4R70W build for 11+ GT's

[5150Mustang]

So, here is the proposed project

the second manual trans i have had replaced at ford under warranty is going out again. . .as always 5th gear syncro is screwed up ( shocking i know )

So, I work at at performance transmission shop here in Kentucky and we are going to build a 4R70W to handle around 650-700 ( thats just about the max for some of the hard parts in those units ( without getting down to machining your own ).

the easy part is the trans build. . .what myself and the owner are concerned about is ways to make the speed work, I know that if you do a t56 swap you have to by the speedo calibration box. but as for a 4r70 i am a bit up in the air on how to make that work.

as for the cross memeber I have seen some fabed up to fit 05-09 cars so I am thinking maybe some slight modification should get that part handled, I have a local driveshaft maker here in our town so that is handled. . .

I think a compushift box might be the way to go as far as making the thing shift.

and bell housing is going to be a lot of calling around and finding someone to make it ( unless you guys know of some one that does already )

basically I am interested in everyones input because I am going to try my damn best to get something off the ground and affordable because there are too many of us 6spd guys that are screwed right now and all we wanted to do was make some extra HP, and since I imagine that it would be gigabucks to put a stock auto in a manual car i think a good route is the 4r70 versus the T350-400 ( for daily driving )

planning starts today, so please feel free to add whatever input you like I am looking for any and all suggestions as we start this project.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[01bluesnake]

You will need to adjust oss in the tune to correct your speedo. Bell housing will bolt right in, nothing is different from that of a 4.6 to 5.0

 

[Bud]

Performance Automatic - 4R70W Street Smart Packages

Maybe they will hook you up with he pieces besides the trans

 

[drewzx3]

Why not just get it fixed and trade for an auto? Would much rather have the 6r80 than a 4r70w.

 

[Grant808]

Why not just get it fixed and trade for an auto? Would much rather have the 6r80 than a 4r70w.

This.

I love the 4R70W, but there's nothing that makes me think the 6R80 isn't better for the Coyote.

 

[01bluesnake]

The benefit of the 4r, is that it can utilize a trans brake and be a easy swap if using a manual valve body.

 

[wheelin]

I wouldn't do it been there done that, get the trans fixed and buy an auto car. In the end I garrentee you will be better off.

 

[stang8psi]

^ well there goes that plan. Any reasons to steer us in another direction wheelin?

 

[me32]

The benefit of the 4r, is that it can utilize a trans brake and be a easy swap if using a manual valve body.

I can see why that makes sense. But then the op wants to dd the car. So not sure why the R80 wouldnt be the better tranny. But to each there own i guess

 

[01bluesnake]

The 4r can be perfect for DD. I had a built 4R swap in my F1 procharged cobra and drove it all the time. It retained lock up and had it controlled through a '04 Mach 1 auto pcm. It was perfect on the street and had a trans brake for the trans. Now with that said, that was the only good trans option for that car. I would definitely pick a 6R80 over a 4R if the car could have it. It might not be cost worthy to sell the car and buy one with a auto when a 4R manual valve body build can be done fairly inexpensive. I factor out the cost of a driveshaft and torque converter as those are upgrades regardless if you have a 6R80 or 4R. In all, a very good converter, trans and the misc things should put you around $4500 assuming you are doing the install. On my auto build i spent i believe a little over 6k but retained a factory pcm shifted trans and didn't build it with cheap parts at all.

 

[me32]

The 4r can be perfect for DD. I had a built 4R swap in my F1 procharged cobra and drove it all the time. It retained lock up and had it controlled through a '04 Mach 1 auto pcm. It was perfect on the street and had a trans brake for the trans. Now with that said, that was the only good trans option for that car. I would definitely pick a 6R80 over a 4R if the car could have it. It might not be cost worthy to sell the car and buy one with a auto when a 4R manual valve body build can be done fairly inexpensive. I factor out the cost of a driveshaft and torque converter as those are upgrades regardless if you have a 6R80 or 4R. In all, a very good converter, trans and the misc things should put you around $4500 assuming you are doing the install. On my auto build i spent i believe a little over 6k but retained a factory pcm shifted trans and didn't build it with cheap parts at all.

