C5 Transmission pan?

[Hoosierman]

I can't seem to find a straight answer to this but since I cannot seem to source a C5 pan, is there a C4 pan that could be recommended? Long story short, the pan on my '84 BII just won't straighten and I've got almost a millimeter gap in a few areas- yes I've tried everything that I know. Using the clamp method came close but there are still a few stubborn spots.

Nevertheless, I can't spend anymore time on this, I've already been at it for two whole days. I have other things I need to get to... So... Can I get a recommendation on a C4 pan or is that simply not going to work?

Thanks.

 

[19Walt93]

If I remember right a C5 pan is deeper than a C4 pan so an aftermarket extra capacity pan should work, just check the depth.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

The C5 has a sump in it for an extended pickup. Basically I think so the filter can easier pick up fluid off camber in a truck application.

If you can use a C4 filter and pan I don't know. They make deeper C4 pans but they are pretty big $$ for a gamble.

The C5 pan leaking is one reason I went to a 5 speed, I got so sick of fighting it and like you say nobody makes a replacement. I had the best luck using grey silicone on both sides of the gasket. It is a beyond terrible nasty thing to do but I was sick of smelling burning ATF and leaving a blood trail everywhere I went.

 

[Hoosierman]

I have a few options.

1. Try my old pan after managing to straighten parts of it out, hope that ATF RTV helps...

2. Lubelocker gasket for C4, maybe that will work...?

3. C4 extended pan...

If I use an extended pan, does that change the fluid capacity?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

If I use an extended pan, does that change the fluid capacity?

Yes

 

[Shran]

I'm pretty sure you can use a deep C4 pan and filter, if you go that route just make sure you get one for a case fill C4 and not a pan fill C4 - dipstick on some C4's went into the pan instead of through the side of the case. If you are not doing offroad stuff, the sump probably won't even matter.

Mine is seeping too and I'm not really sure where it's coming from. The whole trans has a light coat of oil on it. I'm in the market for a different pan too - and I'm thinking that looking at Early Bronco stuff is where we need to start. Some of those guys are using factory C4's in their rigs. If there is an off camber oil issue, they will have run into it and might have a solution.

 

[Hoosierman]

And here's something else to consider- a filter spacer... Which would have to work for the C5 in this case. What a mess... No wonder people move on to other transmissions.

 

[Shran]

C5's are good transmissions, the problem with them in our case is that they were a 3 year only part and they don't have overdrive which matters to a lot of people. Because they are a 3 year only part, they were always kind of hard to find. If you think of them like a C4 (which they basically are) then there is a LOT of aftermarket support - they are strong, light and used in a lot of vehicles.

I'd really like to round up at least one or two spares in case I break mine. I'm pretty committed to using it at this point. The hard to find parts like the bellhousing, output shaft and tailhousing are unique to our vehicles.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

C5's are good transmissions, the problem with them in our case is that they were a 3 year only part and they don't have overdrive which matters to a lot of people. Because they are a 3 year only part, they were always kind of hard to find. If you think of them like a C4 (which they basically are) then there is a LOT of aftermarket support - they are strong, light and used in a lot of vehicles.

I'd really like to round up at least one or two spares in case I break mine. I'm pretty committed to using it at this point. The hard to find parts like the bellhousing, output shaft and tailhousing are unique to our vehicles.

Arguably probably one of the best slushboxes to grace a RBV. I absolutely loved how mine shifted... but the no OD was a buzzkill.

Mine had a V8 C5 bell so I don't know how it was put together. If someone stuck the rear output stuff on a V8 C5 or if they stuck a V8 bell on a V6 C5...

Whatever they did it worked awesome.

 

[Shran]

V8 C5's were pretty common in the mid size cars like the Granada. I think we found one in a Thunderbird years ago too. I think you could even get them in the F100 for a year or two as well.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

V8 C5's were pretty common in the mid size cars like the Granada. I think we found one in a Thunderbird years ago too. I think you could even get them in the F100 for a year or two as well.

Supposedly the V6 variants are set up different inside so i always wondered how the innerds of mine were set up though.

 

[Hoosierman]

Yeah a 3-year part is exactly what I fear is the cause of a dry aftermarket.

I genuinely didn't know about the extended pans, by the way!

I'm going to put the extended pan on the back burner for the time- I stumbled upon something else that I would care to try before I opted for a new pan with a filter extension. So when I was searching for an extended pan, I discovered that Jeff's Bronco Graveyard has a C4 reinforcement ring along with the Lubelocker gasket.

I'm going to try the ring and the new gasket first. If that fails, I'll look into an extended pan. I just don't want to use the RTV if I don't have to.