Starting my 4R70W project, what should I know?

[Bronchole]

Starting my 4R70W project, what should I know?

I am going to start tearing in to my 4R70W this weekend so I thought I’d ask if there is anything I need to know.

Here is what I am starting with
- 1967 Bronco
- Currently it has a wore out 5.0L in it but I will be replacing it with a mildly built 351W (400HP, 400 ftbl 1500 thru 5000 RPM power range) in the next month or so.
- 4.11:1 gears that will be replaced with either 4.88:1 or 5.13:1 gears sometime in the next year.
- Holley throttle body injection (4DI) wil eventually be replaced with a Ford fuel injection system, but at least after te 351W is broke in, probably next winter.
- 35” tires
- Dana 20 with Tera-Low gears (3.15:1 low range) and Wild Horses HD output shaft.
- 30000 GVWR trans cooler and in radiator cooler plumed after the external cooler.
- Autometer mechanical transmission gauge.
- This rig did have a C4 in it previously.

Here is what I got:
- 4R70W from a 2000 (mfg 11/99) Explorer 2WD. This has the hardened intermediate shaft and the mechanical diode upgrade from the factory.
- Torque converter from a 1997 Mountaineer that had a 4R70W
- Dust plate from the same Mountaineer
- Advanced Adaptors AOD to D20 adaptor kit
- Advanced Adaptors AOD to 4R70W shaft adaptor kit
- Baumannator TCS system
- Bauman valve body
- 4R70W master rebuild kit
- Ford Racing 28oz imbalance AOD flex plate
- Flex plate from the Mountaineer with a 50oz imbalance
- Full rebuild manual, video and TSB’s


The process:
- Remove the broken C4.
- 4R70W is on a clean bench .
- Tear down the 4R70W, do a full rebuild to it and as I assemble it install the Advanced adaptors stuff and the Bauman valve body.
- Assemble the Dana 20 on to it (I rebuilt it a few months ago) .
- fill the Torque converter up to the snout.
- Throw the assembly in to the Bronco with the mountaineer flex plate and tin.
- Put in X quarts of trans fluid to start.
- Install starter.
- Fabricate some new frame mounts for the original Dana 20 cross member.
- Take the measurements for modifying the driveshafts and send them out to be modified.
- Modify the exhaust to fit the new longer transmission assembly.
- Modify the stock 1973 automatic column shift linkage to work the new trans assembly
- Rewire starter solenoid for new starter.
- Install the Baumannator TCS.
- Check fluid levels and see if it can take some more.
- Start the motor, immediately check trans fluid level, add as necessary.
- Cycle the transmission thru the gears, add fluid as necessary.
- Install the reworked drive shafts.
- Take for a test drive!

So here is your chance to tell me what is wrong with my plan or to give me any little nuggets of info that you think I may need.

Dan

 

[iamfastrr]

I will be starting mine as well. I have most of the items I need except the fuel tank. It will be interesting to see your progress.

 

[Broncobowsher]

Sounds like you have both flexplates so you can run either engine.
You have a dipstick and tube?
Trans cooler lines will need modify as they mount different then the C4

That is really all I can think of

It sounds almost like a clone of mine.
351W, 2WD 4R70W with AA AOD kit (4R70W stuff I bought from ford dealer), tera lowed D20 and 4.88 gears. Even the modified stock '73 column shifter is what I use.

I like the look of the '73 shifter over the '74 and newer. The column cover (part with the pointer) is no longer available. I got a newer cover and grafted on the shark fin pointer off the wore out '73. This gave me a "new" '73 shifter. It was a bastard to do. I could tack weld the pointer on but the metal was too poor to really weld. so some filing and JB weld to fill the gaps between the tack welds and a bit of sanding and it looks real good.

 

[Bronchole]

Broncobowsher,

I got the dipstick from the Explorer and the Mountaineer. I haven't really looked them over to see if they are different from each other or if they will have any problem mounting in the Bronchole. Are you aware of any issues with them? I would prefer to have one of thoes lever locking sealed units, but I haven't looked around to see if anyone is making any for the 4R70W.

I grabbed the cooler lines from the Explorer (since it didn't cost anything extra) to see if they would work on my rig. Otherwise I already have a roll of 3/8" steel line ready to make new ones. Guess I'll add that to the list above.

What do you think about 5.13:1 gears?

The 73 column was part of a package with a 73 P/S box I bought for the initial buildup of the Bronchole several years ago. Up until recently it had been great, but I now seem to be having problems keeping the wedge peice for the bottom bearing from slipping past the bearing. I am considering making a custome wedge.

Thanks for the input,

Dan

 

[Broncobowsher]

I think the dipstick bolts to the head. I converted mine to use one of the bellhousing bolts. welded new tab. That will work with either 302 or 351.

5.13 gears will be just like my 4.88 and 33's It will be fine

 

[DanWheeler]

yeah, dipstick should bolt to the head

5.13 gears might be a little too low IMO. I have 4.88s with 35s and my RPMs are still a little high at highway speeds.

Sounds like you have it pretty well covered.

did you get the harness from Baumann? It's worth the money and made it so easy to hook up the computer. the only thing wrong with it was the VSS was the wrong plug on the harness so I had to cut it and attach the VSS plug that came with the transmission.

do you have a throttle position sensor already?

 

[Bronchole]

I'll know for sure on the RPM's after I get up and running on the 4.11's. It's simple math from there. What do you consider "RPMs are still a little high at highway speeds"? Right now I turn 3300 at 70 MPH. I would like to reduce the RPM's by a few hundred, but I have no intention on getting down to the low 2000's. I know the one major variable that I have not been able to calculte is the differences due to a low stall torque converter on my C4 vs. a full lockup on the 4R70W. I just figured that I'd run it on the 4.11's, get my RPM's at 70 MPH and then do the math to calculate what the RPM's would be with 4.88's vs 5.13's. I know that the 5.13's will reduce the RPM's over my current setup from 3300 to 2760 (or 2900 with 4.88's) without taking the lockup converter in to account. I guess I should look at the final drive speed in low range too. I really don't want to have a lower top speed in low range, but I have the advantage of O/D and lockup TC now to help there too.

If my heads do not have a compatable bolt hole I'll probably weld on a tab to use the trans mounting bolt also. I think my stock 93 mustnag heads should have this hole, I just don't know if my Trick Flow heads will.

I did buy the harness from Bauman only because I wanted to get back up and running in the absolute minimum ammount of time. Unfortunatly Bauman decided to hold on to the order for a few days befor shipping it so I have no chance of getting this project done by next weekend. If I would have known this I would have saved myself the $100+ and just spliced the connectors on myself.

My Holley throttle body injection system has a compatable TPS in it.

 

[Bronchole]

I will be starting mine as well. I have most of the items I need except the fuel tank. It will be interesting to see your progress.

Out of interest, how is the fuel tnak part of the transmission project?