Great info there. That was the nice thing about the pre 05 swapping trannys an pcm made it easier than the newer stuff. So at$ 4500 you have to look at the cost of loss to trade vs the auto swap.

 

[5150Mustang]

UPDATE

I called Freddy Brown in NY and got a hook up on pricing for the essentials such as bell housing crossmember shifter mounting brackets and the wiring I will need to send signal to the speedo

I would like to do a 6R80 but I am almost sure that I will have waaaaay more money tied up in that. . .

the 4r70 will be just fine as one person had commented he had a cobra with a 4r70 and it was completely DD capable. . .i have seen a few daily driven 4r70w swap cars in the 4.6L area Mustangs. . .

it will be nice to have a trans brake and OD and Lock up, I am going to probably keep the 3.31s or maybe step up to a 3.55 but nothing more, I will just ned to compare my final drive ratios of the 6spd versus the OD in the 4r70 to make sure I am not going to be cranking very high RPMS on the highway.

 

[5150Mustang]

as for cost of the 4r since I am a manager of Trans and PErformance shop i can get away with doing alot of this at my cost and our Owner/Head Tech is very very confident it will not be expensive and it will be a very good swap. . .we have been toying around with the idea of making T350/400 swaps as well as 4r70w swaps for these cars in the past. . .it just so happens now the opportunity has risen with my car currently being down.

 

[me32]

as for cost of the 4r since I am a manager of Trans and PErformance shop i can get away with doing alot of this at my cost and our Owner/Head Tech is very very confident it will not be expensive and it will be a very good swap. . .we have been toying around with the idea of making T350/400 swaps as well as 4r70w swaps for these cars in the past. . .it just so happens now the opportunity has risen with my car currently being down.

That makes things easier to do now. Good luck keep us updated on the project.

 

[5150Mustang]

ok so hopefully next week, we can start the build on the transmissions internals.

I will post pictures as it all goes together, just trying to decided what color to paint the case. . . LMAO

I am thinking PINK lol

can you imagine getting beat by a pink transmission having 11 ? there will be lots of angery LS1 folks

I am assuming that my 1/8th and 1/4 times are going to drop ( hopefully ) if i leave my car exactly the way it is now, might get to see mid 10.80s range on the 150 shot

 

[SteveG@Lethal]

4r70 ftw!!!

 

[19kobra99]

Check out Automatic Transmission Factory in Davie FL. They have done this swap on a customer car. It came out bad ass!

 

[wheelin]

I had a lentech trans(4r70w) paid for the best, blew it up 3 times. Every time had to pay shipping and install and the 1000$ deductible on his warranty . 2010 mustangs+ computers don't like to work with aftermarket trans controllers . Bottom line install was with all these issues 20 g's plus!!

 

[01bluesnake]

as for cost of the 4r since I am a manager of Trans and PErformance shop i can get away with doing alot of this at my cost and our Owner/Head Tech is very very confident it will not be expensive and it will be a very good swap. . .we have been toying around with the idea of making T350/400 swaps as well as 4r70w swaps for these cars in the past. . .it just so happens now the opportunity has risen with my car currently being down.

The trans minor build work is not what is expensive, its all the little things. A quality converter like PTC, PI, circle D to handle the power and abuse is going to be $900-$1000. A high quality valvebody will make or break a trans and how it shifts, and with trans brake will be easily $700+. Add in a SFI flexplate, SFI bell housing, and quality cooler with braided lines and the price goes up fast. Don't forget a good shifter at $200+. I did mine as budget as possible and got a deal on a lot of parts, but all the little things add up fast. I was shocked when i got done and actually realized what i spent.

For the gearing, unless you are going big power 3.31 gears are going to kill you. I had 4.10's with my 4R swap 28" tire and was able to get to 130+ mph. A lot will also come down to your redline or max power operating RPM

 

[1NA RUN]

Great info. Thanks guys