viven44 Posted June 2 Share Posted June 2 today I went and sourced another parts truck. 86,4wd sb. well picked over but the running gear is all there. this is a prime example of why we need to keep our ducts clear, especially around the resistor. yes, it burned. heater box, fender liners, dash, ducts, seat, windshield, all trash. plastics missing. hood warped. she is a real peach. my challenge is to save the engine. but... three miles from home my truck slipped a gear on a shift. got my attention to say the least. baby'd it to a bp and pulled over. trail of fluid from bell housing. no bueno! called home to get a ride. got home grabbed fluid, funnel and suv. added two qts and dropped trailer and moved the truck. hooked suv and towed trailer home. wife drove me back and I drove the f250 home without a hitch. no visible leak or trail into the drive. now it's time to decide. service the old c6 or rebuild. I need a trailer tow truck. i have no clue as to the service this c6 has or has not had. and it's an 81. three aods in front of it so I guess I'm working weekends now .haha but at least I did avoid a tow this time. Based on my recent experience on the C6, I observed slip when my pickup was clogged (i.e. not enough fluid pressure). If it was slipping without any simple assignable cause, I would have pretty much concluded mine needed a rebuild.... but in your case it sounds like you were low on fluid from the front seal leak (pump took in air and caused a slip). Front seal leak means transmission comes out. You have the skills to rebuild. Tough choice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat in tn Posted June 2 Share Posted June 2 Based on my recent experience on the C6, I observed slip when my pickup was clogged (i.e. not enough fluid pressure). If it was slipping without any simple assignable cause, I would have pretty much concluded mine needed a rebuild.... but in your case it sounds like you were low on fluid from the front seal leak (pump took in air and caused a slip). Front seal leak means transmission comes out. You have the skills to rebuild. Tough choice I don't want to be concerned next time I drive a couple hours to pick up a vehicle, so peace of mind says rebuild. next time I may not be two miles from home where help can arrive in ten minutes. the whole ordeal took one hour including waking my wife up from her nap. that took 12 minutes. as I said to her " I know the times as I was standing there looking for a response". pulling the pan and checking for clutch material is a start. it may be an untouched trans for all I know. possibly never even fluid changed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viven44 Posted June 2 Share Posted June 2 I don't want to be concerned next time I drive a couple hours to pick up a vehicle, so peace of mind says rebuild. next time I may not be two miles from home where help can arrive in ten minutes. the whole ordeal took one hour including waking my wife up from her nap. that took 12 minutes. as I said to her " I know the times as I was standing there looking for a response". pulling the pan and checking for clutch material is a start. it may be an untouched trans for all I know. possibly never even fluid changed. The purpose of the vehicle matters a lot. In my case, I can take that risk as I am only going to use my bronco for short distance city driving. I wish there was a simple way to estimate clutch material left behind. I think it's just a capacitor (metal-clutch-metal-clutch-metal-etc). Maybe manufacturers should have provided some means to measure capacitance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted June 2 Author Share Posted June 2 The purpose of the vehicle matters a lot. In my case, I can take that risk as I am only going to use my bronco for short distance city driving. I wish there was a simple way to estimate clutch material left behind. I think it's just a capacitor (metal-clutch-metal-clutch-metal-etc). Maybe manufacturers should have provided some means to measure capacitance? Bummer about the tranny. I like my ZF5. It might not shift nicely into 3rd coming down, but it won't leave me stranded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FordFETruck Posted June 2 Share Posted June 2 Bummer about the tranny. I like my ZF5. It might not shift nicely into 3rd coming down, but it won't leave me stranded. These old 3 speed autos can have a lot of damage and still work. Once the seals get hard though, meh not worth running the risk, better to overhaul them and not worry about it for a long time. That's part of the reason I'm going to do my C6 when I put my new engine in, it works but for how much longer? what day will I start it up in the dead of winter and have all the fluid puke out the front pump seal? Here's the pan from my FX cruise o matic, all of that clutch material was from the reverse/high clutch pack and that wasn't even the reason why I rebuilt the thing. The seals were so shrunk in the forward and reverse/high clutch assembly that if you sat idling in gear for more than a few minutes it slipped on takeoff. Throw it in reverse then back to drive and it would shift and go down the road just fine all day. Two out of the three frictions were metal to metal and reverse and high gear held just fine http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/uploads/6/5/8/7/65879365/laughing-25-x-25_orig.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpin Posted June 2 Share Posted June 2 Bummer about the tranny. I like my ZF5. It might not shift nicely into 3rd coming down, but it won't leave me stranded. Unless the shift tower breaks like the one in my 88 did. Reached over for the shifter and it wasn't there, it was laying on the floor. Fortunately I could drive home in second. They will break, mine eventually wouldn't go into first. Before I owned it that truck had a rough life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FordFETruck Posted June 2 Share Posted June 2 Bummer about the tranny. I like my ZF5. It might not shift nicely into 3rd coming down, but it won't leave me stranded. Unless the shift tower breaks like the one in my 88 did. Reached over for the shifter and it wasn't there, it was laying on the floor. Fortunately I could drive home in second. They will break, mine eventually wouldn't go into first. Before I owned it that truck had a rough life! The shop my dad worked at for years and I worked at for a while, the parts runner truck was a 1990 F150, 300 I6, ZF5. One day the owners son was coming back from somewhere on the highway and the shifter pulled right up out of the transmission going down the highway. Not sure how he got it home that time. There was also a 1994-1996 F super duty flat bed 7.3 and ZF5, the transmission broke on that one too but I can't remember what, it was catastrophic is about all I remember at this point. The owner of that shop was notorious for owning junk, and all of these vehicles he ever had there were. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpin Posted June 2 Share Posted June 2 The shop my dad worked at for years and I worked at for a while, the parts runner truck was a 1990 F150, 300 I6, ZF5. One day the owners son was coming back from somewhere on the highway and the shifter pulled right up out of the transmission going down the highway. Not sure how he got it home that time. There was also a 1994-1996 F super duty flat bed 7.3 and ZF5, the transmission broke on that one too but I can't remember what, it was catastrophic is about all I remember at this point. The owner of that shop was notorious for owning junk, and all of these vehicles he ever had there were. Yup, that's what mine did, but I was at a stop sign and it just fell over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted June 2 Author Share Posted June 2 The shop my dad worked at for years and I worked at for a while, the parts runner truck was a 1990 F150, 300 I6, ZF5. One day the owners son was coming back from somewhere on the highway and the shifter pulled right up out of the transmission going down the highway. Not sure how he got it home that time. There was also a 1994-1996 F super duty flat bed 7.3 and ZF5, the transmission broke on that one too but I can't remember what, it was catastrophic is about all I remember at this point. The owner of that shop was notorious for owning junk, and all of these vehicles he ever had there were. Yup, that's what mine did, but I was at a stop sign and it just fell over. Ok, I'll be gentle with my ZF5. But then I always am. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted June 2 Share Posted June 2 Bummer about the tranny. I like my ZF5. It might not shift nicely into 3rd coming down, but it won't leave me stranded. Unless the shift tower breaks like the one in my 88 did. Reached over for the shifter and it wasn't there, it was laying on the floor. Fortunately I could drive home in second. They will break, mine eventually wouldn't go into first. Before I owned it that truck had a rough life! I'm glad I've never had a problem with the shifter on mine, but I did break the stick off my T-19. I'm looking forward to being back in my truck, as soon as my left knee is working again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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