The rebuild has begun...

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GRWeldon

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Parts are on the way. This tranny came out of my 97 Thunderbird. When I bought it I drove it from the ground to the trailer. That's it. It was working as far as I know. This tranny, once rebuilt, will go in to my 96 Thunderbird whose current transmission is failing. Maybe I can get it rebuilt and in the car by the end of the month!
 

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There are two passages in the case that need to be drilled, iirc. I've never done that, so
iDK where they are. That's one of the reasons to start with a 2001 or later. The other is that it comes with the mech diode.
transpartswarehouse.com

76652C - 4r70w mechanical diode 98-up

76652C - 4r70w mechanical diode 98-up
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If that's the one with the od sleeve, I'd look at everything else with a very critical eye.
 
These guys are great for parts: https://transpartswarehouse.com/automatic/ford-1/aode-4r70w-4r75w-4r70e-4r75e.html

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I've bought parts from all 3 depending on what I need.
 
I'm not sure what you mean by look at everything with a critical eye. I think I always do that but if you have something specific, shoot it my way. As for drilling the case, the rebuild video series I'm watching mentions nothing about that and I would certainly shy away from doing that unless there was an extremely good reason and I had extremely good instructions.

I've ordered a custom rebuild kit from globaltransmissionparts.com. I ordered my 1-2 bonded accumulator from them and it came quickly. The kit is supposed to be here Friday, today being Tuesday, but I don't believe it.
 
When disassembling the tranny, right off the bat I noticed there was no anti-rattle clip. I've been looking for one to buy but I'm not sure if they are the same for pre-97 and post-97. I can find one from a 2002 and above all day long but I can't find any reference to them being the same. The part number I got for a clip is YL3Z-7A609-AA. When I check for fitment with my year the website I was using said it didn't fit.
 
GRWeldon said:
I'm not sure what you mean by look at everything with a critical eye. I think I always do that but if you have something specific, shoot it my way. As for drilling the case, the rebuild video series I'm watching mentions nothing about that and I would certainly shy away from doing that unless there was an extremely good reason and I had extremely good instructions.

I've ordered a custom rebuild kit from globaltransmissionparts.com. I ordered my 1-2 bonded accumulator from them and it came quickly. The kit is supposed to be here Friday, today being Tuesday, but I don't believe it.
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I think that he means to look really closely at all the parts. The sun gear and sun shell can get pitted from old fluid. The direct drum can get worn out. Check the small oiling holes for stretching. The holes can become oblong. The surface that the bushing rides on can get scored. Just look at everything real well.
 
There's a difference in the drain back holes in the later ones, I've seen pix of someone doing the drilling, but I don't know where. fuckit, that's why I start with a later one tho. That and the mech diode.
 
Can't post a pic. I don't have one. I need one. It's the metal clip that wedges between the case and the plates. Visible as soon as you remove the pump. If facing the VB, it's at 1 or 2 O'clock.
 
GRWeldon said:
Maybe a 97 doesn't have one? Only the later years?
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I recently rebuilt both a 2001 and a 98 4r70w. Both were original to my knowledge. Neither had the intermediate anti rattle clip. But I have seem them before.
 
I don’t remember that in my 2000 trans either, I only remember the little anti clunk coil style spring
 
The 2001 and up have the flat clip you're describing. What's the number in the casting on top of the trans?
 
GRWeldon said:
Here is a link to one that is out of stock. I don't think this is the one I need but it looks like this...

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For anyone who hasn't seen this anti clunk spring before. This one wedges between the intermediate clutch pack and the case. This is not the same as the anti clunk between the center support and the case.

Don't hold me to it but I believe this one is specific to the later 4r70/75w that has the newer style intermediate piston on the pump. Has a whole different apply plate and return spring setup.
 
That's the one I usually find. I never disassemble the 96's they are in my garage waiting to be scrapped. You need any Parts Gordo? I'm going to scrap them when it gets warm. My Great nephew wants to help; I told him if he'd help clear it he could use it to work on stuff. It's too small for me; his charger is smaller, amazingly enough. If I pull the Cougar in I can't open both doors lol. IDK how a caprice classic fit in there lol. I use it mostly as a shop. He's converted the building at my sis's to a shop; I'm going to see if he wants to set up my press and other stuff over there, and we use my garage for actually working on cars.:)I mostly use it to work on transmissions, engines, or rebuild car parts.
Gordo, do you know if a stator support from an old trans will work with a new one? I broke a stator support off one 2002 trans somehow.. :) Snapped clean...
 
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Grog6 said:
That's the one I usually find. I never disassemble the 96's they are in my garage waiting to be scrapped. You need any Parts Gordo? I'm going to scrap them when it gets warm. My Great nephew wants to help; I told him if he'd help clear it he could use it to work on stuff. It's too small for me; his charger is smaller, amazingly enough. If I pull the Cougar in I can't open both doors lol. IDK how a caprice classic fit in there lol. I use it mostly as a shop. He's converted the building at my sis's to a shop; I'm going to see if he wants to set up my press and other stuff over there, and we use my garage for actually working on cars.:)I mostly use it to work on transmissions, engines, or rebuild car parts.
Gordo, do you know if a stator support from an old trans will work with a new one? I broke a stator support off one 2002 trans somehow.. :) Snapped clean...
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Ok, far as the stator support goes. With my experience the Stator support does not interchange. The later models have 2 teflon seals and two steel sealing rings. Whereas the older ones have 4 steel rings.
If you are junking the 96/97 trannys at least keep the selector levers and rooster combs for other builds. If you were closer I'd take the whole units off your hands. I know the later stuff is superior. But sometimes someone needs a stock rebuild without the core cost of a newer unit. You could even save the valve bodies for drop in Jmods for folks. This stuff is getting harder to come by. 2 years ago my pic a part yard always had 3-5 rows of mn12s. Now it's 3 to 5 cars.
 
