mel you were on a roll too unlike my roll of seeing red bulbs that day

A good band in a race car shouldn't need re adjusted. I run mine all season and never touch it! Lets look at this way I put my car together the last week and a half of July . went that weekend to the track made three passes and didn't go for two weeks after that. I have since put over 50 passes on it and some of those passes were with 8000 plus shifts . I also do my burnouts using all three gears. I havent touched since and won't until I start getting third gear flare.

Well we see how the situation plays out. I took it back to the builder because it is his tranny. While I was in there I saw what was left of a tranny from Atco. OUCH! Case must have been in a hundred pieces Glad that wasn't mine!

I'm not gonna flatter you on how my trasmission works but address your issues..

What do ya have for cooling? size of trans cooler? I'd look for some restriction in the lines or blocked cooler..

My 2c

Laters!

Cooler goes through the radiator then to another cooler in front of radiator. Car is only strip driven although we built it to street, it is just to much for the street. If this time I have problem's I may look at going to a C-6. I have one that needs to be gone through.

I wasn't trying to flader you with mine I just was using mine as an example. I just build my on trans and build a lot of c-4s .

Just Trying to Help!


Hp and tq numbers and rpm that the engine turns as well as stall speed. This will help determine if you need a C-6 or GlideThe best cooler on the market is the b&m with fan . I have tried the way you are running yours as well as a/c condensors f350 coolers and putting to large coolers from advance together. None of those work as well as the B&M with the fan. Here are some things to look at as the trans temp rises more and quicker when you are foot braking it or on the trans brake than driving down the road at speed. It does how ever rise if you are just going from stop light to stop light at low Rpm . The reason for this is the stall or converter is not locked up and is slipping which creates heat.


I would recomend that the trans be rollerized from front to rear .trans tem gauge, Deep alum, pan, the B&m cooler, Braided 6AN cooler line. Kevalar lined bands , Alto red waffle clutches in low clutch drum and the red smooth clutches in forward drum, Dynamic racing valvebody with stock servo The first ring grove needs turned down some and three 3/16 holes evenly spaced around the first ring that you machined off.

Good luck and I hope this help.

Talked to Pro-formance transmissions today and they said I smoked the band. They also told me that it is the best band I can get. We'll see how it plays out. They have treated me good so far. The only problem I have is I called them the first time the tranny wouldn't shift and he told me it sounded like shifter issues so that is where I looked. Then after the tranny is smoked he tells me I need to adjust the band.

Engine is a 460 crate from Ford with a 4000 stall. Engine is rated at 550hp. It is in a 2900lb LX with 3:89 gears and runs 10.50's with a 1.42 60ft.

Man I put 6 seasons on a plain old 35 dollar kevlar band, 10.40's in a 3200# car.

Then put another season on the same band at 9.80's, followed by 60 passes at 9.40's until I pulled the lug off the band lol.

Somthing is not right with the deal, if they just fix the band and not the issue its gonna happen again, no doubt.

If your going to change the VB.. Make darn sure "What" case ya got!

There is a split around 1969 /70.. Lot's of problems if the VB is of the wrong year for the trans..

Sorry to hear about the band and yes I never readjusted mine after installation..

I built my trans myself.. not all that hard to do..

Spend some time reading here..

http://www.fordmuscle.com/forums/c4-transmissions/

If you have a c-5 case the band adjustment should be with fine thread stud 3 1/4 turns out
if you have a C-4 Case the band adjustment should be with coarse thread stud 1 3/4 turns out
low reverse band turn out three turns.

I Will argue the point on read alot !? NOT ALL YOU READ IS GOSPEL !
I have tried just about every trick in the book and out side the box and not all of them work as promissed.
Always ckeck line Psi it should be 220 to 230 psi

The Intermediate band is only on or applied in second gear .
If you have an aftermarket servo ck the piston to bore clearance. I have seen these things be larger than stock and stick or have a lot of drag. this causes the band to burn and third gear flare.

In my honest opinion the two best places to get knowledge and parts from are :J.R. or Harold @ Dynamic racing and Jay @ broader performance.

Well I picked up the tranny today from Dynamic Converters. It trashed the band, but Sean put the reverse VB in , new band, new clutches, rollerized forward drum, and billet servo for $600 even. Sean had told me $500 to completely go through it and change the VB before it started acting up so I think he treated me good, and I'll keep dealing with him. Tomorrow it iis supposed to rain so it will go in.