'67 TRANS ADVICE NEEDED---$$$ time

[Dan]

The trans in my 67 Ranger shortbox died over a year ago, wouldn't come out of 1st gear and it was leaking fluid badly anyways. I replaced the filter/fluid and pan gasket but nothing changed.

My questions follow the picture & info below:

The trans ID tag reads: PFB D3 010 574 and I have written down that I figured out the tranny was a 3-spd auto Medium Case (MX) cast iron body with aluminum bell housing, I think original to the truck. I have the original 352 V-8 under the hood.
Here's the pan shape:


1. Is there any good reason to rebuild this transmission, or should I upgrade to a C4-C6? I had asked a similar question once before but cannot find the thread now, I think many replied the C-4 wouldn't bolt up to the FE motor?

I simply want to get the truck back on the road, no performance mods or anything, but although I am "mechanical", I'm not a mechanic, so I don't want to mess around with the tranny again once I do something about it now. And of course money is an issue as always.

If replacing this trans with a C4-C6 is a better idea, any reccomendations as to best source for one?

Thanks in advance--I HATE auto transmissions, never had one that didn't breakdown. On the other hand every stick vehicle I ever owned worked flawlessly, in fact I never even had to replace a clutch! If this truck wasn't a Ranger I would convert it to a stick!

[bluef250]

According to the 67 Ford Shop Manual.

See http://www.fordification.com/tech/trans ... 72cars.htm

and

http://www.fordification.com/tech/trans ... trucks.htm

Ford calls the transmission a FX-MD. No designation of what the letters mean.

The bump out is on the drain side.

PFB-D was installed in F-350 with 240 or 300 engine - [u] PFB-D3 C/M 6 240, 300 1970-72 F350 [/u] from Fordification

It appears the transmission is a 1970-72 vintage.

D is a 3 speed Warner M.D. See the truck rate plate.

3 I believe that this is the service identification number

010 574 I believe this is the serial number

The manual refers to the Master Parts Catalog.

[bluef250]

If you do convert to the C6 keep us informed.

The column shift designator is different from a C6 to the FX-MD.

[Donnie]

Hi, You are correct a C4 will not bolt up...A C6 will, they are more plentiful, easier to rebuild & stronger..Unless you are intent on keeping the truck "original".....the easiest & least costly way would be to go with a C6.....It has to be a round bell housing C6 & they are not laying around everywhere either.... If the truck is pristine & you want to keep it original.....build what you have.. If it was a no shift concern, it may not need a rebuild, then again after looking at the pan ..........is that metal slush in the pan or have you been adding chemicals to it? If yes, adding ??????? ????.......what did you add? 2nd gear is a band adjustment....the modulator controls shifting along with the governor ....may be repairable
There are other tranny guys on here , wait for more opinions.........this is mine, Donnie

[Dan]

BlueF250: Thank you for that correction, you are right. Since my truck has been down over a year now, I forgot I had a computer crash in that time also and I was looking at old info I had noted on my tranny, I later discovered the same thing you did, that it wasn't the factory original and is instead out of a heavy truck. Making it a "Cruse-o-matic" usually found behind 6cyl engines I think.

I hadn't heard about the column shift issue before either, thanks for the heads up! The current tranny caused the shift indicator on the column to not line up properly, but it's not a big deal, maybe I could even adjust in the linkage.

Donnie: The truck looks great in pics but is far from pristine, I am not concerned with keeping it original in the trans department since the original isn't even there anymore, but would like to keep it an automatic at least to retain that much originality.

I haven't added anything to the trans other than a filter and a lot of tranny fluid (due to the leak). Maybe the previous owner had poured in some crap to stop the leaks or ??? I've owned the truck for 9 years now and the trans worked fine up until the last year when she pretty much just up and died and I had to limp it home in 1st.

Maybe my best option would be to pull it and bring it to a shop and see what it might cost for a rebuild/repair for now? Sounds like locating the proper C6 and bell housing and then rebuilding that would be a lot more than having this oddball trans fixed?

I just hate spending money on something like this if eventually it would be best to swap it with C6 ya know?

