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Auto conversion XE C4

6K views 24 replies 7 participants last post by  STROKEXD 
#1 ·
Hey all
I am currently converting my 351c XE falc to an auto finally after smashing another BW diff at speed on tweed event...

I have ordered;
Precise C4 to 600@fly
TCS 9 1/2 3200 stall
Craft Diffs 9" 31spline 3.7 strange, MW axles.

Can someone help me make a list of parts needed for the conversion. I have a wedding to attend about 4hrs away less than 4 weeks away, I would like to take my car. I know I will have the major stuff here ready but i don't want to miss anyway that I will need and force me to have to take the 4cyl!!!!!!!

Here is what I can think of; pls quote this and just put answer under each line, cheers.
-ordered a oil bung to weld in bottom of C4 pan for mech gauge.

-B&M shifter, linkage on c4 to suit.

-Flex plate, where do ya get a new one from?

-auto pedal box, what series falc can i get em from?

-anything need to go from carb to box?

-whats the best bell housing to get? are there cast/alloy options? good place to buy one from?

-Does anyone know a specific lock down filler tube for the C4 which will work in XE with pacey 4-1's?.....

anything else guys?

I then will need to organise a tailshaft which I will make another post for latr on.. also calipers and rotors!!

thankyou
ps. changing from BW 4sp 6cyl.
 
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#2 ·
As long as you use the std pan, the filler tube will just fit in.
You need the auto flex plate shorter bolts.
You need oil cooler and lines.
Need a kickdown rod or cable.
I would expect the C4 to come with the std alloy bellhousing which is fine.
 
#3 ·
you will be suprised how driveable the car will be once converted to the auto, do not forget your auto fluid, depending on the pan you have you will need 7-8 litres, as for pedal's try and get a factory xd or e setup, you can buy brand new flex plates vpw, superplus etc Good luck with it.
AZZA
 
#4 ·
You'll also need to do some wiring for the inhibitor switch and possibly a speedo cable. Not sure if the manual and auto ones are different on XE. Speedo drive gear is required. If you have a long front yoke on the tailshaft? You'll need to swap it to the shorter one.
 
#5 ·
pracy said:
Hey all
I am currently converting my 351c XE falc to an auto finally after smashing another BW diff at speed on tweed event...

I have ordered;
Precise C4 to 600@fly
TCS 9 1/2 3200 stall
Craft Diffs 9" 31spline 3.7 strange, MW axles.

Can someone help me make a list of parts needed for the conversion. I have a wedding to attend about 4hrs away less than 4 weeks away, I would like to take my car. I know I will have the major stuff here ready but i don't want to miss anyway that I will need and force me to have to take the 4cyl!!!!!!!

Here is what I can think of; pls quote this and just put answer under each line, cheers.
-ordered a oil bung to weld in bottom of C4 pan for mech gauge.
-B&M shifter, linkage on c4 to suit.
Any speed shop can help. A megashifter is an okay shifter. I have a preferance to the Quicksilver. I hate the way the megashift mechanism works.

-Flex plate, where do ya get a new one from?
You'll find them on ebay. They are $250ish new but cheap for a good s/h one on ebay.

-auto pedal box, what series falc can i get em from?
XD/E it'll have to come from.

-anything need to go from carb to box?
Kick downs not necessary. You'll need the vac line to the manifold.

-whats the best bell housing to get? are there cast/alloy options? good place to buy one from?
Stock bellhousing is fine.

-Does anyone know a specific lock down filler tube for the C4 which will work in XE with pacey 4-1's?.....
None that I've seen.

anything else guys?

Extra's stated in other post.

I then will need to organise a tailshaft which I will make another post for latr on.. also calipers and rotors!!

thankyou
ps. changing from BW 4sp 6cyl.
Have fun.
 
#6 ·
brenx said:
You'll also need to do some wiring for the inhibitor switch and possibly a speedo cable. Not sure if the manual and auto ones are different on XE. Speedo drive gear is required. If you have a long front yoke on the tailshaft? You'll need to swap it to the shorter one.

-Tailshaft is going to get made, what tailshaft is a good starting point? I was either going to find something and have good uni's put on, then balance or I was just going to let someone make it from scratch....
-The wirring is no drama, I can do that around the time of install.
-As for the speedo cable I am not sure either, anoy else know?
 
#7 ·
OK i had a look on Ebay lastnight, I found a good 2nd hand flex, sandwhich plate and some other parts as a package.
-Is there anything wrong with the 2nd flex plates? do they brake? and if they do, does it risk the rest of the motor?

-as xdclevo mentioned, Do precise normally sent out a bellhousing with their new boxes?

the only other thing I can think of that might be a drama is...,
What I can rem, ( I havn't driven an auto in a while ) it goes P,R,N,D,2,1 on a normal box.
I am getting stage 2 shift in this box and I am pretty sure it goes P,R,N,1,2,3 which I can manual shift full time. Now do B&M shifters allow this?
I can see how the mega shifter, with the level you need to pull, would not work so well for a manual shifter! whats best for manual shifting?
-Also do they include the little screen that shows what gears in a matching format?
-Anyone had any drama's with this pattern? getting stuck in 3rd and something going wrong and having to go back through the gears to get N. anyway around this?

thanks for the info guys

also is there any difference between and auto pedal box from a 6 or an 8?
 
