1988 F150 2wd longbed

[rusty ol ranger]

Ive yet to see it in person. The aod worries me more than anything, not fords best automatic. I did see where I could get a gearstar automatic aod , hopefully with updates. Not needing to pull a 8,000# camper and I know enough to not use o/d when towing. A C6 I wouldnt bat a eye at.

I wouldnt be that scared of it. The AOD is based off the FMX which fell between the C4 and C6 for strength

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

A 30yo automatic with unknown maintenance and care is going to be a crapshoot no matter what.

I had what the AOD evolved into, the 4R70W and I really liked it.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Yeah, my buddy has been doing transmissions for like 20 years, he has no qualms with the 4R70W he built for my '00 Explorer (and that's coming from a chevy guy even... he does NOT think as kindly of the 4R55 or 5R55 transmissions...), I like how that trans works with the shift kit... transmissions get bad raps because they're meant to shift soft enough to not spill your coffee which causes a lot of wear...

 

[racsan]

Dad had a 96 big bronco he bought new, E4OD. I always thought it shifted too smooth. The ‘77 F250 with the C6 had firm positive shifts. There was never a doubt when it changed gears. My thought was thst if its shifting that smoothly than its wearing the bands quicker than if its just quickly engaging.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Dad had a 96 big bronco he bought new, E4OD. I always thought it shifted too smooth. The ‘77 F250 with the C6 had firm positive shifts. There was never a doubt when it changed gears. My thought was thst if its shifting that smoothly than its wearing the bands quicker than if its just quickly engaging.

Ive had the opposite experence.

Every E4OD ive had has shifted firm. Every C6 smooth as butter.

Oddly enough though ive never had a C6 fail. Ive had 2 or 3 E4OD's give issue.

 

[Josh B]

Ive had the opposite experence.

Every E4OD ive had has shifted firm. Every C6 smooth as butter.

Oddly enough though ive never had a C6 fail. Ive had 2 or 3 E4OD's give issue.

Mine failed, I don't know why, it was only about 5 years old, and I only remember working on it on the side of the interstate. I had no idea the difference in a C4 and a C6, but the wrecking yard, who required an exchange, only had(or said they only had) a C4 available.
The C6 had the lowest 1st gear, you couldn't leave a stop sign wide open and make it through the intersection (no matter how small) before it hit 2nd gear.

At that time I also had no clue it was a one ton, even though it had a E300 Super Van on the back door. I only learned that while trying to get brake shoes that fit.
It also had 16.5 wheels which made it easy to get tires, because they were mostly owned or used in commercial applications, and got theirs changed fairly early in the wear pattern, making it easy to pick up a set of used ones. I drove one tire that I was counting the plies showing, at 7 I knew there was only one to go, and sure enough it finally sounded off, ChuChu Chu Chu going down the road.

It was also factory red with a white top, and at the time I didn't realize it but I was exceptionally lucky in not getting towed, even one 4 day stint outside the New Orleans police station. I was working a temp job while trying to get offshore and got a ticket while trying to get downtown on Friday to get my check, but this cop said I had to follow him to the station and cover the ticket cost before I could leave. Got out of there about an hour before my hearing anyway, it would have been best to have waited because it would have been "time served".

New Orleans was a tough place, but I finally realized the N.O. Fire Department also used factory Red and White on their vans
It got snagged by a scrapper when I was working in Tennessee or I would still have it