Thanks for the advice everyone, I am wide open to other thoughts/opinions. Paying my daughters college loans now so I have to make every single penny "cost effective" on my project truck if I hope to get it back on the road!

[Donnie]

Dan, are you anywhere close to a tranny shop where you might find an "old timer" who understands this trans...They haven't been used in a while & the best bet would be to at least have it driven by a trans tech with some years under his hat...Transmissions are easier to diagnose if the complete truck can be driven than when laying on the bench...You say that you lost 2nd ? Can you get 2nd by manually shifting the lever into 2nd position? You have low gear only, no matter what position you select? Am I correct? Do you have reverse? Do you have engine braking in the manual low position? In other words with the lever pulled all the way to low, you run the truck up to where you think it should shift or a bit more if your engine is strong & leave off the gas, Does the truck free wheel (coast) or does it hold back? Like it is stuck in low?
What I am trying to find out if the command for 2nd is being issued by the (gov., modulator, valvebody) ......& 2nd is not applying, or it is not getting a signal to apply.
If you haven't checked the vacuum, it is almost too late........You can still check your vacuum line's. pull the hose off the modulator & see if it is dry... I see that you have the pan off, take a look at the front band, see if every thing is hooked up there...see if there is about 1/4 inch of space when you move the apply lever by hand...perhaps the band is broken??? Or the locking nut is loose & the adjustment is backed out.
Did this happen suddenly when you were starting out & going UP thru the gears ?...Or did you kick down from 3rd and it failed.?
Feed me back some data & we'll try to get a grip on what is going on.......BTW, where was the leak? I suspect the front at the bell housing
may not be back 'till Tues eve, but I'll check in................Donnie

[Heirloom]

2nd has a habit of snapping the band and/or dropping the actuator strut on these trannies and other similar versions. If the strut didn't fall out when you took the pan off, I would say check the adjustment and maybe look at the accumulator for blockage or leaks too.

A fresh C6 suuuuure is nice though

[averagef250]

I don't understand how you can hate autos, but justify installing a C6 instead of a stickshift?

Drop in a 435, done. It's exactly as original as a C6.

[Dan]

Good questions everyone...unfortunately several other factors are involved.

The pan pic was when I changed the fluid, gasket and filter in an attempt to stop the leaking which was pretty bad. I don't recall where it exactly was leaking from, this was probably 2 years ago I changed it now, and fluid was all over the place down there as you might expect with a persistant bad leak. Nothing fell out when I took the pan off, it just had that grey sludge in it you see in the pic.

The trans went out over a year ago, the same day I may have lost the fuel pump or something along those lines (it was NOT a good day!!). The fuel situation happened on my way into town (short 7 mile drive) and stalled it 1/2 way there. After sitting about 1/2 hour and me farting around with various things I managed to get it running and limped it into town working the gas pedal like crazy to keep it going.

When I left town later, I was accelerating from the first stoplight and it wouldn't get out of first. Then the fuel situation would kill the engine about every 20-30 seconds so between the two I couldn't get going more than literally a few miles an hour on the shoulder of the road. The very few times I did manage to build up RPM's and speed it simply would not shift out of first, and it should have.

By some miracle (no joke, it was a miracle!) I got it home under it's own power, but once there I could never get it to start again. It turns over and will sputter and try to fire with starting fluid or gas poured down the carb but obviously isn't getting anything else after that to keep it running.

I haven't had time or $$ (till now) to do anything more to it since then, over a year ago. Since the trans leaked so bad and I don't know it's history of care, I figured a rebuild or replace makes sense at this point either way. But yah, I also have to get it running again too!

I hate autos because they have all leaked and failed for me hiostorically and are expensive to repair...and frankly boring to drive! BUT I do love them in heavy traffic, or when putting 3-4 people on a truck bench seat (no shifter in the way) or when drag racing. Seems like all racers use a C-6 so that's why I keep thinking about a C-6, when I win the lottery someday I want to build this into a prostreet truck.