#9 ·
pracy said:
OK i had a look on Ebay lastnight, I found a good 2nd hand flex, sandwhich plate and some other parts as a package.
-Is there anything wrong with the 2nd flex plates? do they brake? and if they do, does it risk the rest of the motor?
No risk. Clean up any surface rust if any? Allowing them to rust isn't a bright idea. Give it a coat of paint. Mine are all matt black or satin black.

-as xdclevo mentioned, Do precise normally sent out a bellhousing with their new boxes?
No idea

the only other thing I can think of that might be a drama is...,
What I can rem, ( I havn't driven an auto in a while ) it goes P,R,N,D,2,1 on a normal box.
I am getting stage 2 shift in this box and I am pretty sure it goes P,R,N,1,2,3 which I can manual shift full time. Now do B&M shifters allow this?
I can see how the mega shifter, with the level you need to pull, would not work so well for a manual shifter! whats best for manual shifting?
Are you gettiong a reverse patterned box? All go D ->2->1. Even Chev/Holden. If your getting a reverse patterned box you'll need a custom shifter to suit. A few more $. You can buy them but they ain't exactly legal.

-Also do they include the little screen that shows what gears in a matching format?
With the correct shifter yes.

-Anyone had any drama's with this pattern? getting stuck in 3rd and something going wrong and having to go back through the gears to get N. anyway around this?
3rd being so far away for N is like that for a reason :hy:


thanks for the info guys

also is there any difference between and auto pedal box from a 6 or an 8?
No I am pretty sure there isn't.
 
#10 ·
brenx said:
No risk. Clean up any surface rust if any? Allowing them to rust isn't a bright idea. Give it a coat of paint. Mine are all matt black or satin black.

Why paint it? to protect it?




Are you gettiong a reverse patterned box? All go D ->2->1. Even Chev/Holden. If your getting a reverse patterned box you'll need a custom shifter to suit. A few more $. You can buy them but they ain't exactly legal.


well yes in that case mine is reverse pattern. which of the B&M can handle reverse and manual shift without mods?

3rd being so far away for N is like that for a reason :hy:
I meant if the tailshaft breaks you are f*rk with reverse valve body! whats yours? before the glide :p



thanks brenx
 
#11 ·
pracy said:
Why paint it? to protect it?


To stop corrosion
well yes in that case mine is reverse pattern. which of the B&M can handle reverse and manual shift without mods?
You'll probably have to use a dedicated race shifter to get a reverse patterned shifter. Are you 100% sure the shift pattern is reverse? Generally a stage II kit just means it'll shift firmer. The shift pattern stays as per factory.

I meant if the tailshaft breaks you are f*rk with reverse valve body! whats yours? before the glide :p
Tailshaft wise I've never ran anything that wasn't factory ford. Even now my tailshaft as per factory ford GT but with a glide front yoke. All my autos patterns were as per factory. I've had automatic shifting autos and manualised autos. My last two c4's were manualised. My glides been manualised.
 
#12 ·
brenx said:
[/b]To stop corrosion

ok, thankyou

You'll probably have to use a dedicated race shifter to get a reverse patterned shifter. Are you 100% sure the shift pattern is reverse? Generally a stage II kit just means it'll shift firmer. The shift pattern stays as per factory.

the vlave body is a precise custom, The order is how neil read it to me. PRN123 which i am guessing what people refer to as reverse?


Tailshaft wise I've never ran anything that wasn't factory ford. Even now my tailshaft as per factory ford GT but with a glide front yoke. All my autos patterns were as per factory. I've had automatic shifting autos and manualised autos. My last two c4's were manualised. My glides been manualised.
again I don't think mine will break as it will be custom too, but if it did happen to, and I was in top gear with a reverse valve body... N would be too far away for my likes!! you would have to gear it down even with the shaft going to work on the under carrage! :(
 
#13 ·
So revese patern means first is where drive is on the T-bar? I've never
heard such a thing(i'm from cairns :shh: ) Just get it built with the right bits
and it doesn't even need to be manualized. My builder builds them to peform
like a manualized box, but it still shifts if left i drive.
All you need is the C5 pump, kevlar clutches/bands, 4 planetry front set and
alloy pan to help it all out.
 
#15 ·
Gee thats along way to hit N if you have a driveline failure. Remember always expect
the unexpected.
I have one of Neil's c4,been in my car over 10yrs,just regularly serviced. That also includes one of his own shiftkits. I went from a 3500 to 4200 stall, picked up 60ft times but never had my fuel system properly sorted.
Your car will b so much nicer to drive with an auto.
 