I was going to save all those parts, and the output shaft. I'll inspect the hard parts, and I may keep some of the drums, if they aren't bad. If the planetary sets aren't warm I may store those. I currently have an 02 case on the stand, and was halfway thru the rebuild when I stroked out. :( Now, 4 years later, I need to start over at the "cleaning parts" stage. I just realized the one in the tub in pieces is not the one I broke, so I have spare parts. :) A new pump was more than a new trans. And the new trans is in the Tbird. I dropped the direct drum in one I rebuilt, and it was bent to hell just from the fall. Had to replace it. Truthfully, the one thing that I did that vastly improved the reliability was the one piece teflon seals. They're a pain in the fucking ass to use and resize, but I've got over 300k miles total,(3cars) since I started using that mod, and 50kmax on 1 car (so far) Lazarus got abused as fuck in 2020, lol. Cops weren't pulling people over. I passed a trooper doing radar, and he didn't even look up, lol. I was doing 121 according to the gps. "too late to slow down now",lol. Anyone know what redline rpms translates to, in mph? Anyone got a calculator online somewhere?
EDIT: There's no way I hit redline in 4th. I'm not going to post it, it's not possible. Maybe in a mark, with a floorpan, and a blower, but pi intake, cams and duals, no.I must've slipped the direct clutch, or something. I've heard at some speed you sling all the fluid out of the direct clutch, but IDK.
 
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Y'all hijacked my post!

Here is my final mockup, ready to assemble into the case. All new friction, steels, thrust (Torrington) bearings, one-way intermediate roller clutch, seals and O-rings. Not as difficult as I thought it would be, but definitely something that you must be methodical about.

I didn't realize there was a one-way roller clutch in the planetary. I inspected mine carefully but I'm wondering if I need to order one to replace it? What do the experts have to say...besides "I should never have rebuilt a 97 transmission?

Since this is my first-ever attempt, I could always count it as practice for when I rebuild my first REAL transmission...eh?
 

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Unless the one way in the planet is damaged you can reuse it. Mock up looks good.
 
Sorry about the Highjacking! Greg and I get to talking about transmissions and we can't stop...
 
There should be a two digit casting number on the top of the trans, on the fltter section back of the bell housing. The o2 casting says 97, iirc.
 
Grog6 said:
There should be a two digit casting number on the top of the trans, on the fltter section back of the bell housing. The o2 casting says 97, iirc.
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Can't find a number where you describe. There is a tag on the passenger side that has 6T on it. There is a Ford part number on the driver's side and at the top of the bell housing it's a 4 0, not a 4 as I previously posted...
 
IIRC, that's a 94-95 version. What color is the connector?
 
I started in on the taillight replacement. :roll: I really hate my state of coordination now, lol. I learned to walk again; I can relearn how to turn a wrench, lol. Flatscrewdrivers still fuck with me tho.

Got a bad scare, cleaning out the trunk. I found 3 quarts of mercon III. I'm looking for the logbook; I thought this one was the first I rebuilt. But not if I used mercon 3. I've got to drop the pan. I leave notes, lol. i do know this one got a brand new DirtyD0g TC. I'm going to be finishing the one in the tub, lol. It's mostly built to my Spec, 02, one piece seals,new everything, I have new torringtons to use when I stack it. II've replaced the bushings that were scored. 'm considering disassembling a 96 for the tailshaft. raybestos Blue plate specials in the direct clutch, kolene steels, 500hp jmod, updated VB, std raybestos plates and kolene steels for the rest of the clutches. I have thick gears for the pump. :) Gordo, any thing I missed?
 
Grog6 said:
I started in on the taillight replacement. :roll: I really hate my state of coordination now, lol. I learned to walk again; I can relearn how to turn a wrench, lol. Flatscrewdrivers still fuck with me tho.
Click to expand...
I remember having to learn to walk again after I fell 16' and broke my pelvis. It was painful and NOT fun. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. I'm sorry you had to deal with that. What happened to bring you to that state?

BTW, the connector is white. I found the numbers near the pan, they also are 4 0. This tranny came out of a 97 as I mentioned. The engine in the car had milkshake oil because the freeze plug behind the timing cover came out. The only amount of driving I did was about 50 feet from where it was up to and on the trailer. I never drove it. I didn't find anything seriously wrong with it. A couple of scorch marks on a few of the steels but all the friction looked OK...not new, but OK. I certainly hope it's not a 95 tranny, however, the 95 tranny I J-modded at about 120K lasted well over 266K miles when one of the timing chains in the engine let go. It went on to go in to my son's 95 for an unknown number of miles.
 
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