Since my Ranger came with an auto I'd like to retain an auto just to keep the originality there, even if it's not the correct auto in it. Never EVER had any issues with a stick car or truck, EVER.

But nice 67's are hard to find and the one I found had an auto!

[GHOST]

I know where there is a c-6 trany on a '72 3/4 ton.. It is in the south Texas area.. Where are you?

[Dan]

LOL...opposite side of the country! Up north in Minnesota. Just got a fresh 6 innches of snow yesterday, so I guess the truck will have to sit another week or two before I can get the garage turned around for summer.

Thanks anyways for the tip!

[colnago]

Up north in Minnesota. Just got a fresh 6 inches of snow yesterday, so I guess the truck will have to sit another week or two before I can get the garage turned around for summer.

Sorry, but I find that a bit funny. I'm in the High Desert region of SoCal. It hit 86* today! Ugh! Gonna be a long summer (or maybe that should be a "long simmer")!

Joseph

[Art]

LOL...opposite side of the country! Up north in Minnesota. Just got a fresh 6 innches of snow yesterday, so I guess the truck will have to sit another week or two before I can get the garage turned around for summer.

Thanks anyways for the tip!

I have a C6 out of a 68/69 F100 with a 360 engine here in SE Wisconsin.

Could have it delivered for free to LaCrosse, Wi or even Rochester, Mn area.

Private message me your telephone number if interested.

Art

[Dan]

Thanks Art, that's a very generous offer! Both drop locations are a few hours one way from my place and I don't have any cost effective way to get it from there to here unfortunately.

I have been looking locally and there actually are a lot of C6's available close to me, so maybe the better question for me to ask would be:

What exactly would I be looking for to identify the correct C6 to bolt up to my truck?

Like is there specific ID numbers, year made, vehicle used in, or does anyone have pics of the bell housing and other important factors I can use to see if a tran is the right one before spending a lot of time going out to look at incorrect ones?

Does anyone know if I'd have to change the cross member for a C6, or/and change drive shaft lengths?

I really appreciate everyone's help and patience with getting my truck back to life here, I have helped many others with bodywork questions my whole life so I appreciate you all helping me through the basic mechanical stuff!

[Art]

Thanks Art, that's a very generous offer! Both drop locations are a few hours one way from my place and I don't have any cost effective way to get it from there to here unfortunately.

I have been looking locally and there actually are a lot of C6's available close to me, so maybe the better question for me to ask would be:

What exactly would I be looking for to identify the correct C6 to bolt up to my truck?

Like is there specific ID numbers, year made, vehicle used in, or does anyone have pics of the bell housing and other important factors I can use to see if a tran is the right one before spending a lot of time going out to look at incorrect ones?

Does anyone know if I'd have to change the cross member for a C6, or/and change drive shaft lengths?

I really appreciate everyone's help and patience with getting my truck back to life here, I have helped many others with bodywork questions my whole life so I appreciate you all helping me through the basic mechanical stuff!

I do not know all of the differences but I know there are at least two styles of 2WD C6 used in Ford pickup trucks 67 or so through 79. I know that a 68/69 C6 has a four bolt flange at the back whereas the later 73+ ones have a slip yoke like the car transmissions. I have no experience with a 70-72 truck with a C6, perhaps others may be able to help.

If I were you, I would measure the length of your existing transmission and also look at how the driveshaft attaches. If you can find a C6 that matches those it will minimize the changes you need to make to make it work in your truck.

Of course the trans needs to be the FE bellhousing pattern (because the bellhousing is not removable on the C6). which is easy to spot as it is round. The FE family is the 360/390 engine used in these trucks.

A transmission that is the small block or Windsor pattern (300-6, 302, 351W, 351C) will not work nor will one that is referred to as the big block pattern (351M,400,429,460). All of the transmissions that will NOT work for you have a flat surface between the top two engine mounting bolt holes. Again, you want the rounded FE bolt pattern. I know Ford has other bolt pattern(s), but I don't think they come on a C6 trans.

I have attached a picture of a FE bellhousing for you to study.

My preference would be to install a manual transmission like dustin said, but this is your truck.