#16 ·
xw383 said:
Gee thats along way to hit N if you have a driveline failure. Remember always expect
the unexpected.
I have one of Neil's c4,been in my car over 10yrs,just regularly serviced. That also includes one of his own shiftkits. I went from a 3500 to 4200 stall, picked up 60ft times but never had my fuel system properly sorted.
Your car will b so much nicer to drive with an auto.

thats what i am thinking. maybe i heard him wrong cause neil is building it with his shiftkit.
how does your pattern go?

xdclevo, thats how this box is built. It drives in D like any auto. I am more interested in the manual shift as I know how to put it in D and go :)
the valve body is made by neil, so it could be a stage 2,still be able to use D like normal and still be reverse pattern.... ?

now i am just hoping one of the shifters gives a way around being stuck in 3rd on failure. maybe a lever like on the hammer to pull that lets you shift straight to N from any gear without engaging anything but N.
 
#18 ·
have been searching about the net and have found that the megashift, hammer and the quicksilver all can handle reverse pattern valve bodies... ended up being in rockind discriptions.... though no where on B&M's site that i could find!!
They all need a new screen ordered for the reverse letters...

by the sound of it, do the rachet types allow you to go straight to N, past the gears? i think thats how it reads. thats solves that problem. its like when you do pull the quicksilver knob up, or the hammer switch up, when in gear it only allows N before PRN. has two N's or something

they really need to work on their discriptions!

"Why do the ratchet shifters allow you to ratchet to neutral?
All B&M shifters that could be used in a racing application allow the driver to get to neutral with one extra movement for safety reasons. For instance, a blown engine or driveline failure. You want to get to neutral with out going through reverse."
 
#19 ·
I quite like the stock shifters too. I'll give you a scerio though. Imagine a shifter with solid shifter linkage bolted to the tunnel of the car. Then the engine twists putting force to either push or pull on the linkage. Imagine driving along and having it change a gear on you on it's own. Hence why B&M use cables ;)

It's the reason I bent some valves back on Dec 04. It threw back a gear. The cost of the cyl head repair convinced me to loose the stock shifter quick smart.
 
#20 ·
pracy said:
have been searching about the net and have found that the megashift, hammer and the quicksilver all can handle reverse pattern valve bodies... ended up being in rockind discriptions.... though no where on B&M's site that i could find!!
They all need a new screen ordered for the reverse letters...

by the sound of it, do the rachet types allow you to go straight to N, past the gears? i think thats how it reads. thats solves that problem. its like when you do pull the quicksilver knob up, or the hammer switch up, when in gear it only allows N before PRN. has two N's or something

they really need to work on their discriptions!

"Why do the ratchet shifters allow you to ratchet to neutral?
All B&M shifters that could be used in a racing application allow the driver to get to neutral with one extra movement for safety reasons. For instance, a blown engine or driveline failure. You want to get to neutral with out going through reverse."
A properly set-up ratchet shifter with reverse pattern manual valve body is an awesome set-up.

On my B&M shifter you need to lift the scissor fork up to move anywhere between and into p-r-n, and it drops into D which is actually 1st gear. The shifter then ratchets between 1-2-3 and is locked out of neutral.

Once you start using it with fast shifts, makes more sense to have the gears in the order 1-2-3 rather than D-2-1 like a normal set-up.
 
#21 ·
STROKEXD said:
A properly set-up ratchet shifter with reverse pattern manual valve body is an awesome set-up.

On my B&M shifter you need to lift the scissor fork up to move anywhere between and into p-r-n, and it drops into D which is actually 1st gear. The shifter then ratchets between 1-2-3 and is locked out of neutral.

Once you start using it with fast shifts, makes more sense to have the gears in the order 1-2-3 rather than D-2-1 like a normal set-up.

but what do you do if something fails and your are in 3rd gear?do you have to shift through 2,1 lift the trigger then get N?
also what B&M do you use?

cheers
 
#23 ·
pracy said:
but what do you do if something fails and your are in 3rd gear?do you have to shift through 2,1 lift the trigger then get N?
also what B&M do you use?

cheers
The cables that come with some of the kits have failure problems. I had to get under the car to shift it into 1st gear to get home after one broke. I then upgraded to a super duty race type cable for approx $80 as an upgrade. Check out: http://www.bmracing.com/index.php?id=products&sid=4&cat=6&subcat=&pid=28


Mine is a Megashifter. I got a steel tray made up as a recess box to fit under the trans tunnel and the whole shifter now sits lower. Final result is it fits in the standard XD console and looks trick.
 
#24 ·
I saw some of the cables that people have had fail. I looked into how they were installed. I later found they were installed without a full loop as per the instructions. Without the loop it puts the cable on an odd angle which causes failure.
 
#25 ·
brenx said:
I saw some of the cables that people have had fail. I looked into how they were installed. I later found they were installed without a full loop as per the instructions. Without the loop it puts the cable on an odd angle which causes failure.
Yeah mine was installed right. When you see the very average cable that comes with most of the shifters to the super duty one, there is no comparison. I think the Starshifter and all B&M race shifters come with the bigger one as standard, but all others have the budget one.
 
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