Managed to kill a C-6

[AERONUTT]

Well, my snow fighter's tranny is just about gone. ('89 F-350) It's starting to not engage the first time that I drive it. Once I've gotten it to move, it mostly does fine the rest of the time. It's just that first move in the morning. Since I'm totally baffled by auto trannies I took it to a local shop and was quoted about $1200 for a bone stock rebuild or $1800 for a heavy duty (recommended for pushing snow) rebuild with a 3-year warranty. I went to e-bay looking for a better deal and found several freshly rebuilt deals going for $500-$700 or a rebuild kit to do it myself for $150 - $350 depending on going stock or heavy duty.

If I can buy a rebuild kit with the heavy duty upgrades for $200 more, why would a transmission shop charge $600 more?

If I decide to try rebuilding it myself, are there any special tools or magic tricks required to do it right or should I stay out of that business and just pay the rebuilders? Any PBB members near Omaha want to do it for me?

Edit: Fluid level is correct and I just changed the fluid & filter. Didn't do the backflush or blow out the lines, just dropped the pan. Old fluid was in pretty bad shape, but not burnt.

[SYRacing]

Check the zone. They have C6s with a damn good warranty and they never ask questions when you bring it back.

hope this helps

[broncodude_73]

if you are patient buy a detailed book and you can rebuild it your self. buy the book first read about it think about it and do it. if i can do it you can. i think i bought the book on the net somewhere it was a haynes manual for ford auto like c4's 5's and 6's.

[Chris]

Sure it's not just low on fluid?

[wyldstallyn73]

Do it yourself, kit is only about 70 bucks through Northern Auto Parts, and if you have any mechanical aptitude at all, you can do a C-6 without any instruction, but the book would be a good idea- it's a damn good book too if it's the same one I borrowed to do my AOD. Can also get a how to video from Eastwood.

[Fordman500]

Add a few quarts of fluid and it will work.

[OX]

Originally Posted by AERONUTT

Well, my snow fighter's tranny is just about gone. ('89 F-350) It's starting to not engage the first time that I drive it. Once I've gotten it to move, it mostly does fine the rest of the time.

Very common in old C6's and it's usually not the fluid (unless you know for sure it is low).

[mondtster]

Get an ATSG manual for the c6 and go for it. The price quotes you are stating seem really high for a 3 speed auto to me. They seem more in line with what shops around here charge for an overdrive automatic tranny.

Northern Auto Parts is a good source for tranny rebuild kits. You can also try www.bulkpart.com for trans parts as well. The parts are available separately from them rather than buying a whole kit if you want to go that way instead. FWIW, most of the 3 speed auto trans kits that I've looked at are less than $100. My c4 one was only $55.

[94stepsideford]

Swap in a standard.
































Someone had to say it

[sn0border88]

Originally Posted by AERONUTT

If I can buy a rebuild kit with the heavy duty upgrades for $200 more, why would a transmission shop charge $600 more?

Because they have to pull it, and put it back in.

[mondtster]

Originally Posted by sn0border88

Because they have to pull it, and put it back in.

That's still steep for an R+R IMHO. Last time I checked, shops around here only charge $200 - $300 for a swap. They really don't take that long to do if you're using a hoist and a tranny jack.

[sn0border88]

depeds on shop rate and who's pulling the trans, if its a shop who usually only ever touches smalls cars or something and never does trucks it will take longer. It shouldnt be the case, but as I have found after working in a few it is, sadly.

[AERONUTT]

Originally Posted by sn0border88

Because they have to pull it, and put it back in.

They have to pull it and put it back no matter if they upgrade or do it back to stock. I think they are padding their profits for the HD upgrade.

[AERONUTT]

Originally Posted by SYRacing

Check the zone. They have C6s with a damn good warranty and they never ask questions when you bring it back.

hope this helps

Great tip! They are offering the stock rebuild for $615 or the "Bullet Proof H.D." (assuming extra clutches and kevlar bands...?) for $880. Either way, it comes with a 3-year warranty and all I have to do is bolt it in!

Now I just have to decide if it's worth the extra $250 to get the HD or save the $250 figuring that the original made it 18 years so this one should too. Will I kick myself later for saving $250?

[f250rollinon37s]

are you sure its a C6 ? because 1200, 1800 is way to high - the shop we use at / through work, there price out the door is less than 800 for a mild C6 ( shift kit, hd clutches ) and thats installed, they install E40Ds for the price range you mentioned.
install it youself. its easy. just be sure to flush or replace the cooler or it can fry fast again.X2 on checking added fluid

[bassdude]

Originally Posted by AERONUTT

Well, my snow fighter's tranny is just about gone. ('89 F-350) It's starting to not engage the first time that I drive it. Once I've gotten it to move, it mostly does fine the rest of the time. It's just that first move in the morning. Since I'm totally baffled by auto trannies I took it to a local shop and was quoted about $1200 for a bone stock rebuild or $1800 for a heavy duty (recommended for pushing snow) rebuild with a 3-year warranty. I went to e-bay looking for a better deal and found several freshly rebuilt deals going for $500-$700 or a rebuild kit to do it myself for $150 - $350 depending on going stock or heavy duty.

If I can buy a rebuild kit with the heavy duty upgrades for $200 more, why would a transmission shop charge $600 more?

If I decide to try rebuilding it myself, are there any special tools or magic tricks required to do it right or should I stay out of that business and just pay the rebuilders? Any PBB members near Omaha want to do it for me?

to bad you're not closer. i've got a freshly pro rebuilt C-6 with about 5K on it i'd let you have cheap.

[Danger_Ranger18]

snap ring pliars sockets and a trans jack and you would save yourself all that cash and be back on the road in a day just be sure to flush the cooler

[jr4x]

I like the zone hd idea. Thats a good price for something you work with. C-6s are tough but it doesnt hurt to make it tougher. My dad bought an autozone tf 727 for his jeep. It was a great deal and it works excelent.

[AERONUTT]

Well, I've decided to go ahead with the AutoZone "bullet proof HD" solution. It's a little more money than doing it myself, but for the extra peace of mind I think it will be worth it.

Of course, this also means that I'll be freshing up the 460, changing the t-case seals, replacing u-joints, rebuilding brakes, replacing tie-rod ends, and buying new shocks. I figure that a transmission replacement is going to require keeping the truck for several more years in order to get my money's worth so I might as well go ahead and get it all done now so my old truck doesn't have quite so much "old truckedness" to it! Hell, I might even go crazy and fix the lights!

[mondtster]

Originally Posted by f250rollinon37s

are you sure its a C6 ? because 1200, 1800 is way to high - the shop we use at / through work, there price out the door is less than 800 for a mild C6 ( shift kit, hd clutches ) and thats installed, they install E40Ds for the price range you mentioned.
install it youself. its easy. just be sure to flush or replace the cooler or it can fry fast again.X2 on checking added fluid

That seems more around the prices that I would expect as well FWIW...