Ford C4 & C5 Transmission ID & Parts Guide
Ford C4 | C5 three-speed automatic transmissions
The C4 is Ford's light- and medium-duty three-speed automatic, used behind six-cylinders and small-block V8s from the mid-1960s into the 1980s. The C5 is its last version, with a lockup torque converter. Many soft parts fit both, but the C4 changed a lot in 1970, so the year of your unit decides which kit, gasket, filter and valve body parts you need.
Early or late C4? Ford redesigned the C4 case and valve body for 1970. A 1964–1969 valve body will not fit a 1970–1981 case, and most kits are sold separately for each era.
C4 and C5 at a Glance
| C4 | C5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Years | 1964–1981 | 1982–1986 |
| Typical vehicles | Mustang, Falcon, Fairlane, Comet, Maverick, Torino, Granada, Pinto, Thunderbird, LTD, F-Series, Bronco (1973–1977) | Ranger, Bronco II, Thunderbird/Cougar, LTD/Marquis, Capri, Zephyr, some light F-Series |
| Gear ratios | 2.46 / 1.46 / 1.00 (3 forward speeds, no overdrive) | |
| Torque converter | No lockup | Lockup converter |
| Replaced by | C5 | AOD |
How to Identify a C4 or C5
- Bolt-on bellhousing. The C4 and C5 case comes in three pieces: bellhousing, main case and tail housing. The heavier C6 has its bellhousing cast into the case.
- 11-bolt oil pan. A C6 pan has 17 bolts.
- Dipstick location. The fill tube is either in the case or in the pan, depending on the application.
- Bellhousing and converter size. Many car units use an 11" converter; trucks and full-size cars use a larger bellhousing with a 12" converter.
- Two bands. The C4 and C5 use an intermediate band and a low/reverse band.
- Input shaft. 1964–1969 units use a 24-spline input shaft; the 1970 redesign moved to 26 splines.
Valve Body ID by Casting Number
TransGo's C4 identification sheet sorts valve bodies by the casting number prefix on the valve body or channel plate. The prefix is Ford's engineering year code, so a "C5" prefix means a 1965-design C4 part, not a C5 transmission.
| Casting prefix | Unit and years | What else to look for |
|---|---|---|
| C4 | C4, 1964 | Dual-range selector (D2 and D1); no 1-2 accumulator puck |
| C5 | C4, 1964–1966 | Dual-range selector; 1-2 accumulator puck; no check balls |
| C7 | C4, 1967–1969 | P-R-N-D-2-1 selector; one plastic check ball |
| D0 to D7 | C4, 1970-up | Spindle-type manual valve; screw-in or push-in modulator |
| D8 to E2 | C5 valve body (1982–1986), per TransGo | D8 to E1 prefixes also appear on late C4 parts, so the prefix alone is not proof. A C5 body adds 1-2 and 3-2 timing valves and a converter relief valve that the C4 bodies do not have. |
Parts That Change by Year
| Part | C4 1964–1969 | C4 1970–1981 | C5 1982–1986 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gasket & seal overhaul kit | 3017A | 3017B | Call us |
| Thrust washer kit | 26200 | 3038 | |
| Master bushing kit | 26030 | 3032 | |
| Valve body gasket | 13281 (1967–1969) | 3211A | 3211C |
| Filter | 3045A (1965–1970) | 3045B shallow pan, 3045C deep pan, 3045D Bronco 4x4 | A26010E, 3045E 4WD |
| Vacuum modulator | 26160 white stripe (1964–1972), 26160Y yellow stripe (1973–1983) | ||
| Governor | 26680B (1964–1972), 26680A (1973–1981) | — | |
| Band adjustment nut | A26922-2 coarse thread | A26922A fine thread | |
Shared by all years: Farpak pan gasket (3030AF) or cork (3030A), intermediate servo cover gasket (3074), pump-to-case gasket (3075), pump gear set (A26530) and pump seal kit (PKC4).
Common Rebuild Parts
| Part | Notes |
|---|---|
| C4 custom rebuild kit (MKC4) | Pick your parts. |
| C4 master rebuild kit with OE clutches & steels | Or the performance version with Stage-1 clutches and Kolene steels. |
| Intermediate band (3023) | And the low/reverse band (3023BR). |
| Spring & roller sprag kit (A26654K) | Low one-way clutch rollers and springs. |
| Forward drum Belleville spring (A26974) | C4 and C5. |
Which TransGo Kit Fits?
- 1964 to early 1965: SK-4
- 1965–1966: SK-4L or the 45-1 reprogramming kit
- 1967–1969: SK-4S, SK-4SL or the 47-1 / 47-2 kits
- 1970–1972: SK-4-71
- 1970 and later C4: the 40-2 reprogramming kit (does not fit the C5)
- C5 and push-in-modulator C4: SK-C5
For a firmer band apply, the Sonnax "C" ratio servo kit fits both C4 and C5.
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