[MadGoat]

Ok found a 2001 Mustang GT 4r70w tranny with 15k on it... Good buy?! would that fit in my car? (1994 thunderbird lx?!)

anything Im going to run into if I do Buy it!!!??


thanks guys....

MG

 

[Johnny Langton]

You'll need to either rewire the trans harness/connector in the pan-and modify your TCC solenoid,or swap over your solenoids/harness completely.
You'll also need to put the TBird manual lever in the trans in place of the Mustang one,and the MLPS is different,so it'll have to be swapped too.
The Mustang trans also has an 8-tooth ouput shaft gear for the speedo,so if you run steeper than 3.27 gears,you'll need a Speedcal to get the speedo correct.
JL

 

[JustinH]

ChadG was telling me that instead of using a speedcal box, he uses a steep speedo gear, it is not available through ford, but it is from steeda.

I guess the downside is when you go to a real steep speedo gear the plastic gear wears out faster, but he says he hasn't had a problem yet with his.

Might be a good alternative to dropping 100+ bucks on a speedcal box.

JH

 

[MadGoat]

so I dont have to open up the tranny at all?


and what about the sileniods?

the shifter too? is any of this tough, I have NO exp in trannies... (other than putting them in)


Is this way over my head you think or do able?


MG

 

[JustinH]

Just like JL says, he is right on the money with what needs to be done...

The MLPS sensor is bolted on the outside of the transmission, and you just bolt it on and align it.

You need to drop the pan to change out the TCC solinoid and modify it to make it bolt up, thats a real simple deal to change.

And you need to rewire the harness, or rewire the electrical plug on the outside of the tranny.

For a first timer, it should take about an hour to swap over the tbird parts to make a late model tranny work. Not a bad deal at all.

Save the money and buy a late model tranny, the older 4r70w's are not worth rebuilding at all. You couldn't buy all the parts from ford to rebuild your transmission for what these late model units are going for.

The salvage yard trannies come with a higher stall converter, and I beleive you will need to use a mark8 flexplate to bolt it up to.

 

[Johnny Langton]

so I dont have to open up the tranny at all?


and what about the sileniods?

the shifter too? is any of this tough, I have NO exp in trannies... (other than putting them in)


Is this way over my head you think or do able?


MG

Tha pan has to come off,and the VB needs to be removed to get to the manual lever easily.You'll be doing that when you drill the plate for the JMod anyway.
The 23 tooth steeda gear would only be good for 3.55 max with the 8-tooth gear,so the speedcal is the best alternative.
JL

 

[MadGoat]

dont you just pop a 7 tooth gear into it? Isnt that what the t-birds use?

MG

 

[JustinH]

Johnny.

I see alot of guys going for the 2001 GT transmission.

Is there some reason why they aren't going for a 2003 GT transmission, or even a 2003 F150 5.4 4r70w 2wd transmission for that matter?

Greenleaf has these 03 units pretty much brand new for dirt cheap, and they have them by the truckload.

A few months ago I posted something about my 4r slipping. It turned out that the cooler line was dripping and leaking fluid, and it was a couple quarts down. It has fresh fluid in it, and it shifts fine now, but i'm just getting ideas for down the road when the time comes.

Thanks,
JH

 

[MadGoat]

also,

this is a pick of the tranny, I think it will work with my car.

MG

 

[Johnny Langton]

Johnny.

I see alot of guys going for the 2001 GT transmission.

Is there some reason why they aren't going for a 2003 GT transmission, or even a 2003 F150 5.4 4r70w 2wd transmission for that matter?

Greenleaf has these 03 units pretty much brand new for dirt cheap, and they have them by the truckload.

A few months ago I posted something about my 4r slipping. It turned out that the cooler line was dripping and leaking fluid, and it was a couple quarts down. It has fresh fluid in it, and it shifts fine now, but i'm just getting ideas for down the road when the time comes.

Thanks,
JH

Anything newer than '99 is a good trans,and in '01 Ford revised the torque convertor lube feed in the VB,and made a few tiny changes that make it a better trans than the earlier models.
It's typically just what you can find cheap... it's amazing what kind of deals you can find on a good low-mileage GT,CV,or truck trans.

MadGoat,
The 7-tooth gear is ground into the output shaft of the trans,and that involves total disassembly of the trans the change it.
JL

 

[Silver95Bird]

While it is easier to replace the shifter with the VB out, I have done them without removing the VB. Also FYI it appears Ford is only making the stronger gearsets in at least the 04+ trannies... Dan Newman told me the OEM stuff we have was phased out, so even the new GT trannies should be real strong. And yes I've seen the 23 tooth white speedo gears, they're real thin and I've seen them just chewed up - so if you get one don't expect it to live forever. I'm kind of surprised my 21 tooth gear is working without a hitch this long, I've heard some short life stories of those too.

 

[smokymance]

doing the same swap on my 97 thursday...now what do i do with my 97 old tranny? are they worth anything....how much could i get for it and where

 

[MadGoat]

keep in touch smokey...


let me know how things go? How do you expect to get the speedo to gear right?



Looks awsome, I hope this tranny swap doesnt turn into a nightmare!


MG

 

[smokymance]

i have a 97 and have to do a little less stuff on the swap and i have a 3.27 and im swapping the gear from the old one to the new one

 

[timb]

While it is easier to replace the shifter with the VB out, I have done them without removing the VB. Also FYI it appears Ford is only making the stronger gearsets in at least the 04+ trannies... Dan Newman told me the OEM stuff we have was phased out, so even the new GT trannies should be real strong. And yes I've seen the 23 tooth white speedo gears, they're real thin and I've seen them just chewed up - so if you get one don't expect it to live forever. I'm kind of surprised my 21 tooth gear is working without a hitch this long, I've heard some short life stories of those too.

Also as an FYI I retained the mustang shifter and modified the cable attachment point and bracket without any issue. Much easier in my opinion but definitely not stock

 

[jturmel]

Also the good thing about the SpeedCal is you can calibrate it for every aspect, down to different tire sizes if you've got a taller or shorter tire combined with steep gears.

-J

 

[modbird]

i left the shifter alone as well. easy, easy mod to get them to mate. no need to take out the VB unless yer gonna Jmod.

 

[Johnny Langton]

i left the shifter alone as well. easy, easy mod to get them to mate. no need to take out the VB unless yer gonna Jmod.

If you're not gonna JMod it-don't even bother changing it.
Sell the car,and stop modding it now before we have to hear more questions.
JL

 

[MadGoat]

wow,

pretty harsh. I have many plans for my car (wasnt planning on the tranny going out on me like this.) I dont know much at all about automatics. the rest of the car I have pretty good knowledge on. I hope im not to bothersome with my newbie questions about the tranny upgrade.


thanks again guys,
MG

 

[smokymance]

other then diff internals on the newer mustang trannys....is the tranny gearing or whatnot different than that on the birds